World champion, German national team goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is the only obstacle preventing Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine Lionel Messi from winning another best player of the year award. In recent years, these footballers have been the winners of the "Ballon d'Or" award. Twice (in 2008 and 2013), the prize was taken by Real Madrid forward C.Ronaldo and four times in a row (in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012) triumphed the Barcelona star L.Messi. No goalkeeper has been chosen as the best player of the year since 1991. However, it seems that the German and Munich Bayern goalkeeper, considering the achievements of the past year and the form demonstrated, has all the chances to become the first. "In recent years, he has been in a form that no goalkeeper has ever been," said the German national team coach Joachim Loew. Nevertheless, despite fantastic results with the German national team, M.Neuer is not considered the leader of these elections because C.Ronaldo and L.Messi achieved more records last year. Portugal scored 61 goals for Real and the Portuguese national team. He scored 17 goals in the Champions League and helped the team win the tenth title in the club's history. The Argentine set a scoring record in the Champions League and the Spanish championship in November. However, L.Messi's teams did not win any trophies. The Argentine national team lost to the Germans in the World Cup final, and Barcelona lost to Madrid Atletico in the Champions League quarterfinals. It is also in the fight for the Spanish champion's cup. FIFA President Sepp Blatter was even surprised that an Argentine was awarded the Golden Ball at the World Cup. Among Neuer's supporters is coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, whose Swiss team fell in the World Cup quarterfinals when Angel di Maria scored the winning goal after Messi's pass in extra time. "Neuer is the prototype of a modern goalkeeper. And it's only a matter of time before such a player is chosen as the best," said the German. The "Ballon d'Or" winner will be announced today at an exclusive ceremony in Zurich.
AP ir lrytas.lt
