'The Flea' is prepared for a runners-up spot when the Golden Ball votes are counted next month...
Ballon d'Or nominee Lionel Messi has tipped his rival Cristiano Ronaldo to claim European football's most prestigious individual award.The run up to December's announcement of the Golden Ball winner of 2008 has been dominated by Messi and Ronaldo.
The Argentinean and the Portuguese are out on their own as clear favourites for the award, and Barcelona star Messi concedes that his Manchester United counterpart has the edge on him.
Ronaldo has claimed a slew of individual awards already this year. He has accrued the FIFPro World Player of the Year honour, along with the English Football Writers Award and the Premier League Players' Player of the Year.
The 23-year-old has also been named the Uefa Club Footballer of the Year and has won the Golden Boot for his return of 42 goals last season.
Combined with those accolades, the former Sporting Lisbon man helped the Red Devils to the Premier League title and the Champions League to cap a truly remarkable year.
Speaking in the wake of Barcelona's 5-2 win over Ronaldo's former club in Portugal, Leo Messi was questioned by the local media for his prediction on the outcome of the Ballon d'Or vote.
Playing up the significance of such an honour, Messi plumped for his foe.
He said: "I think the Ballon d'Or is an important competition. He won the Champions League, the Premier League as well, he won them, so I think he will be awarded the prize."
Ronaldo came in for some criticism earlier this month with his declaration that he was the 'best, second best and third best' footballer at work in the world, and it is not a manner in which the modest Messi views himself.
On Ronaldo's outlandish statement, the 21-year-old was coy.
He said: "Each one is how he is. I am a footballer and that is all I care about. As they say in Barcelona, the important thing is to have the respect and support of my teammates. I am happy with that."
Peter Staunton, Goal.com
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