Tuesday, 9th December, 2014
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez believes his team-mate Lionel Messi is the standout candidate to win the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or.
Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manuel Neuer are the final three men nominated for FIFA’s Player of the Year Award, the ceremony for which is scheduled to be held next month.
Neuer’s performance for the world champions Germany and Ronaldo’s goalscoring record for Real Madrid last season and this term have propelled them onto the podium.
But Suarez feels it is Messi who is the standout performer among the three with his performances in Argentina’s run to the World Cup final and his record breaking goalscoring spree in the current campaign.
Though Ronaldo and Neuer are deservingly nominated, the Uruguayan striker feels no one deserves the Ballon d’Or more than his team-mate.
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“After so many months, so many goals, it is ridiculous to see that Messi is not the favourite for the Ballon d’Or. There is a clear campaign for the other players”, Suarez told Sport.
“Messi is the best player in the world because of all he has given to the game but also for what he still brings to the game.
“He played in the World Cup final, Neuer won the tournament, but Ronaldo didn’t even qualify out of the group stage.”
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