OPINION: Neymar deserves to win the Ballon d’Or, not Messi

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: OPINION: Neymar deserves to win the Ballon d’Or, not Messi Lionel Messi will win a fifth Ballon d’Or tonight, mark my words. But if it was up to me the world footballer of the year award would be going to another star striker from Barcelona. While Messi has been in superb form for the Spanish giants as they won the Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2015, Neymar has made an impact equally worthy of the top accolade. The thing is the Brazilian captain won’t win because he will always be in the shadow of the Argentine superstar at the Camp Nou. There’s no doubt that Messi has been the best player in world football for many years now, and probably in my lifetime, but in 2015 Neymar was on another level. When Messi was out injured in October and November with a knee problem Neymar stepped up and proved his class in the main playmaker role for Barcelona. Just looking at the stats from this season, Neymar is the stand-out player in world football. So far in the 2015-16 La Liga campaign Messi has nine goals and four assists compared to Neymar’s 15 goals and seven assists. In fact Messi is also behind the other contender for the Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo, who has 14 goals and seven assists. But let’s not worry about Ronaldo because he won’t win tonight. People will also forget that during Barca’s glory season Neymar scored 39 goals in 51 matches. Ok this is four goals short of Messi’s total of 43, but it’s still an amazing feat for someone who is still only 23-years-old. Messi will go down in football folklore alongside Pele and George Best as one of the greatest ever, but if Neymar continues in the same vein he has started his career in then the Brazilian won’t be far off. I would like to be the first to congratulate Messi on another Ballon d’Or success, but for me Neymar will be the true winner of 2015. Who should win the Ballon d’Or? Who is your choice to win the Ballon D’Or? Let us know by sending an email to sport@7days.ae Read the original story at: OPINION: Neymar deserves to win the Ballon d’Or, not Messi