Al Nassr skipper Cristiano Ronaldo has tipped four rising stars to claim the Ballon d’Or in the coming years.
Despite missing out on the 30-man shortlist for the second consecutive year, the 39-year-old Al Nassr forward made predictions on his YouTube channel, UR Cristiano.
Ronaldo named Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal as future Ballon d’Or contenders.
“Mbappe can win the Ballon d’Or in the next few years, probably Haaland and Bellingham as well,” Ronaldo remarked, before adding the young Barcelona talent, Yamal, to his list.
Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo’s former Manchester United teammate, also contributed to the discussion, mentioning Vinicius Junior as another strong contender.
In addition to his Ballon d’Or predictions, Ronaldo declared Real Madrid as the best football club in history.
The Portuguese star, who played for Madrid from 2009 to 2018, said, “Real Madrid is the best club ever in history.”
Ronaldo won several major titles with the club, including four Champions League trophies and two LaLiga titles, making 438 appearances during his tenure.