Ronaldo: I'm not obsessed with individual prizes

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has suggested that personal accolades are not his priority, instead insisting he is more of a team player Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted he is not obsessed with individual awards after enjoying another stellar year in 2018. Ronaldo, 33, guided Real Madrid to a third straight Champions League success before his move to Juve, where he has scored 15 goals in 24 games. But he was denied a sixth Ballon d’Or, finishing second to Madrid star Luka Modric, whose exploits for the Liga giants and Croatia saw him claim numerous individual honours. Ronaldo said those prizes were not something he worried about, adding they often came if you led your team to success. “I’m not obsessed with individual prizes”, he told Record. “The important thing is helping the team, always, and therefore the rest arrives naturally. “I don’t hide that I’m happy when I win but it’s not the end of the world if it can’t happen.” The Portugal captain registered 49 goals in 53 appearances for both club and country in the calendar year of 2018, and currently sits top of the Serie A goalscoring charts. The forward will be hoping to lead his new side to a first European trophy since 1996, with the Italian giants finishing as beaten finalists in two of the last four years. As well as finishing runner-up to Modric in the race for the 2018 Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo was also beaten to the title of Best FIFA Men’s player back in September. An underwhelming Portuguese World Cup campaign was brought to an end in the round of 16 by a 2-1 defeat to Uruguay. Ronaldo was on target four times during the competition in Russia, netting the winner against Morocco, as well as a famous hat-trick against Iberian rivals Spain, including a late free-kick to help secure a rousing 3-3 draw.