With hours to go for the official announcement of the Ballon d’Or German newspaper Bild is reporting Portuguese and Real Madrid commandant Christiano Ronaldo will be named World Footballer of the Year.
Bayern Munich’s Frank Ribery and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi came second and third respectively the newspaper said in a tweet.
If the report is anything to go by, Ronaldo will be picking his second most glamorous individual award having won the World Best accolade in 2008.
The Commander on the field, as Blatter would refer to him, Ronaldo has had a terrific year scoring 66 goals in 56 appearances for his club.
The year also saw him virtually drag his country to the World Cup with his breathtaking four goal thriller against Sweden in a World Cup play off.
Despite his individual brilliance, it was all too conspicuous that the Real Madrid man ended the year without a single silverware.
His hottest contender Frank Ribery on the other hand won everything- Bundusliga, Champions League, Super Cup, and was also instrumental in his country’s qualification into the World Cup even if it was through a playoff.
But his own team mate Arjen Robben believes Christiano Ronaldo deserves the Ballon d’Or because that accolade is a reward for individual effort and not team effort.
Lionel Messi, current holder of the title also makes a claim for his fourth consecutive title. A season blighted with recurrent injuries, Messi still managed a decent performance which could not be overlooked by the connoisseurs of the game.
Captains and Coaches of National teams across the World as well as individual journalists have voted.
The three World Best footballers have headed to Zurich for the gala; millions of pundits wait to see who will be crowned.
Who would it be?? Bild says Ronaldo. Who do you say will in the Ballon d’Or
-joynews