ROBERTO CARLOS BACKS RONALDO FOR BALLON D’OR – REGARDLESS OF EURO 2016

The former Brazil star believes that Real Madrid’s Champions League victory will prove decisive in voting for the prestigious individual award at the end of the year

Roberto Carlos is backing Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon D’Or even if Portugal fall flat at Euro 2016.

The Real Madrid striker finished as the Champions League top scorer once again in 2015-16, and scored the decisive penalty to secure the title over Atletico Madrid.

And the former Brazil defender believes that achievement should be enough to take the individual crown.

“Cristiano Ronaldo will win the Ballon D’Or, even if he doesn’t win the Euros,” he said after the Corazon Classic Match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

“Messi is a good player, but winning the Champions League counts for a lot,” Carlos said.

“The best player in the world decided the competition. I think he’ll be the best in the world again.”

Carlos also expects Messi’s Barca team-mate Neymar to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or one day.

“He must keep doing what he’s doing and he’ll be the best someday,” the former Real left-back said.

Neymar is missing the Copa America Centenario to play at the upcoming Rio de Janeiro Olympics for Brazil, but Carlos admitted he isn’t a big fan of the championships.

“I don’t like the Copa America,” he said. “The players are so tired and they can get injured.”

Carlos rolled back the years on Sunday night as he helped a team of Real Madrid legends defeat an Ajax legends side 3-1 in the Corazon Classic Match at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Luis Figo, Steve McManaman and Emilio Butragueno were on target for the home side after Ajax took a 14th minute lead through a Clarence Seedorf own goal.

Other stars who turned out for Real included Raul, Guti and Michel Salgado, while Edwin Van der Sar and Marc Overmars were among the players who played for the Dutch side.