..::Football II::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Gallas insists trophies mean more than Champions League qualification

Tottenham defender William Gallas has rejected Arsene Wenger's claims that qualifying for the Champions League is akin to winning a trophy.

The Arsenal manager recently stated that finishing fourth in the Premier League and obtaining Champions League qualification ranked higher than winning the FA Cup or Capital One Cup.

However, Gallas has rejected this notion entirely and insists nothing can match the feeling of winning silverware, something he is aiming to do this season at White Hart Lane.

"A trophy is something you lift at the end of the season," Gallas told London24. "I know which feeling you can have if you lift a trophy – it’s fantastic and it doesn't happen many times in your career.

"For me, to finish second or fourth, it’s the same - but if you finish on top and if you’re the champion it’s completely different. For a few months you think you are the best team, the best players, you are so happy.

"To lift a trophy, that is the real thing to do. It’s a long time since Tottenham won a trophy. I don’t know which one we’re going to lift but we want to lift one. Any one will be good."

Spurs survived a late rally to beat Southampton on Sunday, and the Frenchman is satisfied with his side's current standing in the league, hoping it can provide a platform for a successful season.

"We played very well in the first half. We were 2-0 up and when we went onto the pitch for the second half we wanted to score that goal third goal," said Gallas.

"But that didn’t happen and we made some mistakes and we conceded one goal and it was very difficult to defend until the end of the game.

"After the draw [with Maribor] and the loss against Chelsea it was very important for us to win.

"You have to win that type of game, even if you play away, and with the way we played in the first half we deserved to win it. We still have to carry on because we want to finish well this season.

"We just want to be in the top four, and at the moment that’s where we are so it’s good, but we will see at the end of the season if we will finish on top or not."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Arsenal youngster Serge Gnabry eyeing starting role

Serge Gnabry wants to secure a starting place in Arsenal's first team after recently making his Gunners debut.

The former Stuttgart trainee made his first appearance as a substitute in the Capital One Cup and has since made cameos against Norwich and Schalke. After breaking into Arsene Wenger's thoughts, the winger is now targeting a spot in the starting XI and believes he has the ability to perform well, despite his inexperience.

"I enjoy football and so a chance to play for Arsenal was one I was eager to take to help the team, but also to show what I can contribute," Gnabry told reporters. "I was just happy to get the chance to get on against Norwich and try to help the team.

"Like all players, I prefer to start games, but when you watch from the bench you become anxious to get on and play and do something. It was the same against Schalke and that is why I felt comfortable. I have a lot to learn and improve on and one way is to play games. It is a big challenge, but one I am enjoying and the fact that the whole team helps me makes it easier."

The Germany Under-17 international is still a largely unknown quantity and is hoping that he can spring a surprise on teams as he gets more chances for the Gunners.

"Defenders and other teams do not know about my game or my style of play, and perhaps that may help, but it is up to me to play my game and take advantage of that," Gnabry added. "I like to play on the left side of the pitch, but I can play on the right or in the middle. Anywhere the manager asks me to play, I will play and give my best.

"I know I am still young and have much to learn, but the faith that the manager has shown in me has given me a big boost. I'm looking forward to more opportunities to play for the first team so that I can make a real contribution."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Allegri: AC Milan moving in the right direction

Massimiliano Allegri says he has no qualms with the recent performances given by AC Milan and believes the side has been unlucky during its recent poor run of results.

The Rossoneri ended a sequence of three straight defeats at the San Siro on Saturday thanks to a 1-0 win over Genoa but had little time to reflect on the result, as they must now turn their attentions to a mid-week Serie A clash with lowly Palermo.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Sicily, Allegri claimed he never harbored any doubts about the club's commitment and was adamant that the goals will soon come, having acknowledged its failure to regularly convert chances.

"The team always give 100 percent," Allegri said. "We have to improve in the last 30 yards [of the field] but it isn't always easy. On Saturday, Genoa defended very well with 10 men behind the ball. We are not playing at all badly, we concede very little and let's hope it continues that way.

"We will improve in the last third of the field as the players mature together. The strikers have a lot of goals in them and we just need to be a little luckier. In these moments of difficulty, the coach cannot panic. The game on Saturday could have finished a draw but the performance would still have been the same. In football, the only thing that matters is the result."

Despite highlighting Milan's profligacy, Allegri was quick to praise young forward Stephan El Shaarawy, who again proved to be Milan's match-winner at the weekend with his seventh strike of the season.

"El Shaarawy is doing very well, but he still has a long way to go and can still improve technically," Allegri added. "He is a well-balanced lad. He helps out a lot in defence and is a quality finisher as he is demonstrating. He is in excellent shape at the moment and has lots of energy - he is just 20 after all."

Regarding the team that will take to the Renzo Barbera on Tuesday, Allegri confirmed the inclusion of injury-hit striker Alexandre Pato, while handing Philippe Mexes a reprieve for his recent tardiness in training.

"Pato will be starting the match tomorrow, while [Kevin-Prince] Boateng has a problem with his Achilles tendon and hasn't been called up, but it is strictly an injury problem," Allegri said. "Christian Abbiati is better but tomorrow [Marco] Amelia will once again start. Sulley Muntari is also doing well, but it is too early for him to be playing competitive football.

"Mexes should have started against Genoa but arrived 10 minutes late to training and so I kept him out. He will start against Palermo."

The Rosanero have enjoyed a slight improvement under newly-appointed coach Gian Piero Gasperini, as they take a four-match unbeaten run into their meeting with Milan, and Allegri pinpointed three potential dangermen.

"Palermo are doing very well now," he said. "Gasperini's sides have always played good football. They have players like [Fabrizio] Miccoli, [Josip] Ilicic and [Franco] Brienza, all of whom can cause all sorts of problems. It will be a very tough game for us so we have to defend very well against these three players."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Newcastle sweating on Ba fitness ahead of Liverpool clash

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is sweating on the fitness of Demba Ba ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday.​

Ba, 27, limped off with a shin injury during the second half of his side’s 2-1 victory against West Brom. The Senegal international will have a scan on his leg later in the week, and, while Pardew does not think the problem is serious, he admits it could rule him out of the clash with the Reds.
​

"Demba appears to have a bit of a nerve problem,” Pardew told Sky Sports. "It is not a major concern, and I don't think it is an ongoing problem, but the major question is whether he can make next week."

Although Ba has been in fantastic form for the Magpies of late – racking up seven goals in his last nine games – Pardew has a wealth of attacking options available to him.

The 51-year-old started Shola Ameobi up front on Sunday, and brought on Sammy Ameobi and Papiss Cisse late in the game, with the former providing an assist for the latter’s winning goal.
"Sammy looks to provide a little bit of a spark for us,” Pardew continued. "I was searching for some sort of lift for the team and I thought he was very positive for us. We changed the system a couple of times and he tried to create for us."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Arteta: Wenger guided Arsenal out of slump to QPR victory

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on manager Arsene Wenger for helping his side to recover from two consecutive defeats to beat QPR 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

“The boss was brilliant because he was very positive about the way we have to play and the belief we have to have,” the midfielder told the club's official website.

The Gunners came into the game against their London rivals having lost out to Norwich in the Premier League before being beaten at home by Schalke in Champions League.

However, what had been a tightly contested affair against the Rs turned into an Arsenal onslaught after a rash Stephane Mbia challenge saw the Cameroonian sent off late on in the match.Arteta, who went on to score the late winner in that match, hailed his manager’s influence on the squad's morale.

“It is good that in the bad moments he keeps believing in us and gives us confidence, so we kept playing as we always do and got rewarded," he said.

He added, “We knew we would have to play really well to beat QPR, and we created the chances but left it until the last few minutes [to score]!”

Wenger, meanwhile, had similarly kind words for the Spaniard after his goal secured three points.
“Since the beginning of the season Mikel has been absolutely outstanding,” the Frenchman said. “He does a fantastic job, he is highly focused and I am very happy for him that he gets the rewards.”​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ferguson, Mancini and Di Matteo on shortlist for FIFA Coach of the Year award

Sir Alex Ferguson, Roberto Mancini and Roberto Di Matteo are the Premier League's three representatives on the 10-man shortlist for FIFA's Coach of the Year award.

The trio is joined by Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola and Spain's Euro 2012-winning coach Vicente Del Bosque.

Mancini led Manchester City to its first league title since 1968 with a dramatic final day victory over QPR, while Di Matteo oversaw Chelsea's miraculous maiden Champions League triumph against Bayern Munich.

Germany has three representatives, with national team boss Joachim Low, Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp and Bayern manager Jupp Heynckes all in the running.

Cesare Prandelli, the man who overcame Low's Germany to lead Italy to a surprise final appearance at Euro 2012, completes the list.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi thanks teammates after receiving European Golden Boot

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi thanked his teammates for helping him to add another trophy to his collection, after receiving the 2011-12 European Golden Boot.


The 25-year-old scored a La Liga record 50 goals for Barcelona, edging out fellow Spanish league star Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid by four goals.

''It is a prize for scoring goals, but without my teammates I couldn't have scored them,'' he humbly told reporters.

Messi, who scored his 300th and 301st career goals with a brace in Barcelona's 5-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, also won the award in 2010 for his 34 goals that helped his club win the league title.

"I am happy to win my second Golden Boot," he said. "Although individual trophies are not what I compete for, I play to win team trophies."

The Argentine thanked his Camp Nou employers and revealed he hopes to stay at the club for the whole of his career. He has never played for another club team.

"I'm grateful to Barcelona for what they've done for me. My dream is to end my career at the club, before returning to Argentina," Messi added.

His club coach Tito Vilanova also took the time to comment on his player's achievement, claiming the forward was a unique phenomenon.

"Messi Golden Boot? I don't think we'll ever see another player like Leo. Mainly because of the way he understands the game," he praised.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratulations Messi!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester teams scoop up five Ballon d'Or nominations

Manchester teams scoop up five Ballon d'Or nominations​

Fine players from the Premier League have been nominated for FIFA's prestigious Ballon d'or award.​

The award is presented to the player who is considered to have performed better than all others in the season preceding it, and is awarded based on votes from managers and captains of international teams, as well as a number of journalists from around the world.​

Three players from Premier League champion Manchester City are featured, with Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Mario Balotelli all making the list.​

They are joined by two players from the other side of the city, as Manchester United duo Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are also selected.​

The list of 23 features a number of the usual suspects, including three-time winner Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and in-form Chelsea target Radamel Falcao.​

Ballon d'Or shortlist in full...​

Sergio Aguero (ARG/Manchester City)
Mario Balotelli (ITA/Manchester City)
Karim Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid)
Gianluigi Buffon (ITA/Juventus Turin)
Sergio Busquets (ESP/FC Barcelona)
Iker Casillas (ESP/Real Madrid)
Didier Drogba (CIV/Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua)
Radamel Falcao (COL/Atlético Madrid)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE/Milan AC, Paris-SG)
Andrés Iniesta (ESP/FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (ARG/FC Barcelona)
Manuel Neuer (GER/Bayern Munich)
Neymar (BRA/Santos)
Mesut Özil (GER/Real Madrid)
Gerard Piqué (ESP/FC Barcelona)
Andrea Pirlo (ITA/Juventus Turin)
Sergio Ramos (ESP/Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid)
Wayne Rooney (ENG/Manchester United)
Yaya Touré (CIV/Manchester City)
Robin van Persie (NED/Arsenal, Manchester United)
Xabi Alonso (ESP/Real Madrid)
Xavi Hernandez (ESP/FC Barcelona)​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Cristiano Ronaldo needs to show more humility, says Caparros

Joaquin Caparros has criticized Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo in the wake of his side's 5-0 Liga defeat to the reigning champions on Sunday, as he feels the forward showed a lack of respect.


The Portugal international angered Mallorca fans by cupping his hand to his ear after scoring, and Caparros was not impressed by the former Manchester United star's behavior.

"Cristiano Ronaldo has it all as a footballer, but he must show a lot more humility and a lot more ambition in other areas," Caparros said to Punto Pelota. "His statistics are proof of what he can do, but he throws it all away with his behavior."

He added,"It would not surprise me if he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or. It's not just about footballing qualities, but a sum of a number of values. It's the sum of a lot of things on and off the pitch."

The shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or will be revealed later on Monday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Lahm: Bayern conceded two dumb goals

Philipp Lahm has admitted he was dismayed with the way Bayern Munich defended in the 2-1 Bundesliga loss against Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena, adding that the club was deservedly beaten as it conceded too easily.


Stefan Kiessling gifted Leverkusen the lead in the opening 45 minutes, before Mario Mandzukic leveled the scoring in the 77th minute.

Nevertheless, Sidney Sam eventually helped the Werkself to three points with his goal in the closing minutes of the game, much to the dissatisfaction of Lahm.

"Leverkusen's victory isn't undeserved, because they scored two goals," Lahm was quoted as saying on the official Bayern website. "We let in a ridiculous and stupid opening goal, we fought back and made it 1-1, and then we let in an equally dumb second goal."

Manuel Neuer was also disappointed with Bayern's defeat, but was adamant that the loss had nothing to do with the club's attitude.

"We should perhaps criticize ourselves for not taking the lead. At the start, Leverkusen came here and tried to play football, but we should have scored the first goal," he said. "Instead we were forced to come from behind. We gave it everything we had in the second half and tried to salvage something. The defeat wasn't due to our attitude."

Bayern currently holds a four-point lead over second-placed Schalke.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Kompany unconcerned by Manchester City's critics

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has dismissed claims that he and his teammates are struggling for form following a 1-0 victory over Swansea City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The reigning Premier League champion has failed to find its flowing best so far this term, often scraping wins by one-goal margins, with the club's Champions League hopes hanging by a thread after securing just one point from the opening three games.


But Kompany, who has been criticized following poor performances himself, says that he ignores any criticism that he receives from the media.

"Criticism just depends how much attention you want to pay to it," the Belgian told the Daily Mail. "I don't pay any attention to criticism. I just do my own critique, so it doesn't affect me. I just keep living the life and keep working really hard.

"Whatever criticism we are getting now, we are still unbeaten in the league. It just means we have set the standard very high."

City remains the only team still unbeaten in the Premier League and Kompany thinks that a lot of the negative press has been unwarranted.

"Sometimes when it doesn't go as well as you want it, you'll be the worst player or the worst manager in the world," he said. "Football is like a big piece of theater. We are on stage and when it goes well people are clapping you and sometimes you get more praise than you should."

City's victory over Swansea was the team's fourth consecutive Premier League win and Kompany thinks that it will only be a matter of time before he and his teammates reach the standard they set last season.

"I feel good but we set a very high standard last season. We want to achieve the same performances as last season but it is a matter of time sometimes," the club captain continued. "By being patient and keeping doing what you have done to get success in the first place, you'll get there again. It is a very difficult thing. People around the club get wild and excited but I stay very calm."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Suarez almost broke my ankle, insists Everton defender Distin

Everton defender Sylvain Distin has accused Liverpool striker Luis Suarez of almost breaking his ankle during the Merseyside derby on October 28.


The Uruguay international was booked after a late challenge on the 34-year-old during the 2-2 at Goodison Park, with Suarez insisting he did not mean to harm the Toffees man - suggesting his own studs were caught in the turf beforehand.

Distin tweeted: "Thanks for the concern. My ankle is all good considering it could have been broken."

Suarez courted controversy earlier on in the game by celebrating Liverpool's first goal with a mock dive in front of David Moyes following pre-match comments from the Everton manager accusing him of simulation in recent weeks.

And Moyes believes the striker could have been sent off for his tackle on Distin.

"It's over the top, down the back of the leg," he told BBC Sport. "[Suarez] was a very lucky man to stay on the pitch for his tackle,"

However, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers disagreed with Moyes' interpretation, insisting the tackle was clumsy rather than malicious.

Rodgers added: "I didn't think it was a red card. Sometimes you get that with a striker, when they are just a fraction late. They are trying to time it just as they pass it."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mourinho: Youngsters are paying for Castilla's different formation

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has defended his unwillingness to promote players from Castilla, the club's B team, citing a difference in tactics between the two sides.



The Spanish champion is currently enduring an injury crisis at left back, but the Portuguese coach has opted to use midfielder Michael Essien as a makeshift defender rather than Nacho, who came through the ranks at the Bernebeu.

"We play with a different system, they have another model," he told reporters. "There are Castilla players that play in positions that do not exist in the first team, like Jese [Rodriguez] who plays as a 'nine and a half'."Also, our wide players play further forward, and in Castilla they play a 4-4-2. There is limited common ground in terms of the style of play, and the kids are the ones who end up paying the price."

Mourinho has called up three youngsters, Jose Rodriguez, Alex and Ruben Yanez to the squad to face Alcoyano in Copa Del Rey on Wendesday, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil rested.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barry defends Mancini's tactical tinkering amid criticism

Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry has backed manager Roberto Mancini’s decision to tinker with the team’s tactics despite recent failures.


The Italian has been widely criticized for his unsuccessful attempts at reverting from last season’s tried-and-tested back four to using three center backs and two wing backs.


Micah Richards claimed his teammates had not practiced the system in the aftermath of their costly 3-1 defeat to Ajax in the Champions League, but Barry - who missed City’s pre-season preparations through injury - has supported his manager’s desire for greater versatility.
"I missed the whole pre-season with my operation," Barry told the Manchester Evening News.

"The lads said they worked on three at the back, as the manager wanted it as a Plan B.

“The players didn't seem to be overly-confident playing it.

“If the manager wants to go with it you have to do your best and respect it.”

Barry highlighted the tactical nous that saw Edin Dzeko leave the bench to net City’s last-gasp winner against West Brom on Oct. 20, saying that Mancini’s positive actions have not been analyzed as much as the negative.

"At the other end of the scale he made an attacking decision at West Brom and Edin Dzeko came on and scored two goals,” Barry continued. “Those things don't get spoken about.”

“You expect these things to come out when things go badly but we just have to stick together and go forward. We started that on Saturday with a clean sheet and three points."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ancelotti: We are not dependent on Ibrahimovic

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has denied that his side is over-reliant on top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.


The Swede has been in fine form for the capital club since his summer move from AC Milan, scoring 10 goals in just nine league games, but the Italian believes the all of his players have shown their importance.

"I don't think we are dependent on Zlatan," the former Chelsea boss told reporters. "We brought him here because he has a strong personality, and a lot of qualities.

"He scores a lot of goals. Every time he scores, it's good for him and for the team. I think the team also works hard for him in order to put him in the best position to score. It's as simple as that."

Wednesday's Coupe de La Ligue clash will the second time PSG has faced Marseille this season after the two shared the points in a 2-2 draw in Ligue 1, and Ancelotti is expecting another closely fought contest.

"Marseille are a very good team," he said. "They are physically strong, have a lot of character, and a strong mentality.

"They're a team that will want to beat us because we are becoming fierce rivals."

PSG currently lies three points clear at the of top Ligue 1.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Arshavin: Walcott's first goal gave Arsenal belief for famous comeback

Andriy Arshavin has hailed the impact of Theo Walcott‘s strike in first-half injury time against Reading in the Capital One Cup, saying it gave Arsenal the belief to go on and win despite trailing by four goals.


The Russian forward was in fine form for the Gunners at the Madejski Stadium, getting three assists as the team scored three second-half goals to level the game before going on to win 7-5 win in extra time.

The 31-year-old playmaker feels his side's ability to get back into the tie hinged on Walcott's delicate lob over Adam Federici in the 46th minute, as Arsenal's confidence grew in the second half.


"I think it was important that we scored one goal before halftime because it helped us believe that maybe it was possible," he told Arsenal Player. "I think we showed spirit because you cannot come back from 4-0 down if you don't have spirit. Also I think we were lucky and the referee added extra minutes and we equalized at the end of stoppage time."

Arshavin insists he was not angry with his side's first-half display, suggesting Reading was simply doing everything correctly as the Gunners failed to cope.

"I did not feel frustrated but everything was going wrong and everything was going well for Reading. They got in the necessary positions where they could score and they did it," he went on. "To be honest I did not think about when we had to equalize, I just felt that if we had the chance and God will help us, we will make a draw. He helped us and that's why we scored in the last minute.

"I have lost twice 7-1, once I lost 8-3 and once I won 9-3 and now 7-5. But this game was one I will remember always because it was from 4-0 down and I don't think anyone here believed that we could come back. But we did it and we deserved to win.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Antonetti: I am proud of Yann M'Vila

Stade Rennais coach Frederic Antonetti said he was proud of Yann M'Vila after he made a successful comeback following the serving of a 10-day suspension.


The 22-year old France international was banned by his club for breaking a curfew on international duty, but returned in a defensive role on Tuesday night, as Rennes saw off AC Arles-Avignon 2-1 in the Coupe de la Ligue.

"It is not easy for him," he told RMC Sport. "He brought us a lot of simplicity and efficiency in a position unusual for him, and although he made a mistake, I thought Yann played excellently."
He added, "I hope he understands that Stade Rennais was proud of him, he must find that pride through his performance, he must become the great Yann M'Vila."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool captain Gerrard apologizes to Everton over 'long ball' criticism

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has apologized to Everton and Stoke after criticizing David Moyes' team for playing long-ball football in the 2-2 Merseyside derby.

The England midfielder was frustrated after the Toffees came from two goals down to draw at Goodison Park on Sunday, and claimed Everton's style of play resembled Stoke's aerial approach.

However, after reviewing the game, Gerrard believes he went "too far" in his criticism of his rivals, confirming he has the "utmost respect" for both David Moyes and Tony Pulis.

"Just to clarify, I've watched the game again, and I've seen some of Everton's matches this season, and what I said in relation to their style of play went too far," he told reporters. "It wasn't my intention to disrespect Everton or Stoke for that matter and I certainly didn't intend any disrespect to their manager or players.

He added, "I have the utmost respect for David Moyes and Tony Pulis and the job they have done at their respective clubs."

The 31-year-old admitted his reaction was partly down to his anger at Luis Suarez's late effort being incorrectly ruled out for offside, and feels the Uruguayan has been unfairly treated in recent weeks.

"I was frustrated by the disallowed goal from Luis [Suarez] when I spoke and also some of the things that have been said about Luis in recent weeks which haven't been fair in my opinion," said Gerrard.

"As captain I have a duty to stand up for our players when I feel they are unfairly singled out."

Everton defender Phil Jagielka had earlier responded to Gerrard's criticism by accusing Brendan Rodgers' team of "passing it around for half an hour for the sake of it."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Simeone: Atletico Madrid can compete without Falcao

Diego Simeone is confident Atletico Madrid has what it takes to win Wednesday's Copa del Rey encounter against Real Jaen - even without Radamel Falcao.

The Colombia international has been Los Rojiblancos' undisputed star player so far this season, but will be rested for the cup match as Simeone feels his side can still compete without the striker.

"This is one of the few moments in the year that we can rest Falcao and we believe that in that case we can still compete well," Simeone told AS.

Simeone then went on to praise the forward who is in stellar form.

"Falcao's without a doubt the best center forward in the world. We're lucky enough to have him with us," he said. "It's fantastic to have one of our own on the list for the Ballon d'Or."

Falcao faces competition from the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta and Xavi in the race for the FIFA Ballon d'Or.