Lionel Messi, Franck Ribery and Cristiano Ronaldo were on Monday shortlisted for this year's Ballon d'Or, football's world governing body FIFA and sponsors France Football magazine said.
Barcelona forward Messi has already won the title four times but seems less of a hot favourite this year after an injury-hit season.
French winger Ribery was part of a Bayern Munich team that claimed an unprecedented treble of Champions League, German title and German Cup, as well as the European Supercup.
Real Madrid's Portugal striker Ronaldo won the 2008 Ballon d'Or and has been tipped to win the award this time around.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Jurgen Klopp and Jupp Heynckes have been named to the three-man short list for this year's FIFA World Coach of the Year prize.
Ferguson retired over the summer after guiding Manchester United to the Premier League title, while Klopp reached the Champions League final with Dortmund, where BVB was beaten by Bayern Munich.
But the favorite for the award is former Bayern boss Heynckes, who also called time on his coaching career in June after guiding the Bavarians to a sensational treble.
The 68-year-old won the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League before being replaced by former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.
The award was created in 2010 as the coaching equivalent of the Ballon d'Or, with Jose Mourinho winning the prize that year and Guardiola a year later. The current holder is Spain boss Vicente del Bosque, following his Euro 2012 triumph.
The 2013 winner will be crowned at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Zurich on Jan. 13.
Ferguson retired over the summer after guiding Manchester United to the Premier League title, while Klopp reached the Champions League final with Dortmund, where BVB was beaten by Bayern Munich.
But the favorite for the award is former Bayern boss Heynckes, who also called time on his coaching career in June after guiding the Bavarians to a sensational treble.
The 68-year-old won the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League before being replaced by former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.
The award was created in 2010 as the coaching equivalent of the Ballon d'Or, with Jose Mourinho winning the prize that year and Guardiola a year later. The current holder is Spain boss Vicente del Bosque, following his Euro 2012 triumph.
The 2013 winner will be crowned at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Zurich on Jan. 13.
No comments:
Post a Comment