Cristiano Ronaldo interview: Messi rivalry lifts us

Cristiano Ronaldo admits his rivalry with Lionel Messi continues to push both players to improve.

Ronaldo won his third Ballon D’Or title last week while Messi has won the prestigious award four times.

“Maybe Messi helps with that motivation, like other players who drive up your level because you work to be better than them,” Ronaldo said. “Any competition is an added reason for motivation.”

The Real Madrid striker explained his war-cry of “Siiiiiii!” when he picked up the award was meant for his team-mates, to whom he dedicated the prize. Ronaldo also said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti should have won the Coach of the Year prize and he is still looking to improve on many aspects of his game.

“I have always been motivated,” Ronaldo told competition co-organisers France Football.

“If you speak to players at Manchester United who were there when I arrived, like Scholes, Giggs, Roy Keane, they will tell you the same thing: I was as motivated then as I am now. But that motivation can also come from players in other leagues, like Luis Suarez, who I tied with for the European Golden Boot.

“I am sure our competition also motivates Messi. It is good for him, it is good for me and for other players who want to be among the best.”

Ronaldo cried when he won the same award last year but last week he let out a guttural war-cry instead.

“Deep down, it was the same intensity, the same emotion,” he said.

“That cry is the one we do as a team when we score a goal. I guess no-one understood why I did it, but it was my way to involve and share this trophy with my team- mates. I won the award for them, and thanks to them.

“Without them, I have no chance. They know a part of this success belongs to them.”

If Argentina had beaten Germany in the World Cup final, Messi would almost certainly have won the award. But Ronaldo does not agree that what happens in that competition should over-ride the rest of the season.

“Honestly, I would have found it unfair that someone wins the Ballon d’Or for a month of competition when others been very good throughout the year,” he said. “Take the example of Carlo Ancelotti. He was not elected Coach of the Year, while he was at the top for 12 months.

With all the respect I have Joachim Loew, Carlo Ancelotti should have won this award. He was like a player. He gave everything for 12 months. I know that the World Cup is an important competition. But you cannot judge a player or a coach in four weeks for an award that recognises an entire year.”

Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes said after the ceremony that Ronaldo was already focusing on winning the title for a fourth time. But the striker is more interested in maintaining his level and continuing to win trophies with Real Madrid.

“I try to maintain my standards, but it’s challenging. It requires discipline in everyday life. Playing for the greatest club in the world therefore adds extra pressure.

“Personally, I want to improve every year, achieve different things. I know I have further aspects of my game to improve. It is why the demands I put on myself are intense. I do a lot of work to avoid injury problems. If I can play over 60 games a season, year after year, it’s because I look after myself. I sleep well. I eat properly. Even in these areas, I search for perfection. Without it, you cannot keep up.

“At the moment, I’m trying to improve my left foot, and free-kicks. Recently, I have not been so successful. I know it will come back. I just need to have the humility to understand that without a lot of hard work in training, things will not improve. I just have to keep working hard. In everything.”