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
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.'