Former Liverpool and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli claims that he would not hand the Ballon d'Or to Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo or Barcelona's Lionel Messi.
The Italian striker left the Merseyside club and made a switch to French club Nice last summer, after being told that his services are not longer required at Anfield.
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Balotelli was signed at Liverpool by Brendan Rodgers as a replacement for Luis Suarez, who made a switch to Barcelona in the summer of 2014. The Italian international believes the former Reds and Ajax man should win the prestigious individual award as the world's best player in the world.
“This year I would give it to [Luis] Suárez," Balotelli told French TV show Teléfoot.
The Uruguayan international was outstanding for Luis Enrique's side in last year’s title-winning campaign, scoring over 60 goals in all competitions, out of which 40 of them came in the league. He also set up over 20 goals for his side, which included 16 assists in the league.
Suarez has already bagged 12 goals and registered seven assists in all competitions in the 2016-17 season and is on the track to replicate his last season's form, which saw them win the La Liga and the Copa del Rey, while their arch-rivals Real Madrid won the Champions League.
Ronaldo has been instrumental for both his club and country as he helped Real Madrid and Portugal win the Champions League and the European championship respectively. It should be seen whether Suarez can provide competition to his teammate Messi and Ronaldo for the Ballon d'Or award.
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Meanwhile, Balotelli has urged his former teammate Mamadou Sakho to leave Liverpool when the transfer window reopens at the turn of the new year. The France international has been frozen out of the first-team by Jurgen Klopp, something the striker himself experienced on his return from loan to Anfield.
"I speak with him from time to time. I said to him: 'What a waste a player like you is not playing'," the Nice striker said.
"He has to leave. I said to him: 'If you want, come to Nice.' I am going to speak to him about it. In January, it would be good," said the controversial striker.
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