Ramos can't understand why Raul, Xavi, Iniesta never won Ballon d'Or

Sergio Ramos has a big problem with Ballon d'Or voting.

The Real Madrid captain hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the "clear" choice to win this year's honour, but he's not sure why compatriots Raul, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta never earned a nod.

"I'm not surprised I don't get any points. What surprises me is that Iniesta doesn't get any. That Raul, Xavi, or Iniesta haven't won one seems ridiculous," Ramos told reporters ahead of Sunday's Club World Cup final. "I don't know what the criteria is, but it's to be respected. I'm not taking away from the champions, people are free to their opinions."

The 30-year-old has always admired the Barcelona duo, despite the differences between the Catalans and Los Blancos. He's one of the few from Madrid who's managed to keep things civil between the eternal rivals, and captaining Spain has brought in return a wealth of respect.

The last time a midfielder won the Ballon d'Or, however, was 2007, when Kaka took home the award as a member of AC Milan. Defenders get even rarer recognition, though Ramos' former teammate Fabio Cannavaro emerged in 2006 as a surprising recipient following his heroic performances for Italy in the World Cup.

The Ballon d'Or has been an exclusive timeshare between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the past nine years, but Ramos can understand why his Portuguese teammate claimed the prize this month.

"Cristiano has won it on merit, it shows he's the best. There are two great players, Ronaldo and Messi, and it's the small things that make a difference," the Madrid skipper added. "It was clear that this year it would go to Cristiano Ronaldo."