Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo need to compete for their own Golden Ball, says Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, with everybody else left to battle it out for a different prize.
Barcelona’s talismanic skipper landed the sixth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career in 2019, with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk edged into a runner-up spot.
Juventus superstar Ronaldo, who has five successes to his name, finished third in the vote and now finds himself chasing down an eternal rival once more.
Ramos, who spent many productive years working alongside a Portuguese icon in Madrid, admits that two all-time greats should probably be judged differently to the rest of the world.
He, like Van Dijk, has earned plenty of plaudits down the years and established a standing as one of the world’s finest performers in his chosen position, but has been forced to watch on from afar as the awards scene has been dominated by two men producing unworldly levels of consistency.
Ramos joked to TUDN: “They could make a Golden Ball only for Cristiano and Messi, depending on the results, and another for the rest. In the end it would be better for football.”
While never been recognised with prestigious individual accolades, Ramos has earned a standing as cult icon in Madrid.
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He has spent 14 years at the Santiago Bernabeu, taking in four La Liga title successes and as many Champions League triumphs along the way – while also claiming World Cup and European Championship wins with Spain.
On his legacy, the 33-year-old said: “I feel proud. In the end it is something that nobody has given me.
“Behind those walls it is all about work, the sacrifice, the dedication and the constancy. Because it is not only a challenge to arrive at the top, but also to stay there.
“There are many things behind the scenes that people do not know about, success is no accident. Hopefully my legacy serves to inspire millions of children that when you fight for something, dreams are fulfilled and anything can be achieved.”
There will soon come a day when Ramos has to walk away from Madrid and hang up his boots.
When that moment arrives, a spot at the very top of the defensive game will open up.
He is reluctant to speculate on who could fill his boots with the Blancos, but admits that there are plenty of promising centre-halves to be found in the modern game.
Ramos added: “In the end, comparisons are never good.
“There is a very good production line at Real Madrid, you must always keep that national base.
“In the market there are good players and the team can sign them. [Matthijs] De Ligt is a defender with a lot of promise, he needs experience, but he is a player of the future.”
