FIFA reveals Ballon D’Or 2015 nominees — Football News

What a year it’s been for Neymar.

Messi signed a contract extension with Barcelona a year ago that pays him around $27 million per season, after taxes. Quiet the contrary so far. Neymar had an incredible game last week against Rayo Vallecano with five goals, his most as a Barcelona player to date.

Messi has a record four Ballon d’Ors to his name and he is nearly certain to make it five in January.

In the Premier League, United could face competition from Chelsea, who were knocked back in their pursuit of Everton stopper John Stones over the summer.

Toure has been handed his fifth Ballon d’Or nomination and his fourth in consecutive seasons, but the Ivory Coast global admits there are regrets over his final placing in the voting in the past.

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi says he doesn’t compete with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bale, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo (collectively known as the BBC) are up against Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar (MSN).

The head of the German Football Association, Wolfgang Niersbach, says the country’s 2006 World Cup bid was won by “fair means”, although he struggled to answer a few questions put to him on the issue.

But let’s not kid ourselves.

A year ago there were two defenders on the shortlist (Sergio Ramos and Philipp Lahm – and Lahm played frequently in midfield for Bayern), so it is definitely an area the selection panel should look to address in 2016.

To celebrate an astonishing 2014/15 season that saw Messi win the treble with Barcelona, Adidas decided to make a commemorative boot with the ‘Messi 10/10′ expected to be the first in a line of special edition boots. However, Ronaldo isn’t playing his best soccer at the moment.

Nutritionist Giuliano Poser confirmed in July he helped Messi change his diet which led to the forward’s fine 2014-15 campaign, but Messi said there were no extraordinary changes. “I play because I like it and because it is my profession even though to tell you the truth, I would like my sons to understand what I do”.

Known as a durable player unafraid of tough tacklers, Messi was limited by a persistent series of hamstring injuries during 2013, but returned to his best form last season and scored 58 goals.