Mino Raiola, the agent to AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has claimed his client would have won eight Ballon D’Or awards, if it was down to public voting.
According to Raiola, Ibrahimovic has “the talent of Lionel Messi and the willpower of Cristiano Ronaldo”.
The former Sweden international has never been in contention for the most prestigious of individual accolades.
He has made the long list of nominees in the past, but has failed to make it into the top three.
Messi and Ronaldo, on the other hand, have shared 11 awards between them.
“I immediately say that between Cristiano Ronaldo, of whom I’m a big fan, and Messi, I’ll always pick the Portuguese,” Raiola told Tuttosport.
“Zlatan, on the other hand, is from another planet in his own right. He is the most complete player ever in the history of football.
“He has the talent of Messi and the willpower of CR7. If the Ballon d’Or had been voted for by the public, I know he would have won eight.”