Former Spain national team coach Javier Clemente believes Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is ‘ahead of everyone’ including current Ballon d’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo recently scooped his fourth Ballon d’Or title to move within one of Messi’s tally but Clemente, who spent time in charge of  Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Espanyol, suggests that the Real Madrid man should be happy with second best after Messi.

‘Messi is ahead of everyone,’ Clemente told Cadena SER.

‘He does different things and the sum of those parts lifts him to first place.

‘This doesn’t mean the rest aren’t any good, and I don’t know why some people get angry because of it.’

‘If you aren’t the number one, who cares if you are number two; it’s out of your control if one guy is born better than you are.

‘Cristiano should be happy and proud to be second in the world.

‘Cristiano has better abdominals, a height advantage, and he headers better. There are thing that Cristiano does better, but Messi beats him in technique, ability and vision, and that’s that.

‘He should be happy and proud to be second in the word, there’s no more noble thing in sport to recognize the quality of your rivals.’

Messi currently leads the Pichichi, the award given to La Liga’s top scorer, with 12 goals after 16 game weeeks. Ronaldo is second with 14.