Thomas Mueller 2. Diego Costa 2. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. But let's be clear, Ronaldo and Messi are not the only ones who simply 'vote for the boys'. Here we look at the more questionable voting. Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany (Belgium) – 1.Thibaut Courtois 2. Radamel Falcao (right) picked his Colombian team-mate James Rodriguez (centre) as the world's best player, Rodriguez was also picked as the top player by Colombia coach Jose Pekerman, Rodriguez won the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2014 at Monday evening's ceremony, Vincent Kompany (right) picked Thibaut Courtois (centre) as the world's best player. You had the feeling that he was omnipresent.”. Philipp Lahm 2. “The electoral commission is nothing more than a inside clique, putting forward false reasons to invalidate Didier Drogba’s candidacy, in contravention of the electoral code.”, READ MORE Didier Drogba eyes Côte d’Ivoire’s top job in football. The latter suspended the process and appointed a committee to investigate. Jamez Rodriguez 2. Germany head coach Joachim Low has said that he would snub Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski’s claim for the 2020 Ballon d’Or, instead favouring the Pole’s club-mate Manuel Neuer. Gareth Bale, Hugo Lloris (France) – 1. Diego Costa 2.Thibaut Courtois 3. Gerardo Martino went for an Argentine 1-2-3 of Messi, Di Maria and Mascherano. Mario Goetze 2. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 1. “I have nothing against Robert Lewandowski, he is a world-class goalscorer, but for me, the best player in the world this year would be Manuel Neuer. Really, Vincent? Get your free PDF by completing the following form, The government appears to be observing the many developments that are shaking Ivorian soccer, taking care not to interfere. The Africa Report uses cookies to provide you with a quality user experience, measure audience, and provide you with personalized advertising. Ultimately what Monday night proved is that football is full of politicking of the highest order, arguably as bad as that seen in Eurovision. Cristiano Ronaldo was named 2014 Ballon d'Or winner on Monday evening Lionel Messi came second and Manuel Neuer third in the voting Ronaldo and Messi did … Arjen Robben, Radamel Falcao (Colombia) – 1. Colombia's Jose Pekerman picked as his No 1 player Rodriguez, Belgium coach Marc Wilmots chucked in Courtous at No 3, Deschamps gave his final spot to France striker Benzema and Holland's Guus Hiddink gave the top honour to Robben. Equally Messi, despite saying Ronaldo deserved to win, voted for Argentina team-mates Angel di Maria and Javier Mascherano and Barcelona buddy Andres Iniesta. Thomas Mueller 3. Gareth Bale 3. Are the world's two best players really that petty that they can't recognise the other's achievements on paper? I would vote different now. It can’t last forever,” says Salif Bictogo. According to the FIF, some sponsorships of the former Marseille and Chelsea striker – for example Drogba’s sponsorship of the Africa Sports of Abidjan Division 1 club, and that of the body that oversees referees, AMAF-CI – would not be admissible. Gareth Bale 2. A decision that immediately made the camp of the former striker and captain of the Ivorian national react. Away from the political and tactical voting, there were some eyebrow-raising decisions by certain managers and captains. And those that did, deserve special praise. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. Real Madrid v AC Milan: 2-3 #UCL 2009-2010 Group Stage - (Sky) Fabio Caressa - FULL HD - Duration: 11:06. It also decided on September 1 to appoint a committee composed of two members of FIFA, CAF and a representative of the Union of West African Football Associations (UFOA). Arjen Robben, Chris Coleman (Wales)– 1. He kept the shop shut! While Bah N'dah's past career has earned him the reputation as an upstanding, uncompromising man, he will have to be accommodating to dig the country out of crisis. We are not even surprised by this decision,” said Eugène Diomandé, an influential member of the former striker’s campaign team. By contrast Real's Iker Casillas found no place for Messi but had team-mate Ramos splitting Ronaldo and Mueller. Neymar, Ali Dayem Bin Haji (Brunei coach) – 1. Eden Hazard 3. Paul Pogba 3. Thibaut Courtois, Dunga (Brazil) – 1. Ronaldo voted for Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Ramos (centre) as the best player in the world, Messi had Argetina team-mate Angel di Maria (centre) in his top three players in the world, Bastian Schweinsteigher (second, right) included Germany and Bayern team-mate Philipp Lahm in his three, Robin van Persie (No 9) selected Holland pal Arjen Robben (No 11) as the world's best player. Sadly, this trend extends to the managers of national teams too. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Mifsud (Malta captain) – 1. When asked if he would consider so after a constitutional change, he also responded with a clear "No". Kenya: Ahead of the 2022 polls, what options does Kenyatta really have? Didier Drogba presenting the Ballon d'Or prize ceremony in 2019 (AP Photo/Francois Mori) When his candidacy for the presidency of the Ivorian Football Federation was invalidated by its electoral commission, Didier Drogba turned to FIFA. Again, no sign of the eventual top three. Cristiano Ronaldo 3. FCB’s route to that showpiece event in Lisbon, however, was facilitated by goalkeeper Neuer, who made a string of vital saves throughout the competition, particularly at notable times in the semi-final against Lyon then in the final itself. But the Real Madrid superstar could not bring himself to include Messi in his top three players in the world, instead choosing to opt for team-mates Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. Karim Benzema, Iker Casillas (Spain) – 1. Lionel Messi 2 Yaya Toure 3 Paul Pogba, Ketsada Souksavanh (Laos captain) – 1. Toni Kroos 2. Lionel Messi 3. Radamel Falcao, captain of Colombia, put above everyone else James Rodriguez - of, yes, you guessed it, Colombia. 'I would clearly vote for Neuer now if I had the chance. When his candidacy for the presidency of the Ivorian Football Federation was invalidated by its electoral commission, Didier Drogba turned to FIFA. Neymar 2. Wales captain Ashley Williams opted for Gareth Bale, Robin van Persie went for Robben and Hugo Lloris deemed French team-mate Benzema the world's second-best player. Angel di Maria 2. Bastian Schweinsteiger. Yaya Toure, Sixto Vizuete (Ecuador coach) – 1. Bastian Schweinsteiger 3. To file an appeal would be to recognize the authority and competence of this committee. Mali: Who is Bah N’dah, the new transitional president? Drogba decided to refer the matter to the FIFA, rather than filing an appeal. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Deschamps (France) – 1. Neymar put aside rivalries to pick Ronaldo behind his Barcelona team-mate Messi. Yes, they reached a World Cup final but do Di Maria and Mascherano really deserve to be there? 'I am sorry for Manu. Manuel is an amazing goalkeeper and person.'. Andres Iniesta, Pietro Ghedin (Malta coach) – 1. Angel di Maria, Wayne Rooney (England) – 1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic 2. Complete the form and download, for free, The Africa Report’s Brace for impact. Manuel Neuer, Diego Godin (Uruguay) – 1. There had been repeated calls in his homeland for Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to take over the duties as Germany No.1, though these have been resisted to date by Low, who has picked both players in his side to face Spain and Switzerland in forthcoming Nations League matches at the start of September. Neuer now holds 92 caps for his country, having led them to success at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, while the 28-year-old Ter Stegen has played only 24 times for his country, despite being a key figure in Barcelona’s successes in recent years. Mistakes of his own making is all that can stop Lewis Hamilton, critics DO bother Valtteri Bottas after... Cristiano Ronaldo was named 2014 Ballon d'Or winner on Monday evening, READ: Ronaldo and Messi remain best of enemies. James Rodriguez 2. Philipp Lahm 3. It was my f*****g fault': Agent Scott... 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By continuing on The Africa Report, you agree to the use of cookies under the terms of our privacy policy.You can change your preferences at any time. Sergio Ramos 2. Because as long as it will not be the case, the competitions will not resume. Gareth Bale 2. Arjen Robben, Ashley Williams (Wales) – 1. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi didn’t like football, but he knew how to use it to his advantage to try to enhance his country’s image as 2000 approached. Cristiano Ronaldo 2. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Cristiano Ronaldo 3. Neymar 2. Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi did not deem each other in the world's best three players, Ronaldo and Messi (right) spoke positively about each other after the former was crowned the winner, Ronaldo beat Messi to the award as he was crowned the 2014 Ballon d'Or winner after a stellar 12 months, FIFA president Sepp Blatter congratulated Ronaldo on winning the award at the ceremony, Ronaldo celebrated with his son Cristiano Jnr on stage after winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2014, FIFA have published the full list of votes from each national captain, manager and media representative. Germany head coach Joachim Low has said that he would snub Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski’s claim for the 2020 Ballon d’Or, instead favouring the Pole’s club-mate Manuel Neuer. Arjen Robben 3. Vincent Kompany, captain of Belgium, deemed international team-mates Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard as the world's two best players with Arjen Robben third. Arjen Robben, Saidou Diabate (Niger coach) – 1. Javier Mascherano 2. On August 26, the electoral commission of the FIF rejected the candidacies of Didier Drogba and Paul Kouadio Koffi, and validated those of Sory Diabaté, vice president of the Federation and president of the Professional Football League, and Idriss Diallo, former number two of the FIF. Karim Benzema 3. It suspended the electoral process by asking the BIF to provide it with several documents “in order to have an overview and to intervene if necessary to ensure that the electoral process complies with the statutory and regulatory requirements of FIFA applicable to all its member associations.”. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. 2:06. “We are optimistic about the candidacy of Didier Drogba, who continues to meet with local soccer players,” said Diomandé. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Guus Hiddink (Holland)– 1. Manuel Neuer 3. Frankly, it is enough to make the stomach churn. Cristiano Ronaldo may have quite rightly been voted the world's best player on Monday night - his second consecutive win and third overall - and gushed about Lionel Messi, hailing his great rival for helping him become a better player. Javier Mascherano, Marc Wilmots (Belgium) – 1. This is no new trend and has been the norm for several years now and all it serves to do is take some of the gloss off what should be a night of celebration for football. Thomas Mueller, Finke Volker (Cameroon coach) – 1. Mali's newly appointed transitional president was sworn in today. But I already cast my vote back in August or something. Javier Mascherano, Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) – 1. As a consequence, Low has said he would vote for the former Schalke keeper had the Ballon d’Or not been cancelled by organisers France Football because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. DON'T MISS : Talking Africa New Podcast – Coronavirus warrior Dr John Nkengasong is not happy about corruption in PPE procurement, By Alexis Billebault But we don’t recognize it,” Diomandé said. Thomas Muller, Robin van Persie (Holland) – 1. “Everything is done so that Didier Drogba is not a candidate, because those who organize these maneuvers know very well that he has a very good chance of being elected,” adds the businessman and president of Séwé Sport de San-Pedro, a first league team in Cote d’Ivoire. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. LIVE: Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal - Diogo Jota scores on his home debut to seal victory for champions after Andy... 'If they don't invest in the next week, it's tough days ahead... the honeymoon period is certainly over for... Frank Lampard 'gave Marcos Alonso a furious dressing down in front of a stunned Chelsea squad after the... Fulham 0-3 Aston Villa: Scott Parker's start to the season goes from bad to worse as goals from Jack... 'Sam Allardyce was no longer the England football team manager. Manuel Neuer 2. Lionel Messi 2. I am really surprised that he did not even come in second and the big gap to Ronaldo also baffles me. 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Cristiano Ronaldo 3. The (bad) soap opera continues. As Amhara nationalism emerges, it should not adopt the same divisive tactics as Ethiopia’s other competing ethno-nationalisms. Roy Hodgson (England coach) – 1. Karim Benzema, Joachim Low (Germany) – 1. Cristiano Ronaldo 3. Paul Van Welden 34,459 views. When Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta was asked back in October 2018 by CNN if he would extend his term beyond 2020, he replied with an emphatic "No". Manuel Neuer 2 Mario Goetze 3. He offers no reason as to why he had this sudden change of heart, and may be it is as simple as wanting to save face in the dressing room. What he did in the Final 8 in Lisbon! “But in this case, it has not backed either candidate. 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Let's not forget that men like Lewandowski are leaders of their national teams, yet they act like teenagers voting for the prom king or queen. Bastian Schweinsteiger 3. Manuel Neuer 3. The 32-year-old striker scored 55 goals in all competitions last season as the German side won the treble, netting in each game he played in the Champions League until the 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final, with his exploits in front of goal making him many critics’ choice as the game’s outstanding player currently. Arjen Robben 2. The comments below have not been moderated. Eden Hazard 3. Posted on Thursday, 3 September 2020 12:54. Thomas Mueller, Neymar (Brazil) – 1. Robert Lewandowski, for example, decided to announce on Monday that he regretted voting for Ronaldo ahead of his Bayern team-mate Neuer. This committee will be in charge of hearing several people, including members of the electoral committee and the current president of the FIF. The latter suspended the process and appointed a committee to investigate. Published: 11:27 BST, 13 January 2015 | Updated: 17:02 BST, 13 January 2015. Manuel Neuer 2. James Rodriguez, Javier Aguirre (Japan coach) – 1.Thibaut Courtois 2. Lionel Messi, Anthony Griffith (Montserrat captain) – 1. Toni Kroos 3. Arjen Robben 2. The trio of course won a Bundesliga title and a World Cup, but did all three really outshine Ronaldo and Messi? “Manuel was on hand in difficult situations against Lyon and Paris, otherwise it might be 0-1 or 1-1. Sergio Ramos 3. 'Voting for Ronaldo instead of Neuer was a mistake,' he told German newspaper Welt. Angel di Maria 3. Crazy, unbelievable. Arjen Robben, Michael F. Rabeson (Madagascar captain) – 1. Manuel Neuer 2. Manuel Neuer 3. Low has been a long time backer of Neuer, even when the 34-year-old has faced criticism. “It’s even surprising. No Ronaldo, no Messi, no Manuel Neuer. Manuel Neuer 2. Lionel Messi 2. Yaya Toure. Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteigher went a step further, picking international and Bayern Munich team-mates Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller. Le ballon d'Or - fragment - Duration: 2:06. James Rodriguez 3. Cristiano Ronaldo, Jurgen Klinsmann (USA) – 1. The (bad) soap opera continues. “What’s the point? We can only presume that Lewandowski had seen that his team-mate Schweinsteigher had voted for Neuer and lacked the conviction to stand by his view that Ronaldo is in fact the better player. It is probably because of the October 31st election — the presidency has other fish to fry.”, READ MORE Côte d’Ivoire’s Ouattara announces third term bid in October vote. By downloading this PDF you agree to subscribe to The Africa Report Daily newsletter, Didier Drogba eyes Côte d’Ivoire’s top job in football, Côte d’Ivoire’s Ouattara announces third term bid in October vote. “It is likely that the state will not intervene and even hopes that the president of the BIF will be elected before the end of September. James Rodriguez 3. Cristiano Ronaldo 3. Manuel Neuer, Prince Alban Oniangue (Congo captain) – 1. The Ballon d'Or may be the most prestigious individual prize a footballer can win, but a deeper look at the voting leaves a feeling of bemusement and frustration. “Manu is in a class of his own. Andres Iniesta 3. FIFA was quick to react, issuing a letter written by Senegalese Fatma Samoura, its general secretary. 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Ethiopia: Defining Amhara nationalism for a better country, Libya: When Muammar Gaddafi played political football. Arjen Robben 2. Arjen Robben 2. Philipp Lahm 3. Javier Mascherano, Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 1. Gareth Bale 2. Usually, politicians always try to put their nose in the business of soccer. All Ivorian football now awaits the outcome of FIFA-CAF committee’s investigation. Javier Mascherano 3. Phillip Lahm 3. I was a candidate for election to the presidency of the FIF in 2011, and the politicians back then were much more present, says Salif Bictogo, president of the Stella Club of Adjamé. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Jose Pekerman (Colombia) – 1. Diego Godin, the Uruguay captain, opted for former Atletico Madrid team-mates Diego Costa and Courtois ahead of Robben. Manuel Neuer, *Underlined players are club or international team-mates, Gerardo Martino (Argentina) – 1. And the players have been at a standstill for more than six months. The election to the presidency of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) to replace Sidy Diallo, is turning sour.