According to Spanish news agency Marca, Real Madrid great Ronaldo feels Karim Benzema deserved the Ballon d'Or this year.
His comments came in the wake of the Frenchman's most recent exploits, in which he scored in extra time to send Los Blancos to the Champions League semifinals, defeating Chelsea.
The goal was only a monument to Benzema's excellent season, which began with a spectacular hat-trick in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
He's already had his most prolific season with 38 goals across all competitions, and adding trophies will undoubtedly increase his Golden Ball chances.
Ronaldo, who spent five years in Madrid, is supporting Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
After the match, Benzema told Sky Sports Italia's Alessandro Del Piero: "Benzema deserves the Ballon d'Or, I've been saying it for years and getting criticised."
He deserves it, though; he's a fantastic forward."
Given that Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or twice, he has a reasonable position when it comes to providing his opinion on such matters.
Only five players have won the award more times: Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Johan Cryuff (three each), Cristiano Ronaldo (five), and Lionel Messi (seven).
Meanwhile, Benzema has never won it, but he came close last year after finishing fourth in the final rankings, his greatest result ever.
Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the leading contenders for the Ballon d'Or.
Benzema is currently the top contender for this year's Ballon d'Or, according to French news outlet L'Equipe, based on his form this season.
He has been the driving force behind Real Madrid's La Liga title defence, as well as in the Champions League knockout stages.
With a few games left in the season, the 34-year-old will undoubtedly score a couple more goals to bolster his case. The World Cup this year could have an impact on who wins the Golden Ball, as the best performer frequently finds up among the top nominations.
Since his comeback to the international stage, Benzema has performed admirably for France, the defending world champions. He'll be hoping to play a key role in their upcoming campaign in Qatar, which will boost his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.
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