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Football

05th Jan 2015

Maradona snubs Messi for Ballon d’Or (but he doesn’t think Ronaldo should win either)

Trouble in paradise

Conan Doherty

Diego Maradona says what he feels.

He doesn’t care about country, friendship or even closeness.  When it comes to football, he’s got an opinion and he expresses it.

It came as quite a shock to us though that he would play down Messi’s chances at next week’s Ballon d’Or awards. At this time, we were expecting a hoard of propaganda behind the Barcelona wizard considering things got that much out of hand last week that Xavi even questioned Cristiano Ronaldo’s inclusion in the TOP THREE.

But Maradonna wasn’t beating about the bush. Speaking on Cuban radio today, he dismissed Leo’s credentials to win a fifth gong. But, at ease Cristiano, he doesn’t reckon you should win it either.

Instead, Diego Maradona is backing Manuel Neuer.

“Neither Messi or Ronaldo [should win Ballon d’Or],” he said. “My candidate is Neuer who has more merits.”

The German ‘keeper backed up his Bundesliga and cup success in Germany with further honours in the summer when he starred in the country’s run to the World Cup. Maradona’s views on Messi and Ronaldo’s involvements though?

“I think Ronaldo and Messi took a break.”

 

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