This archive report was first published on 3 December 2019.
December 2, 2019, marked a night of great celebration in Paris as the 2019 Ballon d'Or awards ceremony took place, with Lionel Messi emerging victorious for a record sixth time.
However, his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo was noticeably absent from the ceremony, leading to speculation about the reasons behind his decision.
When asked about Ronaldo's no-show, Messi defended his fellow football great, stating, "He's not here because he couldn't be here."
He added, "It shouldn't be twisted. We enjoyed a great gala."
It has since emerged that Ronaldo was in Milan on the same night, attending a separate event where he was set to pick up the Serie A Player of the Year award.
