Yokohama: Cristiano Ronaldo is itching to prove just why he deserved the Ballon d’Or by leading Real Madrid to another Club World Cup title, coach Zinedine Zidane (Zizou) said here Wednesday.
The Portuguese superstar, voted the world’s best player for a fourth time earlier this week, will lead Real Madrid’s charge in Japan, where the European champions face Mexico’s Club America in Thursday’s semifinal here.
“Cristiano is hugely motivated for this game – as always,” Real Madrid coach Zidane told reporters here. “He would be motivated even if it was a friendly, that’s just the sort of player he is. Obviously we have many great players at Real Madrid but it’s very rare one player wins so many awards,” added the Frenchman.
The 31-year-old talismanic striker, whose joy has been dampened by allegations of tax fraud, has insisted that if he and Messi had 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 awards than him, but he wouldn’t be far off. He’s a great player too.”
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 don’t think he will play,” informed Zidane. “It is nothing serious, but just fatigue.”
Agence France-Presse
