Sergio Ramos wants it, no British-based player seems to be any near it, and a German goalkeeper almost had it; Ballon d'Or is only for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Since 2010, Ballon d'Or has had Messi and Ronaldo written all over it, and it seems no one can get near the trophy as long as the two players are active. But are Ronaldo and Messi really the best players in the world? The question is raised every year.

This year Manuel Neuer was in the run for the title, but the keeper lacks something the two other players are masters at - scoring goals. It seems that in order to win Ballon d'Or you have to be a goalscorer. The last non-attacking player, which won the price, was Fabio Cannavaro back in 2006, and before Cannavaro, we have to go back to 1996 to find the defensive midfielder Matthias Sammer. Sergio Ramos announced that the title is as a goal for his career, but the trophy is arguably only for attacking players. 

There is no doubt that Ronaldo and Messi are two important players for their respective teams, but are they really as decisive as Manuel Neuer is for Bayern Munich? Real Madrid has an overflow of talented wingers and attackers - with Ronaldo as the best - but still a team of strong individual players who can create and finish matches all by themselves. The same applies for Messi and Barcelona. However, in Neuer Munich has a world class goalkeeper who contributes to the play as a sweeper and creates the game from his part of the pitch. Is is a wonder to me why the best goalkeeper in the world could not win the title. 

It seems that when the captains of the worlds national teams vote for their favorite of the three nominated players, they look at how much the player contributes in the last third part of the pitch and not in the first. It is a shame, isn't it?

As long as Ronaldo and Messi are active, no defensive player will ever get the chance of winning the Ballon d'Or... Sorry for the bad news Sergio!

Since Blackpool's Stanley Matthews won the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1956, only five British

British players have been praised in the past, with not less than 21 players in top three over the years, before the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or merged and kept the French name in 2010. Since then,  no British player or any foreign Premier League player have been able to make it into the crucial top.

Given the Premier League is valued as one of the best in the world it is incredible that the players are unable to make it when it comes to Ballon d'Or. It is not like there aren't any players with the potential: Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Luis Suarez, Frank Lampard, Robin van Persie etc. However, it seems that one of the criteria for competing for the award is to be able to score goals. A lot of goals.

The last three years Lionel Messi have won the award twice and Ronaldo once. The other positions have been shared between Xavi Hernandez or Andres Iniesta. The last three years, all the players, have been from the Spanish La Liga - Surprise! This year Franck Ribéry is mingling among Ronaldo and Messi to become the world's best footballer. However, chances are that it will be the small Argentinian or the Metrosexual Portuguese that will run with the title.

The difference between the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga is easy to see. While English football is more tactical (it is beginning to be more attacking), Spanish football is almost all attack - More or less. While the Premier League is more competitive between a number of clubs, the Spanish is almost always a battle between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Funny enough, their two star players are fighting for the Ballon d'Or, as well. Now, with Ribéry in play does that mean that the German league is better than the English?

Well, Bayern Munich and Dortmund were the Champions League finalist last season and many football fans are starting to see the 1. Bundesliga as better than the English Premier League. So in some way, the German league is better than the English. That said, the money in the PL and the prestige is higher than the German, and I think all small boys dream of playing in England. However, it seems as if a player dreams of winning Ballon d'Or he should join every other league than the PL.

The Argentinian magician Lionel Messi, last night took his fourth Ballon D’or in a row given him the status as a legendary footballer. But what is so magical about the star?

91 one goals in one calendar year and four Ballon D’ors in a row – Messi are, without a doubt, one of the best football players of all time. However, the compared with the other nominated players for the football prize, some critics may say that the wrong player won.

In 2009, Messi won the award in front of his rival #1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) and Xavi (Barcelona). 2010, he snapped the golden statue in front of his team mates Iniesta and Xavi while 2011 was the same picture as in 2009. This year Ronaldo took the second place instead of Iniesta who pushed Xavi out of top three.

This gives a picture of  great dominants from Barcelona, but it also raises questions about Messi. No doubt he has played some of the best football we have seen for ages, but he has also had two assistants in Iniesta and Xavi just behind him, providing him with chances. Cristiano Ronaldo has and is playing for two of the best teams in the world, but with all respect; the Manchester United and the Real Madrid midfield are hard to compare with Barca.

Messi can thank Iniesta and Xavi for a lot of his success, and it would be rather interesting to see him play for another club team, without his two ‘feeders’ behind him.  That said, the Argentinian is a player who can create chances on his own, but the Barcelona team plays a vital role.

Furthermore; would Messi be able to score 59 of his 91 goals in the English Premier League? I doubt it… It is incredible that one man can score so many goals in one calendar year, but keep in mind that the Spanish La Liga is more attacking than, for example, the Premier League. You will never see so many goals scored in any other league, simply because the focus in La Liga lies on attacking.