Paris (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo, the defending champion, Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer are the three finalists for the Golden Ball of 2014, which will be awarded on January 12 in Zurich, FIFA announced on Monday and France Football, co-organizers of the trophy.
The Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, the great rivals in La Liga, the first plays for Real Madrid and the second in Barcelona, won the last six Golden Ball. The German Neuer enjoys a World Cup effect won in Brazil, but the goalkeeper is less exposed the media.
“Who will win? It’s difficult. Neuer has won the World Cup with Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo has exploded all statistics on goals, Messi the same thing, but I would say that Cristiano Ronaldo will win, “said Christian Karembeu, 1998 world champion with France, accounting for Fifa when appointing the finalists.
“Cristiano (Ronaldo) broke everything and besides it is always very regular in level, which is difficult,” even praised the former Real Madrid player, noting more than Messi “was injured the last year.”
CR7, who won twice (2008 and 2013), is like a favorite to succeed him, having established a new scoring record in the Champions League in one season (17 goals) last spring.
Messi is the only player to have won four times the Ballon d’Or, the highest individual award. But he leaves without a major title season, failed in the World Cup final against Germany, while Ronaldo won the Champions League with Real Madrid.
One goalkeeper Lev Yashin (USSR), won the Golden Ball in 1963.
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