Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo believes Lionel Messi, Neymar, Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Lewandowski are his main rivals to a fifth Ballon d’Or title when the ceremony takes place in December.
The Portuguese is currently on his own personal pre-season tour of China having missed his side’s International Champions Cup defeat by Manchester United in Santa Clara.
Ronaldo scored 55 goals in 55 appearances for club and country during the 2016-17 campaign, helping Madrid to a 12th Champions League success in addition to regaining the domestic title for the first time since 2012.
But the global star is not resting on his laurels, and he told ESPN that he expects stiff competition. ‘Of course it is always going to be a fight between us,’ he said.
‘I’m there along with [Lionel] Messi, Neymar, [Robert] Lewandowski and [Gonzalo] Higuain.
‘That kind of fighting and competition is healthy and that is what motivates me, being better than them year after year.
‘The best always try to compete with the best, it keeps you sharp. You know you can never lose focus because others will overtake you.’
Ronaldo won the 2016 Ballon d’Or by a record margin of 429 points ahead of second-placed Messi and Antoine Griezmann in third.
The former United star also won the inaugural Best FIFA Men’s Player award after winning both the Champions League and the European Championships with Portugal last year.
The 32-year-old’s fourth Ballon d’Or gong means he already boasts the most titles of any European player in the history of the award – but he is already eyeing more personal accolades.
Ronaldo is yet to join his Real Madrid team-mates in pre-season having been handed an extended break following the Confederations Cup in Russia last month.
The club’s all-time record goalscorer was in Beijing on Sunday having signed a new major endorsement deal with Mint Media and he attended an event alongside retired Chinese tennis star Li Na and retired hurdler Liu Xiang.
Some 6,000 miles away, Madrid were beaten 2-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw against United, with the La Liga champions facing Manchester City in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
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