The Blues boss revealed he voted for three current Chelsea players to win FIFA's World Player of the Year award while he was a national boss, while Ronaldo is a strong contender for that prize this year.

Scolari, whose team could face Ronaldo when Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday in the Barclays Premier League, puts the Portuguese winger in the top bracket of the world's players.

He worked with Ronaldo during his spell as coach of Portugal and said, according to www.dailymail.co.uk: "He is one of the three best players in the world. When I was with Portugal, I had to choose three players every year for the World Player of the Year award.

"One year I chose Didier Drogba, another year I wrote John Terry and another year I voted for Frank Lampard. Now these three players are with me, it's good for me - maybe Cristiano Ronaldo is with me next season.

"If he wants to change, I'll open the door to that."