Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has heaped praises on his star forward Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese star was awarded the Ballon da��Or award by France Football.
The Euro 2016 star picked up the award for the fourth time after votes were compiled. Zidane took out time to drop some comments ahead of the cluba��s clash with a Mexican side in the Club World Cup in Japan.
a�?Cristiano is hugely motivated for this game a�� as always. He would be motivated even if it were a friendly, thata��s just the sort of player he is. Obviously we have many great players at Real Madrid but ita��s very rare one player wins so many awards,a�? Zidane said.
a�?To win four Ballon da��Ors is a fabulous achievement and ita��s not an easy thing to do. What hea��s doing is absolutely incredible. Maybe he deserves a fifth one too!a�? Zidane added, pushing Ronaldo to equal Lionel Messia��s record.
The 31-year old won the award mostly out of his outstanding year, winning the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid for the second time in three years and helping his national team side to a major title for the first time at the Euro 2016.
Ronaldo sparked quite a controversy when he said he would have won more awards than Messi if they both played together. He said:
a�?It would be interesting to see both of us in the same team. I think great players should play together. If we were in the same team, I think I would have more than him, but he wouldna��t be far off. Everyone knows Messi is a great player. Hea��s won five Ballon da��Ors.a�?
Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos are set to miss the semi final clash but the coach said Ramos would play the final.