RONALDO JOINS UNITED’S EUROPEAN LEGENDS

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Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to end Manchester United’s 40-year wait for a European Footballer of the Year when the winner of the Ballon d’Or. The last United player to win it was George Best, pictured with his mother, Anne, in 1968. Since then English football has had a thin time. Kevin Keegan won in 1978 and 1979, although he was then with Hamburg. Michael Owen was the last English-based player to win, in 2001

Ronaldo has had an amazing year, scoring 42 goals in 2007-8 as United won the Premier League and Champions League, but he will still have to beat competition from Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Liverpool’s Fernando Torres and last year’s winner, Kaka of AC Milan

United players have won the award more than any other English club. Ronaldo would be the fourth Red Devil recipient, following Denis Law (1964), Bobby Charlton (1966) and Best (1968)

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Inter coach Jose Mourinho has stunned everyone with his response when asked to give his views on Cristiano Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or win.

The Manchester United ace scooped the award for his wonder season last term where he dragged his side to a Premier League and Champions League double.

Ronaldo became the third Portuguese player to have won the Golden Ball after Eusebio and Luis Figo but Mourinho scoffed at the achievement and he revealed he would have preferred to have seen someone else lift it.

Asked by Sky Italia about the Ronaldo win and whether he had any praise for the star, Mourinho said, "No, I would have preferred one of my own foreign players to have won the Ballon d'Or."

Inter are running away with the Serie A title given the six point gap between them and second place Juventus, but the coach is keeping his feet on the ground.

"The league still hasn't reached the halfway point and we cannot relax. We will continue to work hard everyday."

The coaches' words are likely to cause controversy around the world. The 'Special One' didn't even recognise his fellow countryman's achievement with praise.

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isn'it he sweet?

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Nice one Mourinho!!!well said!

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whew, luckily his comments don't count for anything..but well,some blues fans still love to smell his farts..

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AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti believes Cristiano Ronaldo was the worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or. The Manchester United winger beat Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres to claim the prestigious award.

Ronaldo succeeded AC Milan playmaker Kaka, who won the trophy in 2007. "Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best and most spectacular players in the world," said Ancelotti.

The fact that no Serie A player was voted in the top five, with Kaka finishing eighth and Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic voted ninth, did not come as a surprise to Ancelotti.

"The Ballon d'Or depends on the trophies you win while the Champions League also plays an important role," he said. "Kaka has already won it while Ibrahimovic is destined to win it in the future. "But Italian football gives more importance to the collective rather than individual play. This was evident in the World Cup won by the Italian national team in 2006."

Ronaldo became the third Portuguese player to win the award after Inter Milan veteran Luis Figo (2000) and legendary striker Eusebio (1965).

The 23-year-old was a runaway winner polling 77 of the 96 votes cast by journalists and Figo said his former Portugal team-mate's award was a source for national pride.

"I'm very proud that Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or because he's the third player in the history of Portuguese football to win this prestigious award after Eusebio and me," he told Inter Milan's official website.

Carlos Queiroz (right) and a member of the Futscola team

Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz, who was United's assistant coach last season before taking up the role with the national team, also congratulated Ronaldo on his award.

"Cristiano [Ronaldo] has worked very hard to deserve it," Queiroz told the Portugal Football Federation (FPF) website. "I want to congratulate him and emphasise this distinction."

The 55-year-old tactician was witness to Ronaldo's stellar season last term when he fired 42 goals to help United claim the Champions League and Premier League crowns.

And after playing a key coaching role in Ronaldo's football education since his arrival at Old Trafford in 2003, Queiroz said it was an honour to see the midfielder claim the prestigious award.

"As someone who was responsible for his training and preparation at Manchester United, I am really proud for his achievement, which was his dream and ambition," he said.

"I hope this award symbolises a career full of success both individually and collectively. "This award is also a challenge for him to keeping working as he has been doing so far in order to remain at the top and progress even further."