Ronaldo: Entertainer Messi deserves Ballon d´Or

Former Brazil striker Ronaldo has tipped Barcelona forward Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d’Or ahead of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Argentine has won the past two editions of the award, but his Portuguese counterpart has helped Real to the La Liga title and led his country to the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

“Messi and Cristiano are amazing, the two best players in the world, but Messi does more to entertain fans,” Ronaldo told Marca.

The two-time World Cup winner also believes Santos striker Neymar must move to a big European club in order to fulfil
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his potential, both as a player and a person.

“I would advise Neymar to go to Europe. As well as being the home of football, the culture there makes it a great opportunity and an option that should not be missed,” he said.

“In Europe, players become real people, especially Brazilians. I learned a lot, it was great to live in Europe for 18 years and I can say that there is no university to teach you everything I learned playing football there.”

Ronaldo, 36, is on the board of directors for the Organising Committee for the 2014 World Cup in his homeland, and he admitted it is a prospect that makes him wish he was still playing.

“I’d love to be a few years younger and return to play at the Maracana. Brazilian football will inherit a legacy from the World Cup – new stadiums, new football prospects. Everything will have changed because of 2014,” he said.