Cristiano Ronaldo jokes he would have won more Ballon d’Or awards than Lionel Messi if they had played on the same team

CRISTIANO RONALDO joked he would be recognised as the better footballer if he and Lionel Messi played on the same team.

The Real Madrid star won the Ballon d’Or for the fourth time on Monday.

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Ronaldo, 31, said: “It would have been interesting to play on the same team [as Messi].

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“I think the big players should play together. If we had been on the same team, I would have more Golden Balls, but he would not be far away (laughs).

“Everyone knows he is a great player and has five Golden Balls.”

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Ronaldo is still one award shy of Messi’s tally of five Ballon d’Or awards.

Speaking to France Football, he added: “I’ll try and be in contention as always.

“My goal now is to win the Club World Cup, a major trophy and a title that the club wants to get, and if possible, the League, the Champions League and the [Spanish] Cup. I want to win everything. ”

While Ronaldo has enjoyed a stellar season on the pitch – winning the Champions League and the Euros – the Portuguese icon has become embroiled in a tax evasion storm.

Spanish authorities have been looking into his alleged tax fraud for the last 18 months.

It is reported Ronaldo has directed at least £126million in image rights through Caribbean tax havens since 2009.

His representatives Gestifute – owned by high-profile agent Jorge Mendes – have strongly denied the claims and published documents that they believe prove his innocence.

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Ronaldo admitted he does not mind speculation over his love life, but wants better protection when it comes to his finances.

He said: “It hurts because we always try to make things right. There are innocent people in jail and I feel like that. You know you did nothing wrong. The truth, sooner or later, always comes to light.”

Ronaldo added: “When they talk about my private life, my friends, the place to which I went on vacation, if you have a girlfriend or not . . . that’s normal. But when it comes to something serious like what is happening now there must be justice. I have lawyers. ”