Messi lauds Ronaldo's goal-scoring prowess

Barcelona star praises rival ahead of Ballon d’Or showdown

MADRID: Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi praised archrival Cristiano Ronaldo's goal-scoring prowess in an interview published Thursday as speculation mounted that the Portuguese international could be picked as World Player of the Year.

A day after picking up a Golden Boot award for scoring 46 league goals last season, more than any other player in Europe, the 26-year-old Messi paid respect to his Real Madrid rival.

"I don't know if Cristiano Ronaldo is at his peak but he is always there scoring goals in all the games and taking part in his club and national side," Messi told Spanish sports daily Marca and other European sports journalists.

"He has been doing that for many years and whether he is at his peak or a bit less makes no difference."

The 28-year-old Ronaldo is emerging as the favourite to pick up this year's Ballon d'Or for the world's best player over four-time winner Messi.

Ronaldo scored a hat-trick on Tuesday as Portugal beat Sweden to qualify for their fourth straight World Cup finals and he tops the Spanish league scoreboard so far this season with 16 goals in 13 matches.

Messi has 11 goals from eight games in the league this season but has been sidelined for up to eight weeks with a muscle tear in his left hamstring muscle, his third leg injury this season.

The Portuguese's chances seemed to rise even further when Fifa announced this week a two-week extension to the voting deadline until November 29, citing a weak turnout, and allowing participants to change ballots already cast.

Catalan sports newspapers, which traditionally back Barcelona, cried foul over the Fifa decision, which comes as Ronaldo hits top form and Messi is injured.

Messi brushed off comments in the media about the injuries he has picked up this season, following some criticism that he should have paced himself better.

"What they say about the injury did not worry me and does not worry me because I am used to people talking and saying many things not only about the injury but about pretty much everything," he said.

Spain PM backs Ronaldo for Ballon d'Or

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also backed Ronaldo for the year's hotly contested Ballon d'Or award.

The prime minister, a Real Madrid supporter, said the 28-year-old Portuguese international deserved the prize.

"I am a Real Madrid fan, I have always been a Madrid fan,” the Spanish leader said in an interview with public radio. “If I had to vote I would vote for Ronaldo.”