Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo says defending his Ballon d'Or gong is front of mind.
The reigning Ballon d'Or winner will have his work cut out for him to retain the trophy, he believes, based on the performances of some of his rivals in the game.
"Of course it is always going to be a fight between us," he told ESPN on his recent trip to China.
"I'm there along with [Lionel] Messi, Neymar, [Robert] Lewandowski and [Gonzalo] Higuain...
"That kind of fighting and competition is healthy and that is what motivates me, being better than them year after year.
"The best always try to compete with the best, it keeps you sharp. You know you can never lose focus because others will overtake you."
Source: tribalfootball.com