BERLIN: Germans, who had hoped for a clean sweep at the FIFA Ballon d’Or, expressed disappointment on Tuesday after their World Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came third in the vote for the 2014 world player of the year.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the award on Monday for the second year running and third time in total. The Real Madrid forward polled more than twice as many votes as his bitter rival and four-time winner L. Messi, who only just edged B Munich’s Neuer into third place.
Neuer, who was outstanding at last year’s World Cup in Brazil and also helped Bayern clinch a domestic double, has let in just four goals in 17 league games so far this season.
“I think this is unfair,” said Germany’s former World Cup-winning captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer. “It seems that in this vote success does not count as much as appearances.”
“Keepers are in a difficult spot. People want to see goals, not the people stopping the goals.” Germany had been hoping for a clean sweep of awards after coach J. Loew won coach of the year award while VfL Wolfsburg coach Ralf Kellermann was voted best coach in women’s football.
Neuer was voted goalkeeper of the year in 2014 after a string of outstanding performances at the WC, where he also ventured out of his box more often than others in the past. (AFP)
