KKR superstar Andre Russell names Ballon d'Or winner as favorite sportsperson of all time

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell has named five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo as his favorite sportsperson of all time.

In a video posted by KKR's official YouTube channel, Andre Russell was asked various short questions. One of them was to name his favorite sportsperson. The West Indian cricketer did not hesistate in naming Manchester United talisman Ronaldo.

The video of Andre Russell can be viewed below:

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most popular footballers of the modern era. The Portuguese forward is still going strong at the ripe old age of 37. Joining Manchester United in the summer of 2021, Ronaldo has been excellent in a relatively dull season for the Red Devils.

Hence, it's not surprising that Andre Russell has him as his favorite. The Portuguese legend is one of the biggest global stars in the field of sports and has a massive fan following across the globe.

As things stand, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 24 goals in 38 appearances for Manchester United across all competitions. This includes 18 goals in the Premier League, which currently makes him the third highest goalscorer in the league behind Mohamed Salah (22 goals) and Son Heung-min (21).

Ronaldo has the second-most Ballon d'Or awards in men's football, trailing only Lionel Messi. However, his last award came back in 2017 when he played for Real Madrid. Since then, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or twice. It was also won once by Ronaldo's former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric.

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The 2022 Ballon d'Or race seems wide open at the moment

There are many candidates in the 2022 Ballon d'Or race at the moment. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Karim Benzema have all been tipped as major candidates for this season's award.

Karim Bezema has had a stellar season for Real Madrid. The French forward has scored 44 goals in 44 appearances for Los Blancos this season. This includes some vital strikes, including hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea in the Champions League.

Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, is currently Liverpool's highest goalscorer this season. The 29-year-old winger has scored 30 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions. It is also worth mentioning that Liverpool have already won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup this season.

Sadio Mane, on the other hand, has had international success on top of all the accolades he has won with Liverpool. The 30-year-old forward guided Senegal to the African Cup of Nations title earlier this year.

The primary candidates for the Ballon d'Or are players from Liverpool and Real Madrid, who play each other in the Champions League final this season. It is safe to say that the player who is on the winning side in Paris on May 28 will have a better chance of winning this year's award.

To see list of IPL winner, click here.