Ronaldo deserved Ballon d’Or – Allegri

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Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo deserved to win the Ballon d’Or but missing out should drive him even more, according to coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Ronaldo finished second to his former Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric, while Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann was third.

The 33-year-old and Modric helped Madrid win a third straight Champions League in 2018, while the midfielder also guided Croatia to a World Cup final.

Allegri feels Ronaldo would have been a deserved winner of a record sixth Ballon d’Or, but he believes it could motivate the Portuguese superstar.

‘I think he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or for what he did with Real Madrid, winning the Champions League,’ he told reporters on Tuesday.

‘At the World Cup with Portugal honestly he couldn’t go any further [than the round of 16]. Therefore, I mean, he deserved it.

‘But I think that this can be a motivation to do even better this season and win the next Ballon d’Or with Juventus.’

Juventus have had six players win the Ballon d’Or, Pavel Nedved the most recent in 2003.

Ronaldo has scored 11 goals in 18 games since arriving at Juve in July.

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Dean Workman