Barcelona star Lionel Messi has hailed "outstanding" Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the upcoming Ballon d'Or announcement.
The former Manchester United star has been tipped for the honour after scoring all four goals in Portugal's 4-2 aggregate win over Sweden, which booked their place in next year's World Cup.
"I was very happy for him when he scored those goals," ESPN quotes Messi as saying. "It's just great when the best teams compete in Brazil, and Cristiano has had a great scoring rate for many years now. He plays at an outstanding level.
"I don't know if this is Cristiano's best moment, but he is always there, scoring goals in all the games and playing his part for his club and his country. He has been like that for many years. Whether he is at his best, or a bit below that, there is almost no difference."
FIFA have extended the voting period for the much-coveted award until November 29 following last Friday's deadline.
The three nominees will be announced on December 9, with the winner being unveiled in Zurich on January 13.
Danielle Joynson
