SIMEONE JOINS IN THE FIFA BALLON D’OR DRAMA

Head coach of the Atletico Madrid senior team, Diego Simeone has weighed in on the drama building up regarding the next person to be crowned the winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2016.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the man leading the race following his sterling performances in the past season for Real Madrid and for his efforts at leading his country Portugal to glory.

Former Chelsea star Didier Drogba even joined to proclaim that Ronaldo is the man for the crown this year. He said he “played against Cristiano in the Champions League final in 2008; he won with Manchester United against Chelsea. He is a true leader and he deserves the Ballon d’Or for the great work he has done for Real Madrid and Portugal.” The Ivory Coast international claimed that though the player couldn’t play for long in the final, that he remained the biggest reason they got there in the first place. The three-time winner is also piped by Neymar, a team mate of Ronaldo’s main arch rival, Lionel Messi, to win the crown this year.

He said “winning titles plays a big role in the race for the Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo won the Champions League and now Euro 2016 as well. So I reckon he is in a good position.”
Ronaldo won the award, believed to be the most prestigious individual award in football, in 2008, 2013 and 2014. For the past eight years, he and Lionel Messi have been jostling for first and second place, except once when Ronaldo was out of the top three. Messi is still the record winner with five times but his form reduced in the past season prompting a snub from the award this year.

Diego Simeone feels Griezmann who led the team to the Champions League final, scoring 32 goals in all competitions that helped the team to third place in the La Liga and leading France to the final of the Euro 2016, should at least be among the top three if he doesn’t eventually win.