Ballon dOr winner CR7 is a class apart
AFP
AFP, YOKOHAMA (JAPAN): Cristiano Ronaldo is itching to prove just why he deserved the Ballon dOr by leading Real Madrid to another Club World Cup title, Zinedine Zidane said Wednesday.
The Portuguese superstar, voted the worlds best player for a fourth time earlier this week, will lead Reals charge in Japan, where the European champions face Mexicos Club America in Thursdays semi-final.
Cristiano is hugely motivated for this game as always, Real coach Zidane told reporters in Yokohama.
He would be motivated even if it were a friendly, thats just the sort of player he is.
Obviously we have many great players at Real Madrid but its very rare one player wins so many awards, added the Frenchman, whose side are chasing their second world title in three years this week.
To win four Ballon dOrs is a fabulous achievement and its not an easy thing to do. What hes doing is absolutely incredible maybe he deserves a fifth one too!
Ronaldo closed in on Lionel Messis record five awards after a remarkable year in which he helped Real dominate Europe for the 11th time and powered Portugal to European Championship glory.
The 31-year-old talisman, whose joy has been dampened by allegations of tax fraud, insisted that if he and Messi played for the same team, he would have scooped more accolades than his Argentine rival.
It would be interesting to see both of us in the same team, Ronaldo told Spanish media.
I think great players should play together. If we were in the same team, I think I would have more than him, but he wouldnt be far off.
Everyone knows Messi is a great player, he added. Hes won five Ballon dOrs.
Zidane, whose Spanish table-toppers are currently on a club record 35-game unbeaten run, is set to leave out captain Sergio Ramos against Club America.
I dont think he will play, said Zidane, looking to bring Real a fifth world crown.
Its not a serious problem, hes a bit fatigued after the long flight and we dont want to take the risk. We will rest him for the final.
Zidane, who is missing Gareth Bale as the Welshman recovers from ankle surgery, has warned his players against over-confidence against a Club America side celebrating their centennial season.
For many of their players maybe it will be their only chance to play against Real Madrid and Im sure they will give us plenty of headaches, he said. I told the players we cant just turn up and expect to win, we have to earn it.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo had very little time to celebrate Tuesday after capturing a fourth Ballon dOr as he was presented with an edible version of the golden globe and a healthy plate of berries by captain Sergio Ramos before the team hit the training pitch for Thursdays semi-final.
Ramos, who looks set to sit out the game with fatigue, posted a photo of himself and Ronaldo at the teams hotel on Twitter with the message: Congratulations, Cristiano. You deserve it.
We are doing a good job, said Ramos, who has been instrumental in table-topping Reals club record 35-game unbeaten run.
Weve got a better understanding with each other and were on the same wavelength, added the central defender, who has chipped in with late goals against bitter rivals Barcelona and Deportivo la Coruna in recent weeks.
The team is reaping the benefits of that, he told the FIFA website. We want a happy ending to whats been a good year for us. Wed like to get (the title) back as we had to pass it on last year.
Ramos, who was famously involved in a Twitter row with Barcelona defender Gerard Pique last year which continued while their Catalan rivals were in the Far East for the Club World Cup, has yet to train in Japan.
The Club World Cup gives us the chance to test ourselves against other styles of play were perhaps not so used to, said Ramos. We have new goals to achieve, and new records to break. There are always new challenges.
America coach Ricardo La Volpe promised the Mexicans would have no fear.
We have quality in our team too, said the firebrand Argentine, who famously used to incur the wrath of FIFA officials for chain-smoking on the bench.
I dont think Real Madrid are favourites, added La Volpe, whose team beat South Koreas Jeonbuk Motors 2-1 at the weekend. Yes, they are a great team but we will play with our heart, look to be aggressive and take our chances.
Barring a huge upset, Real will face the winners of the competitions first semi-final between Colombias Atletico Nacional and Japanese champions Kashima Antlers, that was being played in Osaka later on Wednesday.
