..::Football III::..

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Moyes hails Young after Stoke heroics

David Moyes was delighted with the performance of Ashley Young after the winger scored the opener in Manchester United's 2-0 win over Stoke City in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals.Young was a threat all evening in poor weather conditions, with both sides even leaving the pitch at one point due to a hail storm.

The game resumed, however, and Young gave United the lead midway through the second half, powering home from outside the area after linking up with substitute Chicharito.“I have spoken to Ashley. I told him to make sure you do everything right and get on with it," Moyes told reporters. "He got kicked a few times and went down and got back up.

“He has also got the ability to score, he is good in training and he needed the goal as well."

Young has come in for criticism this season for below-par performances and accusations of persistent diving and Moyes warned the Englishmen he must continue to produce in order to stay in the first team.

“We have a lot of talent in wide areas to select from. You need to score and play well if you want regular outings," he added.

“He has got to keep stepping up like he did, when you are in and you get an opportunity you have got to show.”

The Red Devils will now face Sunderland in the semi-finals, with local rivals Manchester City set to face West Ham in the other half of the draw.

 

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Spain top Fifa ranking for sixth year running

World and European champions Spain top the final Fifa ranking of the year as they finish 2013 ahead of second-placed Germany and third-placed Argentina.

Vicente del Bosque's men have now topped the rankings at the end of each of the last six calendar years following an unbeaten World Cup 2014 qualifying campaign that saw la Roja collect 20 points from a possible 24.

Colombia and Portugal complete the top five followed by Uruguay, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands and Brazil.Bosnia-Herzegovina are the only team on the up inside the top 30.

Fresh from reaching a first World Cup finals, the Dragons are now 19th, up two places, meaning France and Mexico drop one place each to 20th and 21st respectively.

Ukraine hold the distinction of being the highest climbers this year after surging 29 places to 18th, although that is unlikely to temper the frustration at missing out on a World Cup place following play-off heartache at the hands of France last month.

 

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Congratulations Spain!

VAMOS ESPANA​

 

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Congratulations Spain!

VAMOS ESPANA​

VAMOS ESPANA

 

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Messi won't leave Barcelona, insists Martino

Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino claims there is no way Lionel Messi will leave the club.

The Argentine star has become embroiled in a dispute with club vice-president Javier Faus after claiming in a radio interview that the Blaugrana director "doesn't understand football."

With speculation rife over whether the player will be offered a new and improved contract, his future at the club has been cast into some doubt, but Martino has made it clear he is not concerned by what he believes is a private discussion between the pair.

"It's not true," he told a press conference when asked whether Messi could be sold next summer.

"Personally I'm concerned with how the team plays. I'm not distracted by these issues which have no relation to football.

"I only want to sit in on footballing matters, to make sure the team plays better, that they win. It seems to me that, as coach of Barcelona, these are the most important things that should concern me.

"I cannot continue on it because I'm not well informed. I don't what the vice-president said, nor what Leo said, as these are specific discussions."

Messi is currently recovering from a hamstring injury in his native Argentina and Martino revealed he plans to visit the 26-year-old during the winter break to check on his progress first hand.

"It's not something that was planned but, for sure, he will be training in Rosario in the days after Christmas, and I will go to see one of these sessions," said Martino. "We are totally informed of his progress."

One player who has committed his future to the club is Andres Iniesta, who has reached an agreement to extend his contract at Camp Nou, and Martino admits the news is massive for the club.

"In the NBA they call players franchises; Iniesta is the same for us. He must be very happy to sign a renewal. We are all very happy."

 

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Manchester City boss Pellegrini targets trophies

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has set his sights on adding to his personal trophy haul this season.

The Chilean has won competitions with six clubs in four different countries and is now eyeing more silverware with City.

Success eluded the 60-year-old at Real Madrid and Pellegrini admitted it is more difficult to win things in Europe than in South America, having managed in Chile, Colombia and Argentina.

Comparing City to Real, Pellegrini said: "It is difficult to compare. Different club, different leagues but it is a very good squad.

"I won several titles in South America but here in Europe it is very difficult to win titles with Villarreal and with Malaga.

"But to be the manager who had the most successful career with these teams is very important for me, the same importance as a title.

"Real Madrid was special, a very good squad but there are a lot of things you must have, not only a good squad, to win."

Pellegrini's men are fourth in the Premier League ahead of Saturday's trip to Fulham.

City's home form, meanwhile, has been exceptional, with a 100 per cent winning record at the Etihad this term producing 35 goals in eight matches.

 

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De Boer dismisses Tottenham speculation

Ajax coach Frank de Boer has dismissed speculation linking him with the vacant managerial position at Tottenham.

Spurs have been without a manager since parting company with Andre Villas-Boas on Monday, with Spurs sitting seventh in the Premier League.

De Boer has been one of the names reported to be interesting White Hart Lane officials but the former Netherlands international claims he has unfinished business with the Eredivisie holders.

"I'm very satisfied with the Ajax job," he said.

"I'd only leave once there is no more challenge here.

"Spurs are not a club I'm interested in moving to at the moment but I think they are certainly a great club.

"Just as it was with Liverpool, it is to do with the timing. But I'm not finished at Ajax."

De Boer's side are currently second in the Eredivisie, two points off Vitesse.

 

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Monaco defeat left bitter taste, says Falcao

Monaco striker Radamel Falcao claims he was left with a "bitter taste" in the mouth after Friday's shock 2-1 defeat to Valenciennes.

The Rouge et Blanc were beaten by an own goal from Eric Abidal and a cool finish from David Durcourtioux, with James Rodriguez's late header merely a consolation.

Falcao, 27, made his comeback from injury off the bench but failed to help his side salvage anything from the game at Stade Louis II, missing a penalty in the closing stages prior to James' goal.

"I came back with a lot of desire, but unfortunately we missed all of our opportunities," the Colombia striker told reporters after the game. "I missed a penalty, for instance.

"This kind of match leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth. But, if we take stock of the season so far, we do not need to worry like crazy.

"We must remain calm, serene and continue to work to come back stronger after Christmas."

Monaco sit second in Ligue 1 but have played a game more than Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, who sit two points above and below Claudio Ranieri's side respectively ahead of their meeting at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

 

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Bale: It's easier at Real Madrid than Tottenham

Gareth Bale says he is finding life at Real Madrid easier as the team does not rely on him to the extent Tottenham did last season.The Welshman moved to the Blancos for a world record fee in September and Spurs struggled for consistency in his absence, resulting in Andre Villas-Boas' sacking this month.

With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria, Isco and fellow ex-Spurs midfielder Luka Modric alongside him at Santiago Bernabeu, Bale believes he is able to focus on his own performance instead of worry about the rest of the team.
"At Tottenham I was always trying to get onto the ball and make everything tick, whereas here everybody's doing that," the 24-year-old told The Telegraph.

"There are world-class players all around the pitch and you're able to concentrate just on your game rather than bringing the whole team forward, and I'm enjoying that."After a slow start to life in the Spanish capital, Bale has found his feet and scored nine goals in all competitions and he puts his sluggish first few games with the Blancos down to a lack of fitness having been injured in July and August.

"It was difficult not having a pre-season, you miss a lot of ball sessions and running and everything," he added."Once I felt I was able to do that physically and mentally, I felt I was able to show what I was able to do."

Bale is not expected to face Valencia on Sunday after missing Saturday morning's Real Madrid training session.

 

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Suarez deal includes buy-out clause for non-English clubs

Luis Suarez has a buy-out clause in his new Liverpool contract which allows him to be sold to an overseas club from next summer.The precise release figure, which can only be triggered by a non-English club, is unknown but sources anticipate it is in the region of €71-84 million.

Suarez signed a four-and-a-half year contract on Friday that is worth £200,000-a-week plus bonuses as Liverpool moved quickly to tie down the outstanding player in this season's Premier League ahead of the January window.

Both parties were keen to avoid a repeat of last summer's transfer saga, when confusion reigned in the player's camp over whether he could leave after Arsenal bid £40m-plus-£1 for him.

Goal understands that Suarez and his agent Pere Guardiola were keen to obtain a watertight agreement that the striker could leave if Liverpool should again fail to qualify for the Champions League.The Merseysiders, on their part, wanted to ensure the Uruguayan cannot sign for another English club without their consent.The new buy-out clause allows some leeway for Suarez should his sensational personal form not be matched by the progress of Brendan Rodgers' team in the second half of the season.

Suarez, who had two-and-a-half years remaining on his previous contract, claimed he will honour his long-term commitment to Liverpool. "It's nice because when you extend your contract, you extend it because you want to stay here for the future," said the striker, who turns 28 in January.

"I signed not only for two-and-a-half more years, but I signed for a long time to stay here and I am so happy. When you are happy, you try everything for the best for the future. I spoke a lot with my family because my family are very important to me and they are happy here. We spoke over the last few weeks with the club and everything is OK. I don't have a problem; the club don't have a problem, so it's very good."

The timing of the deal, which was sealed following swift negotiations between Guardiola and Ian Ayre, Liverpool's managing director, in Barcelona this week, is instructive.

Real Madrid were preparing to lay the foundations for a concerted move for Suarez in January, even though it was always more likely that he woukd remain at Anfield until the end of the season.

Suarez has scored a remarkable 17 league goals in 11 games since returning from suspension on 25 September.He added: "I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible."

Liverpool's America-based owners Fenway Sports Group have previously been reluctant to extend contracts mid-season but moved quickly to secure the services of Suarez with a contract that comfortably makes him the best-paid player in the club's history.

Principal owner John W Henry said: "We are committed to working hard to keep our best players and this is an indication that we are moving in the right direction and moving at a pace that impresses one of the best players in world football."

 

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Monaco 1-2 Valenciennes: Abidal own goal and Ducourtioux stun Stade Louis II

An own goal from Eric Abidal and a calm finish from David Ducourtioux handed Valenciennes a shock 2-1 win against Monaco at Stade Louis II on Friday.

Abidal turned Arthur Masuako's cross into his own goal on the half-hour mark before Ducourtioux slotted home from a quick break away in the second half to give the visitors a fully deserved two-goal lead.

Radamel Falcao saw his penalty saved late in the second half before James Rodriguez turned home an impressive header to give his side hope, but Claudio Ranieri's side ultimately slumped to their first league defeat since the loss to Lille in early November.

The visitors started brightly and had the best of the early chances, with Mathieu Dossevi being denied by Danijel Subasic from close range.

Valenciennes continued to impress and earned their reward on 28 minutes. Masuako scuffed a cross into the area after a break from a Monaco set piece and Abidal could only steer the ball beyond the helpless Subasic.

Monaco responded and Layvin Kurzawa saw his finish ruled out for offside before the lively Anthony Martial was denied a penalty after being tripped from behind and Joao Moutinho fired a free kick wide.

Valenciennes made them pay early in the second half, with Ducourtioux collecting the ball in acres of space on the counterattack before calmly slotting the ball beneath Subasic to send the visiting support into raptures.

Falcao spurned the chance to halve the deficit when his tame penalty was saved by the impressive Nicolas Penneteau, but James gave his side some hope when he steered home a clever header following a corner.

The Colombian thought he had snatched a point in the dying minutes but his tap-in was ruled out for offside as Monaco missed out on the chance to move temporarily to the top of Ligue 1 ahead of Paris Saint-Germain's clash with third-placed Lille this weekend.

 

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'Questioning Schweinsteiger is vile' - Sammer

Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer says questioning Bastian Schweinteiger's place in the first team is "disrespectful and vile".

The midfielder, 29, has not been ever-present in the first team since Pep Guardiola's arrival, although much of his absence is explained by injuries, the latest of which is set to keep him out until January.

Despite speculation over Schweinsteiger's role in the first team under Guardiola, Sammer is adamant that the Germany international is indispensable to the Bavarians.

"Bastian is essential for this club as a human being, personality and player," he told TZ when asked whether the midfielder's position was under threat to the likes of summer signing Thiago Alcantara.

"Sure, he has to physically return to top shape, but he is one of our leaders. His place in the team is without question.

"As a key player he has to face the competition, there's no question about that. He must indeed confirm his claim to the position. But to discuss about Schweinsteiger with disapproval is disrespectful and vile."

Sammer also discussed Bayern leaders on the pitch and suggested Holger Badstuber, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller are being groomed as potential successors to Philipp Lahm's captaincy.

"Thinking of a new captain is not an issue for the next two years, but this is our biggest challenge," he added. "Our leading players at the moment are Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Manuel Neuer, while Dante has become a top player too.

"Muller and Kroos I'm looking at as being in an exciting stage of development, in addition I also hope that Holger Badstuber comes back strong. This Bavarian trio - Muller, Kroos and Badstuber - will be the next big Bayern generation."

Bayern face Raja Casablanca in the Club World Cup final on Saturday.

 

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Marchisio rules out Juventus exit in January

Claudio Marchisio says he has no intention of leaving Juventus in the January transfer window and that he wants to stay at the club for as long as possible.

The 27-year-old was linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer and has been in and out of the side this season, with Paul Pogba emerging as the preferred option alongside Arturo Vidal in the centre of midfield.

However, Italy international Marchisio stated he does not want to cut his Bianconeri contract short for any team over the next two seasons.

"No one has ever personally come knocking at my door to take me away from Turin," he told JTV. "But every year, and especially in the summer, there are rumours concerning me.

"But, in addition to this season, I have two more years on my contract with Juventus. I hope to play for as long as possible at this club, it is not my intention to change clubs."

Antonio Conte's men suffered a shock group-stage exit from the Champions League earlier this month but, with the Europa League final to be played at Juventus Stadium, Marchisio is hoping the team can still lift a continental trophy this season.

"We were really disappointed to go out of the Champions League, but unfortunately that was the way it went," he added. "Now we know that we have to at least have a go at winning the Europa League, even if we know that will not be easy.

"We want to have the possibility of winning the trophy in our stadium, but we saw in the group stages of the two European competitions that there are some very important teams."

Juventus face Atalanta away on Sunday in their final game of 2013, with kick-off at 15:00CET.

 

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Varane: I did not sign for Real Madrid too soon

Raphael Varane has insisted that he did not make the move to Real Madrid too soon in his career.

The defender, now 20, was 18 when he left Lens and failed to make an impact in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, the France international believes that he is now completely integrated within the Blancos set-up having broken into the first team in 2012-13 under Jose Mourinho.

"No, I did not sign too soon," the France international told AS. "I was ready to play for Madrid.

"It took me a year to adjust, get my bearings and get used to the club in general. Last season everything went well. So from now on, it should get even better."

Varane has only made six appearances for Carlo Ancelotti's side this season due to picking up a number of injuries, though the centre-back says he is not letting his fitness issues get him down.

"Injuries are very common in the careers of players and you have to keep faith, be confident and above all not throw the towel in and lose hope," he added.

Real Madrid are in action against Valencia in their final Liga match of the year on Sunday, though Varane is not fit enough to return to the side.

 

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'I am not the cocky one' - Ibrahimovic

Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has insisted he is not "the cocky one" and says suggestions he has a massive ego are wrong.

The Swede, 32, helped fire PSG to the Ligue 1 title last season with 30 goals in 34 games, adding to the two-dozen trophies he has collected in a career that has seem him at Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona and AC Milan.

Ibrahimovic, who has scored 22 goals in 23 appearances for les Parisiens this season, is adamant that the press exaggerate his self-assured nature and says he does not concern himself with what they say.

"In the beginning, I remember, in my career people built me up like the cocky one, 'he's arrogant, big ego', but I mean if you have a big ego you don't win 20 trophies," he told reporters.

"This is something the media makes up, and it's something I have to live with.

"For me, I respect every person, especially the football players because that's the game I play, and that's my area. What happens in the media is something for the media."

Ibrahimovic has caught the headlines several times during last 18 moths with a series of stunning strikes for both PSG and Sweden, and the striker claims his quality - like that of a fine wine - is improving with age.

"I think I'm like wine," he mused. "The older the wine gets, the better it is, so the older I get the better I get."

Ibrahimovic will be back in action for PSG on Sunday when the reigning Ligue 1 champions face this campaign's pretenders Lille.

 

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Kaka: Seedorf will be one of the best coaches

AC Milan midfielder Kaka thinks Clarence Seedorf will become a top coach once he retires from his playing career amid rumours that the Rossoneri legend has signed a deal to replace Massimiliano Allegri.

Italian newspapers reported on Saturday that the San Siro legend has been lined up by club president Silvio Berlusconi as the next boss as Milan languish in 10th heading into gameweek 17.

Kaka, who played alongside Seedorf for six years at Milan, believes that the Botafogo midfielder will be among the best trainers around due to the way the Dutchman applies himself professionally.

"Everything Clarence does, he does at its best," the 31-year-old told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He will do fine as a coach, although there is much to learn.

"I do not know how it will be for him to start [his coaching career] at Milan, but he can handle himself just fine."

Kaka returned to San Siro in the summer from Real Madrid having spent a largely forgettable four years at the Santiago Bernabeu and he says he came back to Serie A as competition at Carlo Ancelotti's side was simply too strong.

"I did not intend to leave in the beginning, I spoke with Carlo and he wanted me to stay," the Brazilian added. "Then Madrid began to buy important players in midfield and asked the coach to play youth, so I knew that there was no space for me.

"I spoke with Ancelotti and he told me that it would be more difficult to play for me. But I had no problem with him, it was clear and we decided together."

Milan face Inter in a relatively low-profile Derby della Madonnina on Sunday but Kaka is already thinking ahead to 2014, when the Rossoneri will look to put their woeful domestic form behind them and continue their run in Europe.

He added: "I'm sure we will do well against Inter because, with the big challenges, we never take the wrong approach, even though we do not always win a contest of character.

"For 2014 we expect to take as many points as possible and to do well in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid [in the last 16]."

 

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Winning Africa Cup of Nations will inspire Nigeria at World Cup, says Mikel

Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel believes that his country will do well at the World Cup due to confidence instilled by heading to Brazil as Africa Cup of Nations champions.The Super Eagles won their third African title in February and will go to Brazil 2014 as the first reigning African champions since 2002 when Cameroon held the title before heading to the tournament in Japan and South Korea.

Nigeria are drawn in Group F alongside Argentina, Iran and debutants Bosnia-Herzegovina, but Mikel is undaunted by the task at hand.

"I think being African champions has given us a huge lift. I think the mentality of the team has changed in the past couple of years, we believe now that we can go into every game and win," Mikel told Goal while receiving the 2013 Goal Nigeria Player of the Year award."I think the Africa Cup of Nations has given us a lot of belief to go into the World Cup - I know we can do well."

The Super Eagles already have had a taste of what to expect next year after their campaign in the 2013 Confederations Cup saw them win against Tahiti and lose against Uruguay and Spain.

"If you look at the games we played in the Confederations Cup, we put on a very good performance in all the games," continued Mikel.

"We were unlucky in the game against Uruguay, I think we should have beaten them by four or five. If you look at the game against Spain, we played really well but they just had that little bit of quality to get the goals."Commenting on the return of manager Jose Mourinho to Chelsea, Mikel said the Blues will need time to begin to win every game after an inconsistent campaign to date.

"We haven't hit the heights that everyone wants us to hit but there have been changes, he's come in with a different philosophy but still the mentality that we want to win every game and he is putting that into all the players," said Mikel.

"It's going to take a bit of time but it's something we're working towards. Hopefully we will start to hit our heights soon and be playing consistently well but right now I think we're in a very good position in the Premier League and the Champions League so if we can pick the standard up even higher I think it will be a very successful year."

 

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Benitez: I have changed Napoli's mentality

Napoli boss Rafael Benitez believes he has changed the club's mentality since taking over as coach at San Paolo in the summer.

The Partenopei currently sit third in Serie A – eight points behind leaders Juventus - after 16 matches and narrowly missed out on qualification to the Champions League knockout stages in a group which included Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's game away to Cagliari, Benitez says he has been impressed with the way his new squad have performed to date in his first campaign in charge.

He told reporters: "The balance of these six months at Napoli has to be considered very positive both in the way we have evolved and with what has been achieved.

"As well as the results, I am very happy because we have managed to change the mentality of the squad. Now a draw is not good enough for us and we always aspire to much more.

"I am also convinced that the coming year will be even better than this one has been.

"I would like to thank all Neapolitan fans for the affection and warmth that I have felt."

Benitez expects a difficult challenge against Cagliari, who have only lost once in eight home matches in Serie A this season.

"Like all the games this will be difficult and complicated," added the former Liverpool and Chelsea manager.

"We have prepared to face it with the maximum intensity. The key word for me is balance. I am not hugely concerned about the amount of goals we score - it is the final results that are the difference."

After Saturday's clash, Napoli will not have another fixture for 16 days, until they face Sampdoria at home on January 6.

 

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Valdes refuses to reveal next club until end of Barcelona's season

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has revealed he will not announce which team he will join next term until the end of this campaign.

Valdes has previously spoken about his intent to leave Barcelona at the end of this season when his contract expires as he seeks a new challenge.

The 31-year-old – who has been playing for Barca's first team for the last 11 years – is free to speak to other clubs in January, but has said that confirmation on his future will not be announced until the end of the season, out of respect to his current club."The time is coming to start to look at things, but I haven't decided anything yet," Valdes said.

"For me the most important thing is to respect Barca right to the end. I won't make anything public during the season that may have a negative influence."What's important is that the team wins and we win the titles that we are hoping for."

Valdes hopes that his replacement can be found through the club if possible, and that there were several good goalkeeping options already at Barcelona.

"I really hope that the club finds the best way to sign the best goalkeeper for Barca," he said."There are many good goalkeepers at the club. I've always said that I would love it if it was a home-grown keeper, but it's not up to me.

"The club and the coaches will evaluate whether they can give an opportunity to someone within the club, like happened to me some years ago."Valdes is now fit after suffering a calf injury and said he is looking forward to make his comeback in 2014, potentially against Elche on January 5.

"I'm fine," he said. "It's been a few strange weeks for me because I've never been injured, but now we've got through two intense goalkeeping training sessions and everything went faster than expected.

"The latest tests show that I'm totally recovered. I am excited to be able to play again, and if all goes well, I may be able to play against Elche, if the coach sees fit."

 

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Tevez: Ribery should win Ballon d'Or

Carlos Tevez believes the Ballon d'Or should go to Franck Ribery ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The 29-year-old Juventus forward says that the winger's pivotal contribution to Bayern's treble of the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League makes him the stand out candidate for this year's prize.

"Messi and Cristiano are compete for the award every year, but for what he's done last season with Bayern and the way he played, I'd give it to Franck Ribery. He deserves it more," Tevez told Argentine radio station La Red.

All three will appear at next year's World Cup in Brazil, a tournament Tevez admits he expects to miss.

"Even if I score 30 goals this season I don't think I'll stand a chance of being included in Argentina's World Cup squad. That's very clear to me.

"I don't have to explain anything to the fans. It's not me who has to explain why I'm not playing for Argentina."

"Sabella is entitled to his decisions. I have to be a grown up person and accept it.

Tevez has not appeared for his country since 2011 when Argentina failed to claim the Copa America on home soil and hopes that he will one day get the opportunity to enjoy some happier memories of international football.

"It would make me sad if my last image with the national team is that missed penalty-kick against Uruguay at the Copa America 2011 quarter-finals."