Xavi Tips Cristiano Ronaldo to Win Ballon d'or

Barcelona legend Xavi has insisted he meant no disrespect to Cristiano Ronaldo when he said the Real Madrid star could not compare to his former team-mate, Lionel Messi. However, he added that he sticks by what he said.

Back in September, Xavi told Cadena SER (via Marca) that, while Portugal's Ronaldo is a "player of his time," he cannot be compared to Barcelona's Messi, who is "pretty much the best player in history."
Ronaldo, 31, responded by pointing out he has won the Ballon d'Or three times, to Xavi's none, and mocked the Spaniard's "decision to move to Qatari side Al-Sadd for the final years of his professional career," per ESPN FC's Samuel Marsden.

In a potential attempt to clear the air, Xavi, 36, named Ronaldo as the
favourite to win the Ballon d'Or this year—while insisting Messi will also be in the running—and sought to clarify his original position, per AS (via ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan):

    I just gave my opinion, Messi is the best player in the world. The best in history, nothing more. That's my opinion and I think people who like football think the same as me.

    I saw that Cristiano did not take it well, but I still think the same. What he said about the Ballon d'Ors is also true. I don't want to be disrespectful, but my opinion has not changed. It was not a lack of respect from me.

The perpetual Messi-Ronaldo debate is unlikely ever to be resolved. The pair have monopolised the Ballon d'Or award for the past eight years, a record likely to be stretched further to nine this year.

They have 12 domestic titles between them (Messi 8, Ronaldo 4) and have combined to win seven of the last 10 UEFA Champions League finals (Messi 4, Ronaldo 3).

In the summer, Ronaldo triumphed with Portugal at UEFA Euro 2016, while Messi lost in a major international final for the third year running as Argentina were downed by Chile at the Copa America.

Xavi played alongside Messi for Barca up until he departed the Camp Nou in 2015. It would be enormously surprising if he were to back Ronaldo over the 29-year-old Argentinian in a debate about who is the better player.

And, per Corrigan, far from admitting to disrespecting Ronaldo, Xavi responded when asked if Los Blancos man had disrespected him: "What do you think?"

Currently Ronaldo and Messi's teams are both being eclipsed in La Liga by Atletico Madrid, who sit top of the pile in the Spanish top flight.

Messi is returning from an injury and Ronaldo is lacking some form, but there is little doubt their impact will become significant again over the season, and the debate surrounding them will rumble on.