does not expect Cristiano Ronaldo to slow down
any time soon, confident the Ballon d'Or winner
can continue playing at the highest level for at
least another three years.
Ronaldo captured his fourth Ballon d'Or on Monday
after helping Madrid and Portugal to Champions
League and Euro 2016 glory respectively in the last
12 months.
The 31-year-old scored 51 goals in all
competitions for Madrid last season, while he
netted three at the European Championship in
France, but despite his exploits, there is a belief
that Ronaldo's best football could be behind him.
However, Ancelotti - who teamed up with Ronaldo
to win the 2014 Champions League with the
Spanish capital club - believes the Portugal captain
has plenty left in the tank, having seen him score
10 LaLiga goals already this term.
"I don't know when he'll keep going until, but I
don't think he's that old," Bayern Munich boss
Ancelotti told AS Diario.
"Playing in a more advanced position could have
an influence. He's now playing more centrally and
with time he'll have to drop deep less often and
stay in a more advanced position.
"I think he'll keep up this high level for three or four
years."
Ronaldo beat long-time Barcelona rival Lionel
Messi to the France Football prize earlier this
week.
The former Manchester United star is now just one
Ballon d'Or short of Messi's all-time record.
"I think it's deserved, because Ronaldo won the
Champions League and the European
Championships," Ancelotti said. "He's performed
better than the rest this year and the award is a
logical one.
"For many this is the era of Messi, but it's also the
era of Cristiano. The competition between them has
improved them. "Messi is better because he's had
Cristiano, and Cristiano is better because he's had
Messi."
And the Italian tactician expects Ronaldo to add
more Ballon d'Or awards to his collection.
"Without doubt he can over the next two or three
years. Like Messi," Ancelotti added. "The rest will
still have to wait, although we can help some of
them as a team, such as [Robert] Lewandowski for
example, if we win lots of trophies."
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