Anfield ace Van Dijk finished second to Lionel Messi as the Barcelona forward bagged a record sixth Ballon d’Or trophy, while Ronaldo finished a distant third.
Ronaldo did not attend the glitzy do in Paris and instead showed up at the 2019 Gran Cala del Calcio do in Milan to pick up the Best Player in Serie A gong.
Ronaldo knew he would not claim a sixth Ballon d’Or and Van Dijk made light of the fact in an interview with Dutch TV channel RTL7 before the gala.
Asked if Ronaldo’s absence meant he had one fewer rival to beat to claim the crown, the Champions League winner said: “Was he a rival then?”
The tongue-in-cheek response prompted an almighty rant from 34-year-old Ronaldo’s older sister Katia Aveiro on Instagram.
She wrote: “I think there are people living completely frustrated and unrealistic!
“It is well known that Ronaldo will not win tonight’s prize. Although he has won important collective titles… but this is another conversation.
“We will see where the truth about football will come!
“Now, dear Virgil, where you are going, Cristiano Ronaldo has gone and 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 younger than you.
“Then, dear Virgil, Cristiano Ronaldo went to other places and became the greatest player in the history of 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 five, Virgil.
“And that fellow Ronaldo and team-mates, with the corners on his chest, crushed your ‘orange’ in the final. Was it hard, Virgil?
“We have pity.
“And, dear Virgil, in one of the most accomplished times of your career, Cristiano Ronaldo has won even more titles than you. Awesome, isn’t it?
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