Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas has picked his favourite to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or this season. The Spaniard – who spent 25 years with Los Blancos – flirted with the idea of Gianluigi Buffon winning the coveted trophy and in doing so becoming the first goalkeeper to win the award since 1963 before eventually settling for his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. However, in doing so, the FC Porto shot-stopper highlighted the obvious flaws of the much coveted trophy – which is often mistaken to be the barometer of a footballer’s greatness.
Speaking in an interview with La Gazetta dello Sport, the 36-year-old said: "If only a goalkeeper could win it, but I think it's very complicated. There have been times when a goalkeeper could have fought for the trophy: I think of [Peter] Schmeichel back in 1999 when he won the Treble, or [Oliver] Kahn in 2002, yet they were never really in the running.
"We are those who don't really get considered as part of the group. Only Yashin won it in 1963 -- back when we were landing on the moon. A long time has passed since then. But yes, effectively there are not many alternatives [this year].
"Maybe [Paulo] Dybala. I would like it to be a Spaniard, like Sergio Ramos for example, but it's the same story: we've won it only once and that was in the 1960s. We had the chance with Raul, [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi, Fernando Torres and now with Sergio, but in the end I think it's going to be Cristiano again, especially if Madrid win the Champions League."
The usual suspects Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the Ballon d’Or race over the last 9 seasons, having shared the coveted award between them in all of these years. The last footballer to have won the coveted award was Brazilian legend Kaka, who was named the winner way back in 2007.
Ever since Messi has won the award on 5 occasions while Ronaldo is not far behind with 4 of those in his ever-expanding trophy cabinet. The Portuguese is odds-on favourite to win the award once again this season, which will bring him on level terms with the Argentine, having guided his team to their first La Liga title since 2011-12, while also putting them in the driving seat to become the first team to retain the Champions League in its current format. If Ronaldo does win the award this season it will tie him on 5 with his biggest rival and that sets up for an exciting next season, doesn’t it?
Iker Casillas spent 16 successful seasons with Los Blancos wherein he won everything that is there to win, however, a Ballon d’Or still eluded him. The award is biased towards the outfield players, more so towards forwards and attacking midfielders which has been highlighted by the fact that only a countable few defenders have lifted this prestigious trophy.
Gianluigi Buffon is a legend in the truest sense of the word and Casillas did flirt with the idea of the legendary Italian shot-stopper winning the trophy and breaking the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly. But he was quick to assert that the award and football in general is ignorant towards his kind and that goalkeepers have always been undervalued in the beautiful game.
A quick look at the Ballon d’Or winners over the years and you will find out that surprisingly only 4 players with defensive inclination have ever been awarded this trophy in its 61 years of existence. Only one out of those 4 being a goalkeeper, the legendary Lev Yashin, who is considered by many to be the greatest goalkeeper of all-time. Black Spider, as he was nicknamed for donning an all black jersey which coupled with his stupendous saves made people wonder if her had eight arms, revolutionized the art of goalkeeping and what we see Manuel Neuer do on a routine basis was first implemented by none other that the legendary Soviet Union shot-stopper.
Here is the list – a short one at that – of the defenders and a goalkeeper, who have won the coveted trophy in 61 years of its existence.
No. | Name | Club | Year | Position |
| 1 | Lev Yashin | Dynamo Moscow | 1963 | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Franz Beckenbauer | Bayern Munich | 1976 | Defender |
| 3 | Matthis Sammer | Borussia Dortmund | 1996 | Sweeper |
| 4 | Fabio Cannavaro | Real Madrid | 2006 | Defender |
As can be seen that only one goalkeeper and 3 other defenders have won the trophy, a grand total of four if you must – a number which is equal to how many Cristiano Ronaldo has won in his 15-years in top-flight football and one less than what Lionel Messi has won in 12 years. This goes on to show just how much goalkeepers are undervalued in today’s game.
Also Read: Ronaldo Nazario predicts who will win the Ballon d'Or in 2017
Although Cristiano Ronaldo is the overwhelming favourite to win the award this year it is not a foregone conclusion and a surprise could be on the cards. After all, Manuel Neuer made it to the podium in 2014 and there is nothing stopping Gianluigi Buffon from upping it. But it all hinges on the all important UEFA Champions League final to be played between Real Madrid and Juventus on 3rd June.
If Ronaldo inspires Madrid to the win in the all important final – making Los Blancos the first team in Champions League era to retain the title – then he will be the deserving favourite for the award. However, Gianluigi Buffon stands between him and his 5th Ballon d’Or.
A Gianluigi Buffon – who like wine – looks to be getting better with age, a Gianluigi Buffon who has so far in his illustrious career been bereft of the Champions League trophy that he has coveted so much, a Gianluigi Buffon who is the closest to breaking the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly than anyone has in the last 10 years.
I am rooting for the World Cup winning Italian to do the impossible and win the final and subsequently the Ballon d’Or, not because I have deep seated ill emotions against Ronaldo but because Buffon deserves it – more than anyone who failed to win the trophy despite deserving to win it.
