BALLON D’OR, TEAM OF THE YEAR
The Ballon d’Or is an award that occurs every year and has been going on since 1956.The Ballon d’Or is a trophy which the footballers of the world vote for who they would like to win it. There are three nominees’ for the Ballon d’Or and the player with the most votes wins. The nominees’ this year were Manuel Neuer, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. This year Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or for the 3rd time. The Fifa Ambassador’s pick super team of the year which is put in the video game ‘Fifa’. This is this year’s team include:
99 98 96
Ronaldo Lionel Messi Robben
94
95 Di Maria 93
Andres Inesta Toni Kroos
94 89 93 95
Sergio Ramos David Luiz Thiago Silva Philip Lahm
96
Neuer
ManuelNeuer:
Full name- Manuel Peter Neuer
Date of birth-27 March 1986
Place of birth-Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Height-6ft 4in
Position-Goalkeeper
Club- Bayern Munchen
Country- Germany
Sergio Ramos:
Full name-Sergio Ramos Garcia
Date of birth-30th March 1989
Place of birth-Camas, Spain
Height-6ft
Position-Defender
Club- Real Madrid
Country- Spain
David Luiz:
Full name- David Luiz Moreira Marinho
Date of birth-22nd April 1987
Place of birth-Diadema, Brazil
Height-6ft 2in
Position- Defender
Club-PSG
Country-Brazil
Thiago Silva:
Full name- Thiago Emilano da Silva
Date of birth-22ndSeptember 1984
Place of birth-Rio De Janerio, Brazil
Height-6ft
Position-Defender
Club-PSG
Country-Brazil
Philipp Lahm:
Full name-Philipp Lahm
Date of birth-11th November 1983
Place of birth-Munich,Germany
Height-5ft 7in
Position-Defender
Club-Bayern Munchen
Country-Germany
Andres Iniesta
Full name-Andres Iniesta Lujan
Date of birth-11 May 1984
Place of birth-Funentealbilla, Spain
Height-5ft 7in
Position-Midfielder
Club-Barcelona
Country-Spain
Angel Di Maria
Full name-Angel Di Maria Hernadez
Date of birth-14th February 1988
Place of birth-Rosario, Argentina
Height-5ft 10in
Position-Midfielder/Winger
Club-Manchester United
Country-Argentina
Toni Kroos:
Full name-Toni Kroos
Date of birth-4th January 1990
Place of birth- Griefswald, Germany
Height-6ft
Poisition- Midfielder
Club-Real Madrid
Country-Germany
Cristiano Ronaldo:
Full name- Cristiano Ronaldo do Santos Aveiro
Date of birth-5th February 1985
Place of birth-Fuchal, , Portugal
Height-6ft 1in
Position-Winger/forward
Club-Real Madrid
Country-Portugal
Lionel Messi:
Full name- Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini
Date of birth-24th June 1987
Place of birth-Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Height-5ft 6in
Position-Forward
Club- Barcelona
Country-Argentina
Arjen Robben:
Full name-Aejen Robben
Date of birth-23rd January 1984
Place of birth-Bedum, Netherlands
Height-5ft 11in
Position-Winger
Club-Bayern Munchen
Country-Netherlands
BALLON D’OR NOMINEES
MANUEL NEUER
Born: March 27 1986 GelsenkirchenWest Germany
Manuel Neuer is a goalkeeper for Bayern Munich and Germany. He is known as the sweeper keeper for acting as a defender for his team. He is a leader and was a dominant force in the Germany team. He has quick reflexes and great shot stopping abilities. He learnt these skills as he played handball as a child.
His first team Schalke signed him at the age of 5.He made his Bundesliga debut on the 19th of August 2006.Then after 8 months out with an injury he decided to move to Bayern Munich. He improved even more with Bayern, he helped them to a Champion’s League final and in the Semi Final he saved a few penalties against the much favoured Real Madrid. He is Germany’s 1st choice goalkeeper and helped them to their 2014 world cup success by keeping them in the competition a few times. He won the award of the Golden Glove, which is the best goalkeeper in the world cup.
Teams that he has played for:
Schalke 04 from 2004 up until 2011
Bayern Munich 2011 until now
His stats for this seasons Bundesliga are
16 appearances 9 clean sheets
World cup: He was awarded the Golden Glove award at the World Cup for the best goalkeeper. He had 4 clean sheets in the 2014 world cup.
He received the nomination for the Ballond’or because he has been the best goalkeeper by a mile this season.
He came 3rd overall in the Ballond’or ,which is unbelievable for a goalkeeper.
Lionel Messi
Born 24th June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina
Messi is a centre forward for Barcelona football club, Spain. At the age of 11 Messi was diagnosed with a growth disease. Many teams in the Argentine league wanted to sign him but weren’t willing to pay for his treatment. Then Barcelona heard about him and signed him. He made his debut in 2004 against local club Espanyol. Messi then broke into the first team making himself a regular starter. He is arguably the best player in the world although he is only 1.70m tall. He is so fast and is unbelievable at dribbling. He is a top goal scorer and has scored 356 goals for Barcelona and 42 for Argentina. He is Barcelona’s 4th captain. He has won 4 Ballond’or which is the most wins ever. He has 461 appearances for Barcelona and his contact ends in 2018. He helped his country get to the final of the World Cup. He won the best player in the World Cup 2014.
Stats this season 36 appearances 38 goals
Teams that Lionel Messi has played for:
1999 to now Barcelona
7 Champions league games
Honours: 4 Ballond’ors, 3 European golden shoe awards, 6 La Ligas , 2 Copa del Rey’s , 6 Supercopas , 3 Champions leagues.
His nomination for the Ballond’or this year was due to the fact he has had an amazing year and led his team to the World Cup Final. He received the player of the tournament over Ronaldo and Neymar
Cristiano Ronaldo
Born 5th February 1985, Madeira Portugal
Ronaldo was signed by Sporting Lisbon at the age of 10. He is an unbelievable hard working man who has trained so hard and deserves to be where he is right now. Members of his first club Sporting Lisbon said that they used to have to lock the gym at night because whenever everyone else was sleeping Ronaldo would sneak out and go into the gym and train. Ronaldo became the first Sporting player ever to play for their under 16,17,18 B team and A team all in one season. He was asked to join Arsenal in 2002.Then Liverpool and Barcelona wanted to sign him. Later on that season, Sporting played a friendly against Man Utd and they won 3 - 1. After the game the united players all asked Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him. 5 days later they did. He made his Man Utd debut against Bolton. When he was 22 he received a Ballond’or nomination. He is credited as one of the best united players of all time.He helped united to 3 premier leagues and 1 Champions League.
In 2009, he signed for Real Madrid for 94 million euros. Ronaldo made his Madrid debut in a 1 - 0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in a friendly. He ishard working, has loads of pace and is very intelligent. He has won the Ballond’or 3 times.
Stats: Sporting 23 appearances 3 goals
Man United: 196 appearances 84 goals
Real Madrid: 187 appearances 207 goals
Teams that Ronaldo has played for
Sporting Lisbon 2002/03
Man utd 2003 until 2009
Real Madrid 2009 until now
HISTORY
1956, Stanley Matthews was the first winner of the Ballon d’Or. He was from England and he played for Blackpool.
1957, Alfredo di Stefano was from Spain and he played for Real Madrid.
1958,RaymondKopa was from France and he played for Real Madrid.
1959, Alfredo di Stefano was from Spain and he played for Real Madrid.
1960, luis Suarez was from Spain and played for Barcelona.
1961, Omar Sivori was from Italy and played for Juventus.
1962, Josef Masopust was from Czech Republic and he played for Dukla Prague.
1963, Lev Yashin was from Russia soviet union and he played for Dynamo Moscow.
1964, Denis Law was from Scotland and he played Man United.
1965, Eusebio was from Portugal and he played for Benfica
1966, Bobby Charlton was England and he played for Man United.
1967, Florian Albert was from Hungary and he played for FerencvarosiTc .
1968, George Best was from Northen Ireland and he played for Man United.
1969, Gianna Rivera was from Italy and he played for Milan.
1970, Gerd Muller was from Germany and he played for Bayern Munich
1971, Johan Cruyff was from Holland and he played for Ajax.
1972, Franz Beckenbaur was from Germany and he played for Bayern Munich.
1973, Johan Cruyff was from Holland and he played for Barcelona.
1974, Johan Cruyff he was from Holland and he played for Barcelona.
1975, Oleg Blokhin was from Russia Soviet union and he played for Dynamo Kyiv.
1976, Franz Beckenbaur was from Germany and he played for Bayern Munich.
1977, Allan Simonsen was from Denmark and he played for Borussia.
1978, Kevin Keegan was from England and he played for Hamburg.
1979, Kevin Keegan was from England and he played for Hamburg.
1980, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was from Germany and he played for Bayern Munich
1981, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was from Germany and he played for Bayern Munich
1982, Paola Rossi was from Italy and he played for Juventus
1983, Michel Platini was from France and he played for Juventus.
1984, Michel Platini was from France and he played for Juventus.
1985, Michel Platini was from France and he played for Juventus.
1986, Igor Belanov was from Russia soviet union and he played for Dynamo Kyiv.
1987, Ruud Gullit was from Holland and he played for Milan.
1988, Marco Van Basten was from Holland and he played for Milan.
1989, Marco Van Basten was from Holland and he played for Milan.
1990, LotharMatthaus was from Germany and he played for Internazionale.
1991, Jean-Pierre Papin was from France and he played for Marseille.
1992, Marco Van Basten was from Holland and he played for Milan.
1993, Robert Baggio was from Italy and he played for Juventus.
1994, HristoStoichkov was from Bulgaria and he played for Barcelona.
1995, George Weah was from Liberia and he played for Milan.
1996, Matthias Sammer was from Germany and he played for Borrusia Dortmund.
1997, Ronaldo was from Brazil and he played for Internazionale.
1998, ZinedineZidane was from France and he played for Juventus.
1999, Rivaldo was from Brazil and he played for Barcelona
2000, Luis Figo was from Portugal and he played for Real Madrid.
2001. Michael Owen was from England and he played for Liverpool.
2002, Ronaldo was from Brazil and he played Real Madrid.
2003, Pavel Nedved was from the Czech Republic and he played for Juventus.
2004, Andriy Shevchenko was from the Ukraine and he played for Milan.
2005, Ronaldinho was from Brazil and he played for Barcelona.
2006, Fabio Cannovaro was from Italy and he played for Real Madrid.
2007, Kaka was from Brazil and he played for Milan.
2008, Christiano Ronaldo was from Portugal and he played for Man United.
2009, Lionel Messi was from Argentina and he played for Barcelona.
2010, Lionel Messi was from Argentina and he played for Barcelona.
2011, Lionel Messi was from Argentina and he played for Barcelona.
2012, Lionel Messi was from Argentina and he played for Barcelona.
2013, Ronaldo was from Portugal and he played for Real Madrid.
2014, Ronaldo was from Portugal and he played for Real Madrid.
Players Who Have Won The Ballon d ’or the Most.
Lionel Messi, 4
Christiano Ronaldo, 3
Michel Platini, 3
Johan Cruyff, 3
Marco Van Basten, 3