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ESPN staff 9y

Johan Cruyff: Cristiano Ronaldo didn't deserve Ballon d'Or

Johan Cruyff has questioned the fact Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or for the last two years, writing in De Telegraaf: "It's quite clear that this is a FIFA award that I can't take seriously."

Real Madrid star Ronaldo took the award for the 2014 World Player of the Year at the ceremony in Zurich earlier this month, finishing comfortably ahead of Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer.

Ronaldo won the Copa del Rey and Champions League last season but had a disappointing World Cup with Portugal, and Cruyff questioned the result, which was decided by the votes of international coaches and captains as well as selected journalists.

"At the highest level of football, individual and collective talent needs to be combined," he wrote in his column for the Dutch newspaper in quotes translated by AS. "So for the second year running, it's ridiculous that the award has been given to a player that has not played in any exceptional manner and only won a few titles."

Former Ajax, Barcelona and Netherlands star Cruyff suggested Germany midfielder Toni Kroos -- who was also not among the three finalists for the 2013 award -- would have been a more deserving recipient in both years.

Kroos, who now plays alongside Ronaldo at the Bernabeu, played a key role in Germany's World Cup success, and had helped Bayern Munich to success in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League a year earlier.

"Two years ago Bayern won all the titles they could have and the award was given to Ronaldo instead of Toni Kroos or any other member of that Bayern Munich side," Cruyff said.

"In 2014, Kroos was instrumental in Germany winning the World Cup in Brazil, and despite that he wasn't even among the three finalists. At the same time Cristiano Ronaldo was just a spectator at the tournament in Brazil.

"It's quite clear that this is a FIFA award that I can't take seriously."

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