Rio Ferdinand has hailed his former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony - lauding the Real Madrid forward as the 'best player on the planet'. Queens Park Rangers defender Ferdinand selected Ronaldo in his EA Sports FIFA Team of the Year for 2015 - alongside the Portgueuse forward's Real team-mate Gareth Bale and arch-rival Lionel Messi in a potentially-lethal front three. Ronaldo will go up against Barcelona's Messi and Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer - who gets the goalkeeping spot in Ferdinand's side - for the Ballon d'Or on Monday, with the Portuguese forward a heavy favourite to claim his second successive award, and the third of his career.
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Rio Ferdinand has selected his EA Sports FIFA Team of the Year for 2015
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Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale make up the front three
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Ronaldo is 'the best player on the planet' and should win the Ballon d'Or after a magnificent 2014 that 'set him apart' from the rest, says Ferdinand
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Manuel Neuer and Messi, Ballon d'Or contenders, make Ferdinand's side
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Manchester United's Angel di Maria is also in Ferdinand's XI
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Ronaldo is more pace and power, both feet, scores every type of goal, whereas Messi passes the ball into the net and @placeholder more forces the ball into the back of the net a lot of the time.'