Xavi Alonso was recently quoted in the Spanish newspaper Marca saying that Manuel Neuer is the best goal keeper he has ever played with, and that it would be “absolutely fair” if he won the Ballon d’Or. It certainly is hard to argue with him.
Neuer is the best goal keeper in the world, and he plays for (arguably) both of the top two teams in the world: Germany and Bayern Munich. He is coming off a summer that saw him win the World Cup, and it would be no surprise if he finished his 2014/15 campaign with a treble winning victory parade.
He has all of the stats, all of the accolades, and all of the wit you could ask for in a superstar. When asked of his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or, he quipped that he would not win because he is “not some guy who poses in his underpants.”
All Neuer cares about is chasing perfection. He made one of the best saves of the year this past weekend, and it could be argued that, as the ball he had just deflected rolled out of bounds, he was angry with himself that he let it do so. This is the standard that Neuer holds himself to:
Xavi Alonso is right. It would be fair if Neuer wins the Ballon d’Or. One could even go so far as to say he deserves it. But none of that matters because Manuel Neuer will never win the Ballon d’Or.
It is through no fault of his own, really. He just happens to be the best in the world at one of the most underrated positions in the game of soccer at a time when Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are tearing up the competition. This year, it is Ronaldo who is laying waste to defenses left and right.
Goals are the currency of soccer, and Neuer and Ronaldo are the alpha and omega of those transactions. Neuer is considered the best goalkeeper, and Ronaldo, this year, is the best goal scorer. So it would seem that the decision would come down to what is more valued: the player who scores goals, or the player who prevents the other from doing so.
It may seem to be a classic case of the irresistible force meets the immovable object, but do not be deceived by the easiest metaphor that fits the mold. The two may be in the form of their lives, but this battle will always favor Ronaldo. He plays a position that can affect the game far more directly (or, maybe, visibly and excitingly) more than Neuer’s and, as such, Ronaldo is much more highly valued when he does well.
And boy, is Ronaldo doing well.
Game recognizes game. Photo: @ESPNFC | Twitter
Ronaldo has scored 18 goals in 10 La Liga matches, putting him on pace for 62 goals this season, which would smash Lionel Messi’s previous record of 50. It has been said that every time Ronaldo plays, the game starts 1 - 0 for Madrid. A similar statement can never be made for Neuer.
A keeper can make you not lose a game, or not tie it, but it is just too hard for them to win a game the way a forward can. That is why, Neuer’s perfection aside, he will never win the Ballon d’Or in an era when Messi and Ronaldo are taking turns as superhuman goal scoring machines every other year.
However, Neuer may indeed end up with more trophies in his closet than those two by virtue of the teams he plays for and the length of his career. He is a goal keeper after all, and at the age of 28 it is not unrealistic for him to play another 10 years. But all those trophies he might or might not win will be the only things that Neuer could ever possibly hold up against Messi and Ronaldo, because he will never be able to compete with them in terms of individual achievements such as the Ballon d’Or.
Knowing Neuer, though, he probably doesn’t care about how his individual record stands up against some pretty boy in underwear.
We suppose winning a World Cup will do that to you.
