Last season was undoubtedly Leicester City and Riyad Mahrez's best season to date, with the Foxes winning their first Premier League and the Algerian picking up the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the BBC's African Player of the Year award - on top of that,the 25-year-old was also dubbed the seventh best footballer in the world in the recent Balon d'Or vote.
Despiteall of this, however, Claudio Ranieri has urged his star man to forget about his personal achievements if he wants to become one of the world's elite footballers.
As reported in The Sun, the Leicester City boss said:For the first time in his career, Riyad won everything he wanted to win.He is an intelligent player who is always learning. Ronaldo and Messi have won the Ballon d'Or, but they always want to win it again and again.
What they did before, they forget at the start of each season and only look forward. Riyad won the African Player of the Year and a lot of other personal things.
He was the Premier League's Player of the Year. But if he is satisfied with that now then it is not right for him.�
As the Foxes struggle to recreate the form of last season, the Italian manager dropped the 25-year-old to the bench against Everton in Leicester's last match as he challengesthe Algerian to be more like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
When he is switched on everything is fantastic. Leaving him out was to let him recover, not to stimulate him.Sometimes ˜fantasy' players need more rest to recharge the batteries.
Now he has to improve. Having achieved what he did last season he has other responsibilities now.
It is important he is more like Ronaldo and Messi. It is important he wants to win another Ballon d'Or like many big names have done before him.�
The Premier League champions prepare to host fellow strugglers West Ham United, and as they currently sit three points from relegation, Claudio Ranieri will be hoping his side can finish 2016 in winning ways.