Ronaldo Happy with Third

Poor Cristiano Ronaldo has been in the form of his life over the last year and a half - smashing goals in, killing teams on his own, assisting Rooney, Saha and Tevez, and generally hauling Manchester United to the Champions table.

However, it's looking likely that one less-than-brilliant performance has cost him the World Player of the Year title - with kaka now scopping the European Ballon D'Or and the World Player of the Year Award. It could have all been so different if United has defeated AC Milan last March in the Champions League semi-final - Kaka certainly wouldn't have had the chance to add the Champions League and the World Club Cup to his CV if they had.

Sadly, Ronaldo finished third, behind Kaka and Lionel Messi, but he was philosophical.

Ronaldo came close to being the first Premier League player to win the award but said he was happy just to have made the shortlist. "I was so pleased when I got nominated," he said. "The first thing I did was tell the people closest to me. I called my mother and told her and then my brother and my sister. It's a real honour for me to be considered one of the three best players in the world."

Ronaldo, who has been the subject of interest from Real Madrid in the past, also admitted he dreams of playing for in Spain one day. "I would like to play for a Spanish club one day - I don't know if it is possible, but it is my dream," he said. "It's a fantastic league where they play beautiful football but... I feel very comfortable in the English league and if I stay in Manchester that would be great for me.

"I love the club, I love the supporters and it would be amazing for me to stay there for many years. But maybe one day, only God knows whether it will happen, I would like to play for a Spanish team and experience the difference."

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