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Portugal coach Fernando Santos has claimed that his team’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to retain the coveted Ballon d’Or award ahead of the Lionel Messi. The Seleccao is scheduled to take on Argentina in an international friendly on Tuesday. The fixture is in focus because of Ronaldo’s face off against his Barcelona rival Messi at his old hunting ground Old Trafford.
Ronaldo has been the best this season
The former Greece coach tipped the Real Madrid forward to win the award based on a stronger form this season. He said, "I voted for Cristiano."
"I think this season he was the best player in the world. But of course you always have to consider Messi because he's a fabulous player.
"I've already said Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two geniuses. But, this year, I think Cristiano was better."
The 60-year-old also revealed how Messi was Argentina’s main player and how he had been planning ways to stop the whole Albiceleste team and not just the “fabulous” striker.
"That's how Argentina plays. Their coach [Gerardo Martino] already said that position is the most indicated to Messi," Santos said.
"If he played for the other side you would have asked me if my central defenders would focus on Messi there.We have to worry about what Argentina does.” He added.
"Obviously, if Argentina have a player with that kind of quality it makes a difference but Argentina is a very strong team with so many great players, so we have to pay attention to all of Argentina's movements."
Portugal won 1-0 against Armenia last Friday in the Euro 2016 qualifiers and now have six points from three qualifying matches.
Carvalho wants Portugal to stop depending on Ronaldo
But Portuguese defender and teammate Ricardo Carvalho is resolute about how his side should stop depending on Ronaldo always to help them win, with the 29-year-old striker having netted Portugal’s only two goals in the qualifiers.
The former Chelsea defender said: "I think it's natural the press talks about Cristiano and Messi above Portugal against Argentina, but it's a good test for us,"
"It's important to us and also to Cristiano play against big national teams and, fortunately, tomorrow [Tuesday] we'll have the pleasure to play against Argentina.
"More important than looking at one player is that we look ourselves as a team. We play as a block, we defend well and we will try to attack with quality when we have to."
