In the realm of football, the names Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the Ballon d'Or awards for years. However, in 2014, Roy Hodgson, England's national team manager, took a surprising approach when selecting his top three for the prestigious award. Hodgson, who had a long and distinguished career as a coach in Europe, decided to snub both Ronaldo and Messi, leaving them out of his top three picks.
Third Place: Manuel Neuer
Hodgson's first pick for third place was German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who, interestingly, did finish third in the actual Ballon d'Or race that year, with Messi ahead of him in second and Ronaldo taking the top spot. Neuer's impressive performance for Bayern Munich and Germany, culminating in their World Cup victory in Brazil, undoubtedly contributed to Hodgson's decision.
Second Place: Philipp Lahm
The second spot on Hodgson's list was another German, Philipp Lahm. Lahm, a smart and tactically astute defender, had an exceptional 2014, winning the same honors as Neuer. Despite finishing sixth in the actual vote, Hodgson's selection of Lahm was a testament to the defender's impressive campaign.
First Place: Javier Mascherano
Hodgson's top pick for the 2014 Ballon d'Or was Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano. Although Mascherano had a brief stint under Hodgson before moving to Barcelona in 2011, the Englishman's decision was likely influenced by Mascherano's outstanding performance during the World Cup. Mascherano was a key player in Argentina's run to the final, and his impressive stats, such as the second-highest number of tackles, the joint-third most blocks, and the fourth-highest number of ball recoveries, underscored his importance to the team.
In conclusion, Roy Hodgson's 2014 Ballon d'Or picks, which left out Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, were a departure from the norm. However, his choices, especially Javier Mascherano, reflected the high caliber of performances seen during the 2014 World Cup.
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