Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to win his fourth Ballon d’Or in five years after yet another incredible calendar year for Real Madrid.

The Portuguese helped Real win La Liga and the Champions League and will draw level with Lionel Messi on five Ballon d’Ors.

Ever since Kaka’s triumph in 2007, it’s been either Ronaldo or Messi picking up the accolade come January each year.

The two superstars have gone head-to-head for both La Liga and Champions League glory with Madrid and Barca for many years with football fans believing they are the two greatest players the sport has ever seen.

But spare a thought for those players that have had to play in the same era as both Messi and Ronaldo.

Without those two, they may have been picking up the Ballon d’Or themselves.

The likes of Fernando Torres, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Frank Ribery, Manuel Neuer, Neymar and Antoine Griezmann have all been in the top three of the Ballon d’Or since 2008 but haven’t been able to beat the pair to the award.

And that’ll be the case once again this year with Ronaldo surely winning and Messi likely to finish second.

Who Cristiano fights against to be the world's best

And in a recent interview with ESPN, Ronaldo has named the four players that motivate him to improve every season.

"Of course, I fight with everyone," he said.

"With Neymar, with Messi, with Lewandowski, with Higuain - with the best players in the world. It's not 'fighting' but it's healthy. 

"We fight to be the best. It's my motivation to be better than them. Year after year."

Are these the four players that Cristiano considers the four best players in the world? It certainly seems that way.

But it doesn’t look as though the 32-year-old will be having to compete against those four players to win the Ballon d’Or this time around.

Cristiano is massive odds-on favourite to deservedly lift the trophy while Messi, Neymar, Lewandowski and Higuain will watch on in envy.