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Former Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello has told AS that Cristiano Ronaldo "doesn't have the brilliance of Lionel Messi." Capello, who coached Madrid in the 1996-97 and 2006-07 seasons, recently said he considered Barcelona star Messi to be among the top three players of all time, alongside Diego Maradona and Pele. Asked why he chose Messi ahead of Ronaldo, the Italian replied: "It's simple -- Cristiano Ronaldo is a great goal scorer but he doesn't have the brilliance of Lionel Messi." He added: "Messi at the age of 17 or 18 was a genius; Cristiano was a good player who improved through hard work and effort and has become an excellent forward. "The Real Madrid No. 7 is not just a great player but an excellent one. However, he doesn't have that ability to mesmerise or pull off moves that are unimaginable. That for me is the difference." Even so, Capello said he expected Ronaldo, who joined Madrid in 2009, to claim the 2016 Ballon d'Or. "Yes, certainly he's my favourite for the year," he said. "He was instrumental in Portugal winning Euro 2016 and Madrid winning the Champions League. "He'd be the worthy winner. However, when we talk about genius players, then that's a totally different debate."
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