Ronaldo: Salah has a chance to win the Golden Ball

Cristiano Ronaldo, the star of Real Madrid and the Portuguese team, expects the presence of Mohammed Salah, the wing of Liverpool and the Egyptian team within the circle of candidates, to win the Golden Ball this year.

Salah joined the Reds last summer from Rome and managed to make a special season, scoring 44 goals, making 16 in 52 games and leading the Premier League with 32 goals.

"Is Salah good enough to win the Golden Ball? It was one of the discoveries this year," Ronaldo said in remarks published by the Express newspaper.

"I hope that his injury will not cause the final of Kiev in his absence from the World Cup," added Madeira.

"Many people are talking about the fight between Ronaldo and Messi, but there are other players who have the opportunity and one of them is good."

Ronaldo and Messi have won the Golden Ball in the last 10 years, winning five of them.

"Facing the two teams in the first game of the group will be difficult for both sides," he said. "It is a non-ideal confrontation.

"The loss of the first game puts you in a bad position throughout the tournament, so it's important to start well, but I think Portugal and Spain will qualify for the next round.

"Winning the World Cup will be a dream for Portugal, but to do that we have to play the same way we did in Euro 2016, playing as a team together," he said.