talkSPORT presenter Max Scott has caused a stir by leaving Cristiano Ronaldo off his list of the top five Ballon d'Or winners of the millennium on his weekly series, Mount Rushmore or less. Despite the Portuguese icon possessing five Golden Balls, Scott believes the forward has severely damaged his reputation through his personal conduct, his move to Saudi Arabia, an inflating ego, and the dragging out of his international career.
Ronaldo's standing with Portugal, the Euro 2016 champions, recently unraveled after the 41-year-old left the national squad's training camp in September. According to Portuguese journalist Pedro Sepulveda, Ronaldo felt lied to regarding his playing time by new manager Jorge Jesus, who subsequently doubled down on his position. Following an escalating conflict that included Ronaldo taking a personal jab at Simon Jordan, the country's football association sanctioned the former Manchester United forward with a 30-day suspension and a fine of 255 euros (£215).
Instead of Cristiano, Scott placed eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient Lionel Messi at the pinnacle of his ranking. The Argentine maestro claimed his initial trophy in 2009 and his most recent following his 2022 World Cup triumph. Scott also selected 2007 winner Kaka, who produced 20 goals and 14 assists in 51 matches during AC Milan's Champions League-winning campaign, alongside 2005 winner Ronaldinho. The former Barcelona star notably beat runner-up Frank Lampard to the accolade and once earned a standing ovation from Real Madrid supporters during a 3-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The remaining spots went to 2000 winner Luis Figo, who famously made the controversial switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid, and Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario. Prioritised over Cristiano, Ronaldo Nazario claimed the 2002 Ballon d'Or after collecting the World Cup and the Golden Boot with eight goals, taking his overall tournament tally to 15 goals in 19 appearances across two trophy wins. As attention turns to the 2026 edition with Harry Kane, Rodri, and Lamine Yamal in contention, Scott's rankings demonstrate that elite historical accolades can still be outweighed by late-career controversies.