Dubai: Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery is being tipped as a strong challenger to finally end Lionel Messi’s reign as the best footballer on the planet after Fifa announced its shortlist on Tuesday.
Bookmakers are struggling to split the two, putting the France star well in contention to win the Ballon d’Or following his impressive season with the German club, who won an unprecedented treble of Bundesliga, Champions League and German Cup.
Bayern’s success was reflected in the list of 23 nominees for the World Player of the Year gong, with Ribery leading a six-strong contingent that also includes German internationals Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller and Philipp Lahm, plus Dutchman Arjen Robben.
Barcelona and Argentina forward Messi has won the award every year since 2009 but has been hampered by injuries in 2013. He still helped Barca to regain the La Liga title last season, but the fact Bayern emerged as the best team on the continent — thrashing the Spaniards 7-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals along the way — could prove decisive in the Ballon d’Or voting.
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, runner-up the last two years, is also in the frame alongside the likes of Brazilian wonderkid Neymar and irrepressible Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The omission of Bayern’s Croatian forward Mario Mandzukic was a surprise as many critics felt he had made the difference between last season and 2011/12, where Bayern were runners-up in all three competitions.
“The list of 23 male candidates has been drawn up by football experts from the Fifa Football Committee and by a group of experts from France Football,” Fifa said in a statement. It said the final decisions would be made by the captains and coaches of the national teams and international media representatives selected by France Football magazine. The ceremony takes place in Zurich on January 13.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho was included on the shortlist for Coach of the Year despite failing to win any major trophies with Real Madrid last season — a performance the Portuguese himself described as “disastrous”.
African Nations Cup-winning coach Stephen Keshi of Nigeria was overlooked and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure was the only African to make either list. There were no representatives from Asia or Concacaf.
Bayern’s former coach Jupp Heynckes, since replaced by Pep Guardiola, was on the coaches list after leading his side to the treble. Brazil’s Luiz Felipe Scolari, whose side hosted and won the Confederations Cup in June, was the only South American to make the coaching shortlist.
Although several of the nominated coaches failed to win a major trophy last season, Mourinho’s nomination was the biggest surprise as his side’s results fell far short of Real Madrid’s expectations. They finished 15 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, lost to smaller neighbours Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final and were outclassed by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals.
— With inputs from Reuters
