Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has named the five players with the exception of Lionel Messi, who will pose a huge threat to his Ballon d'Or winning ambitions this year.
He also challenged this year's nominees to achieve greatness like Messi and himself at the highest level for more than 10 years.
The 33-year-old is looking to win the famed individual award for a record sixth time, more than any other player in history.
In an exclusive interview with France Football, Ronaldo cited his greatness and claimed that he is not obsessed with winning the Ballon d'Or.
He said, "I said many times, winning a sixth Ballon d'Or is not an obsession. And I do not ask the question in these terms. I already know, in my heart of hearts, that I am one of the best players in history."
However, he did reveal that he is ambitious and wants to win because he deserves it, saying, "Of course I want to win, this sixth Ballon d'Or. It would be a lie to tell you the opposite. I work for that. As I work to score goals and win games without being an obsession. I think I deserve it."
He was then asked about his rivals for the award, to which he replied, "The same as usual, even if I don’t know if Messi will be on the podium this time. So, let’s say Salah, Modric, Griezmann, Varane, Mbappe – the French in general because they are world champions."
But, in the end, the Portuguese superstar did mention that longevity is the key to greatness which Messi and he had achieved.
He concluded, "But I will wait and see if all these players are still at the top in 10 years, like Messi and I have done, and like we continue to do. Still there, on the podium, since more than 10 years.”
The Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place on December 3, 2018 in Paris.
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