Former Ballon d’Or winner explains why Cristiano Ronaldo is the ‘greatest footballer’ of all time

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Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the 'greatest footballer' of all time.

Having spent six highly successful seasons alongside Ronaldo, the seasoned midfielder chose his former Los Blancos teammate as the most exceptional player ever to grace the sport.

Despite edging out the Portuguese phenomenon for the 2018 Ballon d'Or award, the 38-year-old maintains that Ronaldo deserves the distinction of being the "best."

Ronaldo, who shares the title of the GOAT with his long-time rival Lionel Messi, dominated the spotlight for almost two decades, sharing an impressive 12 Ballon d'Ors between them, per Sporting News.

While the legendary duo often sparks debates among fans, pundits, and even professional footballers, Modric is resolute in his belief that the Al-Nassr star deserves the esteemed recognition.

"I think I will go with Cristiano Ronaldo," the Croat answered as per Madridismo when quizzed about who the best player is.

Elaborating on his choice of selecting Cristiano as the best, Modric explained: "Well, his hunger to win and also his work ethic. Football is also a mental game, and when you've right mentality like Cristiano in the team, you already win 50% match for the team even before it starts."

"He has won everything, so maybe we think he can relax, but no, he just keeps on working for more and more and more and puts demand on the team as well so we improve together," he added.

The 2018 World Cup finalist even described his former teammate as the ultimate role model.

"I think he's the perfect role model for every youngster out there because he shows that with hard work and right mentality, you can win everything."