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As Rob Symth of the Guardian aptly writes, “Cristiano Ronaldo finally won the Ballon D’Or for making miraculous records look mundane”, the Portuguese was finally rewarded after banging four years against a Lionel Messi-esque mud brick wall. After finally getting over the shadows of the diminutive Argentine, Ronaldo now has surely etched his name in golden letters in Football’s all time greats. However, we here at Soccersouls decided to provide our readers with three of the alternate players other than Ronaldo, Messi and Ribery who could have also had a shout to win the Beautiful Game’s most coveted prize.
Phillip Lahm
I was at the Allianz Arena in October during my visit to Munich and among the odd seventy thousand, I was fortunate to witness an exquisite Bayern display as they thrashed Viktoria Plzen by a whopping 5-0 margin in the Champions League. My admiration for Phillip Lahm dates long back, but that chilly night in Munich enhanced my respect for the diminutive German captain.
Players of Lahm’s ilk are born once in a generation and when someone like Pep Guardiola claims, ” Lahm is the cleverest player he has ever worked with”, there is perhaps no space for discussion. If width and attacking prowess on either sides epitomises a mordern day fullback, Lahm’s dedication, never say die attitude and tireless movements off the ball has perhaps redefined the classical laws of the game.
As one of my football fanatic friends says, “Versatility oozes through his veins, and his transition to a holding midfielder is perhaps a testament of the genius he is”, he is right in every way he shows admiration for the Bavarian fan favourite. Lahm’s presence in the 23 man shortlist for the Ballon D’Or is perhaps the farthest a ‘defender’ can trudge to hold the elusive and ultimate Football Prize, it’s sad that someone like Lahm will perhaps never win the coveted feat.
In the past two decades only Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro won the famed prize eclipsing Zinedine Zidane, who came a close second, as the defensive man mountain guided Italy to an amazing and an imperious World Cup Triumph in 2006.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Fantastic as he always is, Zlatan finally earned some much respect after his achievements were clouded albeit his national and club colours. The Swede though won the Ferenc Puskas award for the best goal scored and perhaps too in hindsight deserved more recognition. Zlatan, the way heis chose Frank Ribery, Messi and Ronaldo in his pick for the Ballon D’Or, classy stuff.
The PSG man known for speaking his heart out at times is a brilliant goalscorer, an amazing shot maker and above all can score from any position he wants to, in the greens. Swedes rarely win Football’s elusive excellence, but it might just take a Zlatan to change the notion.
The Uruguayan has constantly demonstrated that he can score goals at will both in national and club colours. For Liverpool he has been immense, almost scoring for fun week in and week out. After a tumultuous summer transfer window, where Suarez was handed the ignominy of disdain in training with the under 21s and also attracting transfer bids from Arsenal, Bayern Munich. However, Brendan Rodgers managed to keep his star asset in Merseyside and Suarez also penned a new four-and-a-half-year deal, which ties him with the Reds till 2018.
With 22 goals this current EPL campaign, Suarez looks good to score more as the season prolongs. Liverpool would desperately want to keep hold of him and do so, must finish in a Champions League place. Steven Gerrard highly rates him and never misses a chance to praise the Uruguayan and picked him as his third choice for the Ballon D’Or. Suarez might not have won it this year, but who knows he might be lifting the elusive crown come next new year. If he manages to score as freely as he is doing now and avoid controversies alike the Ivanovic situation, next year could very well be the one for the Uruguayan to lift the coveted prize.
