Cristiano Ronaldo's sister in angry rant at Virgil van Dijk over Ballon d'Or jibe

Cristiano Ronaldo's sister Katia Aveiro launched a rant at Virgil van Dijk after the Liverpool defender's joke about her brother at the Ballon D'Or 2019 ceremony.

Van Dijk finished second in the voting for this year's Ballon d'Or, behind winner Lionel Messi but ahead of third-placed Juventus star Ronaldo.

Ronaldo snubbed the ceremony, and when a reporter put it to Van Dijk before the award was announced that that meant he had one less rival to worry about, the Dutch centre-half joked: "Was Cristiano really a rival?"

Ronaldo's sister has reacted angrily to the quip, with a lengthy Instagram post in response to Van Dijk in which she points to her brother's far superior trophy record.

His prize haul includes five Ballon d'Ors - behind only Messi who is now on six - plus five European Cups, and league titles in England, Spain and Italy.

By contrast, Van Dijk has won a European Cup and a UEFA Super Cup with Liverpool, plus two league titles and a Scottish League Cup with Celtic.

Aveiro's post, translated from Portuguese by Metro , read: "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 in the can.

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

"Then, dear Virgil, Cristiano Ronaldo went to other places and became the greatest player in the history of a clubezito.

" 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 a final. 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.

"It’s for me Cristiano you are and you will always be the best player in the world!!!”