A day after picking up a Golden Boot award for scoring 46 league goals last season, the 26-year-old paid respect to his Real Madrid rival.

“I don’t know if Cristiano Ronaldo is at his peak but he is always there scoring goals in all the games and taking part in his club and national side,” Messi told Spanish sports daily Marca and other European sports journalists.

“He has been doing that for many years and whether he is at his peak or a bit less makes no difference.”

The 28-year-old Real Madrid star Ronaldo is emerging as the favorite to pick up this year’s Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player over four-time winner Messi.

Ronaldo scored a hat-trick on Tuesday as Portugal beat Sweden to qualify for its fourth straight World Cup finals and he tops the Spanish league scoreboard so far this season with 16 goals in 13 matches.

Messi has 11 goals from eight games in the league this season but has been sidelined for up to eight weeks with a muscle tear in his left hamstring muscle.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, a Real Madrid fan, told public radio he would back Ronaldo for the Ballon d’Or award if he had a vote.

“I think he is in impressive form. He is a player who gives everything. Yes, I would vote for him,” Rajoy said.

The Portuguese’s chances seemed to rise even further when FIFA announced a two-week extension to the voting deadline until November 29, citing a weak turnout, and allowing participants to change ballots already cast.

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C. Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Europe’s Footballer of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated in UEFA’s Team of the Year.

The Portuguese winger, who last time claimed the prize at the expense of Fernadno Torres, Lionel Messi, and Wayne Rooney, will vie for the honours alongside Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished second best with Manchester United behind Barcelona in the final of the Champions League, is poised to lose out on a second consecutive European Player of the Year title.
Football analysts, coaches, players, and fans are all tipping Argentina’s Lieonal Messi to grab the award at the end of the month.

If this indeed happens, how will Cristiano Ronaldo redeem his pride next season? The World Player of the Year now finds himself in the same league with his greatest competitor Lionel Messi.

Angela Asante, CRF Chief Editor

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Ronaldo shines in the thunder

Some believe that Manchester United was Ronaldo’s home and that the young man will be nothing without the loving grace of the experienced Sir Alex Ferguson and his Red Devil club.
For this group of people, Cristiano Ronaldo will disappear from the highest rank of soccer professionals in the blink of an eye. They claim that money and pressure will distract the man that now holds the title of the world’s most expensive football player.

And more… they believe that Ronaldo will melt under the fire of Real Madrid’s rivals Barcelona which is powered by Lionel Messi.

Opinions should always be voiced out in football once they don’t include offensive thoughts or anything that will hurt someone. So go on, cast your votes now. Answer this simple question: Will Cristiano Ronaldo shine in La Liga? Vote in the Poll that is on the home page.

Angela Asante, CRF Chief Editor

The post Vote now: Will Cristiano Ronaldo shine in La Liga? first appeared on Cristiano Ronaldo Fan | News, Photos, Blog, Pics, Videos.