Xavi: 'Ronaldo doesn't deserve Ballon d'Or'

The Real Madrid forward won the prize for the fourth time on Monday after he received more than double the voting points of Barca superstar Lionel Messi, who came second.

The 31-year-old is expected to start for Madrid on Thursday in its Club World Cup semi-final against America.

Cristiano Ronaldo did not deserve to win the Ballon d'Or despite his trophy success in 2016, according to Barcelona legend Xavi.

The Real Madrid forward > won the prize for the fourth time on Monday after he received more than double the voting points of Barca superstar Lionel Messi, who came second.

Ronaldo described last season as the best of his career after he won the Champions League with Madrid and Euro 2016 with Portugal, having become the Spanish club's all-time top goalscorer in October 2015.

Xavi, however, feels it was wrong to award the prize to a player based on the titles he has won, rather than his individual quality.

"They counted the major trophies but there are other years in which they didn't use that to award the best player in the world," he told TV3.

"Leo Messi is the best despite the trophies that someone else might have won."

Xavi sparked something of a squabble with Ronaldo when he remarked in September that Messi is the best player in the world "for anyone who likes football".

Ronaldo responded by saying: "Everyone knows that anyone who wants to make the front pages has to talk about me. Xavi has not won a single Ballon d'Or. I have won three."

The 31-year-old is expected to start for Madrid on Thursday in its Club World Cup semi-final against America.