5-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has backed Kylian Mbappe to win the award this 12 months, tipping Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal to offer his competitors.

Al-Nassr ahead Ronaldo, like his nice rival Lionel Messi, was left off the 30-man shortlist for the 2024 version of world soccer’s most prestigious particular person honour.

It’s the first time since 2003 that neither man has featured among the many nominees, having shared the prize amongst them solely from Ronaldo’s first triumph in 2008 to his final in 2017.

With a first-time winner assured, Ronaldo has offered his backing to Mbappe, who completed third within the voting final 12 months, behind Messi and Haaland.

Mbappe scored 44 objectives and offered 10 assists in all competitions all through his closing season with Paris Saint-Germain in 2023-24, earlier than finishing his long-awaited transfer to Actual Madrid.

Ronaldo – Madrid’s all-time main scorer with 450 objectives for Los Blancos – believes every thing on the Santiago Bernabeu is about as much as make Mbappe’s tenure a hit.

“I feel he’ll do effectively. The construction of the membership… it’s good, it’s good,” Ronaldo stated on his YouTube channel.

“They’ve an excellent coach and the president, Florentino [Perez], who has been there many, a few years.

“I feel it gained’t be a giant downside due to his expertise. Mbappe might be the following Ballon d’Or winner. Him, [Erling] Haaland, [Jude] Bellingham or Lamine [Yamal].”

Madrid gained their record-extending fifteenth European Cup/Champions League crown final season, coming by way of dramatic ties towards Manchester Metropolis and Bayern Munich earlier than beating Borussia Dortmund within the closing.

Their knockout success has led some to recommend fortune tends to favour them within the huge moments, however Ronaldo says they make their very own luck.

“Madrid is the type of crew the place they don’t rush underneath strain. Folks say they’re fortunate within the Champions League,” he stated.

“No, they aren’t fortunate. They’re ready for this type of second. The Bernabeu has that totally different aura.

“Now, in the event you say that Madrid are going to be higher or not, we don’t know. Mbappe is there now, I feel Madrid will keep robust, however I don’t know if they are going to be higher than final 12 months. Solely God is aware of.”