Former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho says that he is hoping that, as a Portuguese, Cristiano Ronaldo wins the FIFA Ballon d’Or award for this year.
The winner of this award will be announced in a few weeks and Ronaldo is in the running to lift his third title. He is the reigning holder, but he faces stiff competition from the likes of Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer. Ronaldo has been one of the outstanding Portuguese players in recent decades. The phenomenal goalscoring record of the 29-year-old has helped Madrid win the Champions League and the Copa del Rey in one season.
Even though Ronaldo did not have a good World Cup 2014, several players have come in support for the former Manchester United star to lift the title this season. Unlikely Lionel Messi, Ronaldo has the advantage of added physicality and he can score from a variety of situations. This has led to Carvalho saying that Ronaldo is the only the perfect footballer the world has ever seen. Messi is someone who has reached new heights due to the enormous talent at his disposal, while Ronaldo has combined his talent with hard work to reach those heights.
Messi is not considered as one of the favourites for this year’s coveted award, as he did not win any trophies last season. “For us Portuguese, everyone is expecting that Cristiano can win the third Golden Ball.He is doing a great job during this past six or seven years. He is improving all the small details, making so many goals. He wants always more, even in training.It is difficult [to say how he is improving] because when you see him, he is almost perfect, strong, good in the air, always fit. It is difficult to say what he is missing,” said Carvalho.