Comment: Cristiano Ronaldo has won Leo Messi's Ballon d'Or
Xavier Ortuño has no doubt that this year's award should have gone to the Barcelona star
The separation of FIFA and France Football in the organisation of the Ballon d'Or has led to the award losing a lot of its identity. Not just because it has been awared while Cristiano Ronaldo is in Japan, with Lionel Messi in Qatar and via rundown from 30-1 on Twitter, but because only journalists have voted. National team managers and captains will only choose FIFA's 'The Best'.
Along the way, the Ballon d'Or, due to the separation, has also lost a gala which provided prestige, suits, plane journeys and bottles of champagne. It's also left us without seeing the faces of the players who don't receive the prize and without the winner's speech. In short, it seems that France Football has performed 'harakiri' and taken the prize backwards.
So the award which has taken on so much significance in world football is no longer a reference. The Ballon d'Or as we knew it last year has this year been given to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has not done much more than be a figure in two sides which won titles: Real Madrid and Portugal. Looking at the criteria for the award, then, Pepe should be higher in the standings than he is -- and he is still ninth.
I insist, if this prize, as before, was to judge the best player of the year then something has failed, because anyone that is not Lionel Messi at the top of the podium is undoubtedly an injustice. But perhaps they have preferred it to be based on something else...
