Argentine great, Diego Maradona, has tipped Cristiano Ronaldo to secure the top individual prize in football and claim the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

The prestigious award is set to be handed out in Zurich next month, with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery, and Ronaldo all in contention for the prize.

Despite his fellow Argentine, Messi, being one of the candidates for the award on January 13, Maradona believes it’s Real Madrid star, Ronaldo’s turn to be given the Ballon d’Or.

He told Algerian newspaper, Le Buteur: “Cristiano Ronaldo should win. Messi has been injured a lot this year.”

Ronaldo has had to be patient for his chance to get his hands on the top prize once again after claiming the Ballon d’Or back in 2008.

Messi has secured the accolade for the last four seasons but his injury problems have hampered him somewhat in recent months.

Ronaldo has been tipped by fans who bet on football to come out on top in Zurich, with Ribery also saying the former Manchester United star deserves to win, although he wishes Messi would be given the recognition once again.

Having been so prolific for Real since his arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu and almost single-handedly guiding his country, Portugal, to the World Cup finals in Brazil next year, Ronaldo is arguably the favourite in the football betting to get his hands on the Ballon d’Or.

The 28-year-old might well think he could get the prize too, having made space in his very own museum in his hometown of Funchal, Madeira for the coveted trophy.