Cristiano Ronaldo is more deserving of the 2014 Ballon d’Or than Lionel Messi, according to AC Milan centre-half Alex.
The Brazilian is preparing to come head-to-head with the Portuguese forward when the Rossoneri take on Real Madrid in a high-profile friendly in Dubai on Tuesday.
And Alex insists he will be taking on the best player in the world this year, after a 2014 in which Ronaldo won the Champions League, Club World Cup, Copa del Rey and Uefa Super Cup with Madrid.
“I think Cristiano is the best,” he told the Dubai Eye. “He had a better year than Lionel Messi.”
Milan clash with the European champions at 17:00CET on Tuesday ahead of the resumption of the continent’s domestic season, and Alex believes Real Madrid will provide a very tough test in the friendly fixture.
“I think it will be a difficult game for us to play,” added the 32-year-old. “But we can put in a great display too. We just have to play the way we have recently.”
The Rossoneri currently lie seventh in Serie A, two points behind Lazio in third.