Ronaldo Says Mohammed Salah Can Win The Ballon D’or

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that he sees Mohammed Salah as a genuine contender for the Ballon D’or in the next few years. He believes that his and Messi’s decade-long dominance over the competition could soon come to an end.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the World Cup, the Portuguese said,”Salah has been one of the revelations of the year. I hope his injury in the final in Kiev doesn’t keep him out.”

The 5-time Ballon d’Or winner elaborated,”Many people talk about the battle for the Ballon d’Or between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi but there are other players who have a chance to enter the race. Salah is certainly one of them.”

Salah has been one of the breakout players in Europe this season, scoring 44 goals throughout the season for Liverpool. His brilliance served as an inspiration to the Reds who made a startling run to the final of the UEFA Champions League. His fairytale, however, came to an abrupt end following a clash with Sergio Ramos after which he had to be substituted in the first half. Liverpool ended up losing the game 3-1.

Ronaldo also spoke at length about Spain, whom his Portugal side faces in the opening round of the World Cup on 15th June. He admitted it would be a very tough game but was also positive about his team’s chances. According to him,” A defeat on the first day puts you in a bad way for the rest of the tournament so it’s important to start well. But I believe both Spain and Portugal will reach the next round.”

The captain of the current Euro Champions also stated, “To win the World Cup would be a dream for Portugal but to do it we have to play the same way we did in Euro 2016, as a team and all together.”