Antonio Di Natale has thanked Francesco Guidolin for suggesting he win the Ballon d'Or. “It has been an amazing year for me.”

The 34-year-old hitman achieved the rare feat of winning the Serie A Capocannoniere title twice in a row, helping Udinese reach the Champions League play-offs.

“I am very pleased to know Guidolin sponsored me for the Ballon d'Or list. It has been an amazing year for me,” smiled Di Natale.

“For now I am only focused on reaching 40 points with Udinese to secure safety, then we'll see if I manage to top the scorers' charts again.”

The Friulani are currently joint top of the Serie A table with Juventus.

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