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'Best Player in the World' Cristiano Ronaldo Plays Down Ballon d'Or Chase

Cristiano Ronaldo's four-goal performance against Lithuania on Tuesday is "clear and irrevocable proof that he is the best player in the world," according to Portugal manager Fernando Santos.

The Juventus star, though, played down his chances of winning a sixth Ballon d'Or this year, saying he doesn't "live thinking about individual prizes."

Ronaldo's eighth international hat-trick saw Portugal to a 5-1 win in their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier with Lithuania, and also moved him to within 16 of Iran's Ali Daei in the list of all-time international goalscorers:

B/R Football

—93 international goals —8 hat-tricks for Portugal —Goals in 40 different countries @Cristiano is ridiculous ud83cuddf5ud83cuddf9 https://t.