Ronaldo: 'Revelation' Salah can win Balon D'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo believes Liverpool sensation Mohamed Salah is a genuine contender to break his and Lionel Messi's decade-long dominance of the Ballon d'Or.

Salah enjoyed a stunning debut season at Anfield, scooping the Premier League Golden Boot en route to netting 44 goals in all competitions.

His sparkling form underpinned the Reds' surge to a surprise Champions League final appearance against Ronaldo's Real Madrid, but the fairytale ended in tears as a shoulder injury forced him out in the early stages of the 3-1 defeat in Kiev.

Ronaldo, who has shared five Ballons d'Or apiece with Messi since 2008, hopes the Egypt international will be fit to prove his class at the World Cup.

"Salah has been one of the revelations of the year," Ronaldo told reporters.

"I hope his injury in the final in Kiev doesn't keep him out.

"Many people talk about the battle for the Ballon d'Or between between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi but there are other players who have a chance to enter the race. Salah is certainly one of them."

Record breaker. History maker.
Our top from the king pic.twitter.com/f0hHezxwsy
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 12, 2018
With a fifth Champions League crown secured, Ronaldo has set his sights on leading Portugal to more silverware in what will be his fourth World Cup.

The 33-year-old admits a tough Group B opener against Spain on June 15 is not ideal, but he remains confident the European champions will reach the knockout rounds.

"A defeat on the first day puts you in a bad way for the rest of the tournament so it's important to start well," he said. "But I believe both Spain and Portugal will reach the next round.

"To win the World Cup would be a dream for Portugal but to do it we have to play the same way we did in Euro 2016, as a team and all together."

Ronaldo leaving Madrid would make Barca star Rakitic happy

Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid would make Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic happy.

Ronaldo cast doubt on his future in Madrid with his comments after they won a third successive Champions League title by beating Liverpool 3-1 last month.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has since admitted he timed his remarks poorly, but it remains to be seen whether he will stay at the Santiago Bernabeu for 2018-19.

Should Ronaldo decide to move on, Rakitic suggested it would be good for LaLiga and Copa del Rey champions Barca.

"I find it hard to believe that he'd go," the Croatia international told Marca.

"But, things change quickly in football. And if he does go, I'm not going to lie, I'd be happy."

Messi is best even without World Cup success – Rakitic

Lionel Messi is the best regardless of whether he leads Argentina to World Cup glory, according to Barcelona team-mate Ivan Rakitic.

Messi, 30, is still searching for his first senior trophy with his country, with the pressure again on him to deliver in Russia.

But Rakitic, whose Croatia are alongside Argentina, Iceland and Nigeria in Group D, said the World Cup would not change what Messi was.

"Surely he deserves to win it for who he is. Football isn't tennis: you can't put Messi under pressure by saying he alone has to win the World Cup," he told Marca.

"He does deserve it but there are 32 countries with the same dream. If he wins it at the end, we will all be happy for him.

"However, his story is not going to change if he wins it or not.

"If you are the best, you are it independently of whether you win one or 50,000 titles. One World Cup will not change what Leo Messi means to football."

[SELECCIÓN MAYOR] Esta tarde, la Selección
@Argentina practicó ante la mirada de más de 400 personas, poniendo punto final a la preparación programada para el día.

pic.twitter.com/BmOumHzQOS
— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) June 11, 2018
Messi and Rakitic are set to do battle on June 21, with Argentina favourites to top the group.

While he is desperate to lead Croatia to a win, Rakitic said stopping his club team-mate was impossible.

"In football, no-one has found the formula as how to stop Messi. Not [Croatia coach Zlatko] Dalic, not me, no-one can. What we've got to do is enjoy him," he said.

"We measure ourselves against the best and to have the opportunity to face the best is brilliant. We know that it's going to be difficult but so will the games against Nigeria and Iceland.

"We realise that it's just special to go up against Leo but he also knows that we all want to play well against him."

Zidane: I didn´t leave Madrid to take France job

Zinedine Zidane insisted he did not leave his Real Madrid post just so he could take over as France coach.

Zidane made the shock decision to resign as Madrid head coach just days after leading the LaLiga giants to a third straight Champions League title.

The 45-year-old was quickly linked to taking over his nation, who under Didier Deschamps are considered among the World Cup favourites.

But Zidane said his decision to leave Madrid had nothing to do with potentially leading his country.

"The most important thing is to support the team of France," he told TF1.

"I didn't stop to want to take the team of France. I stopped to make a parenthesis.

"I'm behind the French team. We want it to bring back a second title."

France begin their World Cup campaign against Australia on Saturday before meetings with Peru and Denmark in Group C.

Ronaldo will stay at Madrid and Griezmann at Atletico, says LaLiga president

LaLiga president Javier Tebas believes Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann will stay at Real Madrid and Atletico, respectively.

Ronaldo cast doubt over his future at Madrid after their third consecutive Champions League success last month.

Meanwhile, Griezmann's future at Atletico is uncertain, although the forward is set to announce whether he is staying at the LaLiga club in the coming days, amid Barcelona's interest.

But Tebas expects both players to remain at their respective clubs heading into next season.

"I think Cristiano stays at Real Madrid and Antoine Griezmann stays at Atletico," he told Onda Cero.

While the departure of Ronaldo would be considered a blow to LaLiga, Tebas insisted he was unconcerned.

"Cristiano Ronaldo leaving, out of 10, I'm worried about a five or a four," he said.

"It wouldn't be so dramatic for the league. We are becoming more independent of great players."

Lewandowski won´t be sold – Hoeness rubbishes reported €200m price tag

Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski will not be sold and reports of a €200million price tag are nonsense, club president Uli Hoeness said.

Lewandowski, 29, is linked with a move away from the Bundesliga giants after his agent said last month the Poland international wanted to leave.

Manchester United and Chelsea have emerged as possible destinations, while Real Madrid were initially reported to be interested.

Amid reports Bayern wanted at least €200m for Lewandowski, Hoeness rubbished those claims and said the forward was going nowhere.

"A €200m price tag is nonsense," he told Sky.

"Robert will not be sold and will play next season with us. Everything has been said about that."

Lewandowski, who is contracted until 2021, has spent the past four seasons at Bayern, scoring 41 goals in 2017-18.

The time is now for Belgium, not two or four years´ time – Hazard

Eden Hazard thinks the club form of Belgium's key players such as himself, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku means the time has come for Roberto Martinez's men to match expectations.

Belgium go to the World Cup with arguably one of the most talented squads in the entire competition, boasting a host of players who have starred in Europe's biggest leagues.

Captain Hazard has regularly impressed for Chelsea in recent years, while De Bruyne was one of the top players in the Premier League in the season just finished.

Belgium went to the 2014 World Cup with a similarly impressive collection of players and made little impact and Hazard says they need to show that their time has come this year.

"I think that we are all in top shape," Hazard told reporters. "Kevin at Manchester City, Romelu at Manchester United, me at Chelsea, Thibaut [Courtois] at Chelsea.

"We all play in great clubs, we all had good seasons. So if we want to do something great, it is now.

"The time isn't in one, two or four years. I think now is the moment to be together and do something great.

"There is no 'Eden Hazard dependence'. We have 23 players who can play.

"Obviously, I am in good shape. I can score and be decisive in the group. There is always a player who is more in the spotlight than the others. It's normal.

"But I think every player can find the solution in games. I could play badly in one game and someone else could score or do the right things.

"There is no 'Eden Hazard dependence'. Everybody is working for everybody. Everybody is crucial."