Rivaldo Exclusive: Messi deserved Ballon d'Or for Copa America performances

Lionel Messi won his seventh Ballon D'or this week to the consternation of some people who argued that it should have been Robert Lewandowski receiving the trophy. Both would have been a deserving winner but only one player can win and I back Messi.

He deserved the award based on his performances for Argentina as they won the Copa America - a trophy they have coveted for many years - and he was the best player of the tournament.

There will always be arguments about the Ballon D'or, as there are so many voters from all over the world and there is so much footballing talent around. I could have made the case for Karim Benzema, along with Lewandowski and Messi, but in the end the award must go to one player.

It's possible the Argentinian's amazing career also had some influence on those voters who were wavering. He will be remembered as one of the best players ever, but it's tough to say he already is the best, as he is still chasing a World Cup title with Argentina.

Other players, such as Pele, won the World Cup many times so I don't think Messi should be considered the best ever. He is up there, though, and would make the top three.

Jorginho had a fantastic season

Third placed Jorginho had a dream season, winning Champions League and UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea, and Euro 2020 with Italy, so he was another player fighting for this individual trophy.

But he is a defensive midfielder and the award tends to favour attacking players. Ending the year as the third best player in the world, however, is a reason for the Italian to feel very proud of himself.

I won Ballon D'Or in 1999 but peaked in 2000

I won my Ballon D'Or in 1999 after a season when I was a big part in Barcelona's La Liga title as well as Brazil's Copa America win. I scored the best goal of the tournament.

But I used to say that my peak as a player happened in 2000. That year, I didn't win any medals with my teams, however, and that damaged my chances of retaining the Ballon D'or which ended up in Luis Figo's hands. The Portuguese had a great year, winning the Champions League with Madrid.

To be named the best player in the world is something unforgettable, especially when you are competing with such great players like David Beckham and Andriy Shevchenko, as I was.

Rangnick could bring new mentality to United

Ralf Ragnick arrives at Manchester United the right time since the club is not playing well and the club needs to improve.

His mission will be to change the team's approach to matches since they have been criticized for being too passive.

There's still time for them to recover this season and at least fight for a top four finish. They must grow in confidence. The arrival of a new manager always creates new motivation in a team.

The manager won't solve all issues because it's the players that go on to the pitch, but new ideas and methods always give a boost to a group of players.

United teammates must be more like Fred

United have been criticized for not pressing their opponents but the Brazilian midfielder Fred always gives everything and presses opponents all the time.

This is the kind of mentality that all United's players need to adopt. Ragnick's mission will be getting his players to press higher and collectively which will approximate them to the success.

Ronaldo still has crucial role for United

Cristiano Ronaldo always wants to play. Michael Carrick's decision to put him on the bench for United's trip to Chelsea was about the strategy the manager wanted the team to adopt in the match. Cristiano would never ask to start on the bench, I think.

The way he trains and stay fit allows Ronaldo to keep playing a lot of matches every season despite being 36-years-old. He's still a pivotal player for United and I expect him to start most of the matches until the end of season.