Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann has stated that Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric Should all miss out on the 2018 Ballon D’or.

Griezmann believes the highly contested award should go to a World Cup winner.

Griezmann was part of the France squad that won the 2018 World Cup In Russia for just the second time and the first time since 1998.

And he thinks France’s achievement outranks the likes of Lionel Messi, who won La Liga with Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid.

On the 30-man shortlist, France have seven players – Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Raphael Varane and Hugo Lloris.

Griezmann previously slammed the three-man shortlist for the The Best award – Ronaldo, Modric and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah – slating: “It’s a FIFA award and there’s no Frenchmen. It’s weird.”

However, Griezmann is keen to see one of his compatriots win the big prize – with the 27-year-old the most likely to win it.

“We are world champions, we’re part of the best team in the world,” Griezmann told France Football.

“In this best team in the world, there must be the best player in the world, right? In any case, that’s what I think.

“Afterwards, there are votes, opinions, different judgements. But I think that a Frenchman must win the Ballon d’Or this year.”

On his own hopes of taking the prestigious trophy, Griezmann added: “For me, it’s a dream. Historically, the Ballon d’Or is the best of the best.

“There are only star players, only legends among the winners. It would be a dream to become an example to others.”

“Kylian reminds me of Cristiano when he was in Manchester,” Griezmann added.

“Cristiano was the guy out wide, doing a lot of dribbling and occasionally scoring. He was not looking for goals, though.

“When Kylian does what Cristiano did in Madrid, thinking only about scoring, then he will do the same. He will be scoring 50 goals per season.”

The winner of the award – which will be decided by journalists from 173 different countries – will be announced in Paris on December 3.

Source:- Sportdab