The 2023 Men's World Best Player list by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) showcased a surprising exclusion within the top ten in the form of one of world’s greatest- Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite his strong performances for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo landed at the 11th spot, trailing eight positions behind his perennial rival, Lionel Messi. Responding to social media chatter about the rankings, Ronaldo reacted with laughing emojis, seemingly dismissing the standings.
A Bola, the Portuguese news outlet, shared the IFFHS rankings of the best players of 2023 on their Instagram page, eliciting a reaction from Cristiano Ronaldo, who responded with sarcastic emojis. They captioned the post, "Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to our post about the IFFHS rankings of the best players of 2023. The captain of the national team felt like laughing when he saw the elected ones. Do you think the Portuguese deserved to be on the list?"
According to the IFFHS, Manchester City's Erling Haaland claimed the top spot as the best player in the world for 2023, with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi following closely behind. Messi, fresh off winning his eighth Ballon d'Or a month earlier, secured the third position.
Ronaldo's absence from the rankings has sparked speculation, especially considering his prolific year, netting 53 goals and providing 15 assists for Al-Nassr and Portugal. Some attribute his exclusion to his current Saudi Pro League tenure, perceived by some as less competitive compared to other premier football leagues. But this reasoning seems puzzling given Messi's inclusion, despite competing in Major League Soccer (MLS). Interestingly, the MLS ranks three spots higher than the Saudi Pro League in the latest assessments. While Messi spent a considerable part of 2023 in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain, a league ranked fifth as of December 31, 2022.
The remaining seven players in the rankings were absent last year: Rodri (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur/Bayern Munich), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid), and Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan).