Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister takes aim at Virgil van Dijk over Ballon d’Or joke

The Liverpool defender jokily questioned whether the Portuguese was a genuine contender for the Ballon d'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister has said that Virgil van Dijk is not worthy of ‘sitting at the same table’ with the Portuguese after the Liverpool defender joked about his rival not being a genuine contender for the Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo was not in attendance at Monday night’s awards ceremony in Paris as Lionel Messi picked up his sixth title, with Van Dijk named in second.

Instead, the Juventus star, who came in third for this year’s Ballon d’Or, chose to attend the Serie A awards in Milan, where he was named player of the year.

When asked about Ronaldo’s absence in Paris, Van Dijk jokingly replied: “Why? Was he a candidate?”

The response failed to land well with Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, who took to Instagram to question Van Dijk’s remark and highlight her brother’s success across Europe.

“I think there are people living completely frustrated!!! And unrealistic... such humility!” she wrote, alongside a picture of Ronaldo scoring his overhead-kick for Real Madrid against Juventus.

“Now, dear Virgil, where you are going, Cristiano Ronaldo has gone and has come a thousand times.

“You see, my dear Virgil, that Cristiano Ronaldo was a tri-champion in the country where you have been playing for years and you still haven’t got your hand on the trophy.

“Cristiano Ronaldo was even the best player and best scorer in the country where you play Virgil. By the way, he was even younger than you.

“Then, dear Virgil, Cristiano Ronaldo went to other places and became the greatest player in the history of a club, Real Madrid. Tell you something Virgil? Maybe so, because this club, with this Cristiano guy, even beat you in the Champions League final.

“Of these, Ronaldo already has 5, Virgil. And that fellow Ronaldo and team-mates, with the corners on his chest, crushed your “orange” in a final (Nations League final between Portugal and Holland).

“Was it hard, Virgil? We have pity. And, dear Virgil, in one of the least successful times of his career, Cristiano Ronaldo has won even more titles than you. Awesome, isn’t it?

“Now Virgil will win titles from those who really count and then we’ll talk. When you have a handful of them, the really important ones, you might be able to sit at the table with Cristiano. Or as they say in our land, it grows and appears!

“It’s for me @cristiano you are and you will always be the best player in the world!!!”