UEFA announced the Team of the Year for 2015, as voted by the fans on the European football governing body’s website, with Ballon d’Or finalists Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack.
The Liga BBVA superstars all star in the list, ahead of Monday’s award gala where one of the three attackers will be crowned the best player in the world for 2015.
It was a wonderful day for Champions League holders Barcelona, who after winning five trophies last year – La Liga, Copa del Rey, the Champions Leauge, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup – saw five of their players make the list.
Although Uruguayan hitman Luis Suarez missed out, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, and Dani Alves featured on the list, whilst Los Blancos captain Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez were 2 of the 8 Spanish Primera Division aces to make cut.
Bayern Munich’s popular sweeper-keeper Manuel Neuer and full-back David Alaba, alongside Juve powerhouse Paul Pogba completed the lineup.
UEFA's starting XI of 2015, as voted by the fans
Messi gets most votes ahead of 2015 Ballon d’Or gala
After losing the last two Ballon d’Or awards to arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, the Argentine attacker is odds-favorite to lift the coveted award on Monday, which would take his tally to a record fifth win in eight years.
The 28-year-old netted 43 in the Spanish Primera Division en route to the league crown, 10 in Europe, as he went on to clinch the UEFA , La Liga, and Globe Soccer Award Best Player of the 2014-15 season.
The Blaugrana ace also picked up the most number of votes, as he was selected 448,445 for the 2015 Team of the Year starting eleven, a probable preview for the eventual result of Monday’s Ballon d’Or gala.
Neymar – the world’s second best player?
First a mere trend among fans, it is now becoming more widely accepted: Brazilian superstar has displaced Cristiano Ronaldo to become one of the top two players in the world, though this remains debatable.
This does not necessarily mean the Selecao captain will pip the Real Madrid superstar in the 2015 Ballon d’Or, but the 23-year-old’s sizzling form this campaign – 17 goals and 12 assists in all competitions so far – has him up there as one of the best.
This was cemented by his vote’s tally, at 282,327, finishing second to Messi.
Has Neymar joined Messi as the world's top 2 best players?
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Cristiano – one of football's greatest fading away?
It is a very curious case. A man who scored 57 goals in the 2015 calendar year, 58 in La Liga and the Champions League in 2014-15 (a feat matched by none), is no longer considered to be the best.
In fact, despite knocking Luis Suarez to both the Team of the Year spot and the Ballon d’Or final three, many believe that it should be the Uruguayan to take to the pedestal in both occasions instead of the Portugal captain.
With 260,811 votes, the former Man United ace received almost half of what Messi earned, and trailed Neymar by over 20K votes.
With the player’s 31st birthday around the corner, could we be seeing one of football’s greatest ever goalscorer slowly fading away?
