CRISTIANO Ronaldo predictably won the Ballon d’or as the world’s best player with Lionel Messi and Frank Ribery second and third.

There were no Premier League players anywhere near taking the honours and that should finally spell out to those in football and those on the box who bleet about how it is the best in the world. It very clearly isn’t.

The task for both top-flight clubs and those associated with the national team is to try and establish some genuine first class players who can challenge for this award in years to come.

Is the Premier League the best in the world?