Ronaldo now the complete player, reckons Fergie

Alex Ferguson believes Cristiano Ronaldo has turned into “the complete player” since his departure from Manchester United in 2009.

Ronaldo — who scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid steamrolled Celta Vigo 4-0 last night in their Copa del Rey win — has once again been overlooked for the Ballon D’Or in favour of Lionel Messi, who has now collected the award four times.

However, the Portugal superstar, who won it in 2008 in recognition of his phenomenal 42-goal contribution to United’s Champions League and Premier League double, remains Messi’s closest challenger. And, for the first time since he brought Ronaldo to Old Trafford, Ferguson will have to find a way of stopping the 27-year-old next month, given Real Madrid lie in wait in the Champions League.