See What Sterling Is Saying After Being Compared To Messi & Ronaldo (READ)

Manchester City winger, Raheem Sterling, has said he needs to score 50 or 60 goals a season, to be compared to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sterling has been included on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or this season alongside Ronaldo and Messi, who have each won the trophy five times.

There are suggestions the England could clinch the individual award, after 32 goals this calendar year for club and country.

But Sterling told FourFourTwo: :Messi’s one of a kind.

“Bro, if I’m scoring 50 or 60 goals a year for the next 15 years, then you can talk to me about that – right now, don’t talk to me about Ronaldo or Messi!

“I don’t want to hear that connection.

“I’m not saying I don’t value myself, but those are two guys who have been doing it for 15 years. That’s not heard of: 40, 50, 60 goals for 15 years.

“There’s a long process to go for that.

“But I’m developing and I want to get my numbers better every single year.

“If I’m doing that in 10 or 15 years’ time, then OK, maybe. But it’s early days.”