Cristiano Ronaldo has appeared to respond to his disappointment at losing out to Lionel Messi at the Fifa Best Awards 2019.
The Portuguese did not attend the ceremony in Milan, despite playing for Juventus in nearby Turin.
And not long after Messi had picked up the top prize, Ronaldo appeared to brush off the defeat to his long-time rival with a cryptic message.
“Patience and persistence are two characteristics that differentiate the professional from the amateur,” Ronaldo wrote.
“Everything that is big today has started small. You can’t do everything, but do everything you can to make your dreams come true.
“And keep in mind that after night always comes dawn.”
Ronaldo won the Serie A title last season and then helped Portugal to lift the inaugural Nations League, though it was not to be enough to convince the majority of the vote.
Currently recovering from an adductor injury, Ronaldo will miss the Serie A clash with Brescia on Tuesday.
