Cristiano Ronaldo does not care about winning Footballer of the Year titles.

He claims he does not dream about being feted as the world’s best player or picking up the Ballon D’or as Europe’s top performer, both of which he achieved last season.

All he wants at around 10pm British time tonight in the Stadio Olimpico is to to be able to say he is a Champions League winner for the second year running.

Simple. No strings attached. At least that is what he would have us believe.

"Some players on my team played fantastic this season and I deserve to win (the Ballon D’or)," said Ronaldo.

"But I don’t care about the Ballon D’or. What I want more is to win the Champions League. That’s it."

One thing you cannot get away from is that Ronaldo v Lionel Messi is the recurring theme of this 17th Champions League final.

The best player in the world v the runner-up.

The man who is better than George Best, according to Johan Cruyff, versus the Argentinian boy the Spanish call ’Messidona’ because he scores goals just like arguably the greatest footballer the world has seen.

So Messi or Ronaldo? Who is the best? Who would you rather have in your team? They were questions put to Ferguson, who unsurprisingly tiptoed down the touchline of diplomacy.

Ferguson said: "They are two fantastic footballers. Both have ability and courage to attack defenders all the time, no matter how many times they are tackled.

"No matter how many fouls against them, they get up. They want the ball and that is the sort of courage we want to see in footballers.

"They both have that, but both have different qualities. They are physically different but at the end of the day how can you separate them? It is very difficult."

It was a courteous Ronaldo. Not exactly humble. There is a pout and a swagger to his manner when he talks, let alone when he dribbles down the wing dispensing stepovers.

A Ronaldo, too, who admitted the goldfish bowl in which he lives and crashes Ferraris is not a burden, just a way of life.

"Yes, it’s normal that people speak about me but I am 100% focused on this game," he said.

"I try to help my team 100%, score a goal and win the game. That’s it."

Ronaldo dismissed fears that United were playing in white like the Real Madrid side who were annihilated 6-2 by Barcelona recently.

And while he confirmed his affection for the game in Spain it was Premier League power which he believed would prevail.

"I like the Spanish league," said Ronaldo.

"I feel well in England in the Premier League, it is the strongest league. Barcelona have a great team which deserves respect but I believe we are better than them and we will show it.

"I respect Barcelona profoundly. Messi is playing marvellously well. I want to be sincere. I have to play well for the team and the supporters. I look forward to it and I think it will be really special.

"But I just want to win the Champions League and be the first team in history to win it twice."

It was a simple ambition which sparkled clearly through the chaos.