Ballon d’Or

MICHAEL OWEN claims he was NOT the best player in the world when he won the Ballon d’Or.Premier League legend Owen became just the fourth Englishman to land the prestigious award when he was crowned the globe’s top footballer in 2001.
Michael Owen became the fourth Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or in 2001Credit: Offside – L’Equipe
Owen reckons there were better players around despite his incredible goal and trophy haul for LiverpoolCredit: PA:Press Association
At the time, Owen had become a superstar at boyhood club Liverpool.
He scored 28 goals in 43 games as the Reds completed an FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup treble.
And having netted 58 times in the previous three campaigns, Owen was voted top of the pile ahead of Real Madrid striker Raul and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.
But Owen, who ended with 158 goals for Liverpool before scoring at Real, Newcastle, Manchester United and Stoke, reckons he was not a worthy recipient.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Having seen Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan all win before him, Owen was certainly in fine company.
Yet he feels there were other players around at the time who had enjoyed better campaigns.
Owen, who won the Premier League title in 2011 with United and is now a pundit, told William Hill’s podcast Up Front with Simon Jordan: “I wasn’t the best player in the world when I won the Ballon d’Or.
“But in a sense I was. Realistically I knew I wasn’t the best in the world. 
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
Owen now works as a football punditCredit: Reuters
“You had the likes of Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane playing at that time – there were better players than me. 
“However, when I stepped on the pitch I felt like I was the best. 
“But when I sit here today, I know that there were better players than me at the time.
“I think footballers were more pure back in the day. 
“Now you have to be an athlete, you have to be able to run, you have to be big and you have to be fast. 
“If Matt Le Tissier, one of the most gifted players of our time, were playing today, would he even get into a team?”
Stanley Matthews won the Ballon d’Or in 1956Credit: PA
Bobby Charlton won it in 1966Credit: PA
Kevin Keegan was crowned king in 1978 and 1979Credit: Getty More

NAPOLI’S old training ground is set to be revived after being abandoned for decades.Centro Paradiso was once home to Diego Maradona but is now overgrown years on from its heyday.
Napoli’s old training ground has been left abandoned and overgrownCredit: Getty
Centro Paradiso has been left to rot over the last 19 yearsCredit: Getty
Napoli left the site in 2004 after going bankruptCredit: Getty
However, Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro is now set to revive the training base.
The former Italy captain has purchased the land the site is built on and has big plans for Paradiso.
“Now I can say it, the gates of the Centro Paradiso will open up again,” he told news agency Ansa.
“I had been trying for 15 years. The plan is to get the pitch back in shape, set up a soccer school and get the local kids playing football. It makes me very happy.”
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Cannavaro grew up in Naples and was a part of the club’s academy alongside his brother Paolo.
He went onto make 68 appearances for Napoli before spells with Parma, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid during an illustrious career.
The former defender also captained his country to their fourth World Cup in 2006, before becoming the last defender to win the Ballon d’Or later that year.
His next target is to renovate Centro Paradiso, which was opened in 1975 and hosted the likes of Maradona during the 1980s.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
Paradiso was home to Diego Maradona during the 1980sCredit: Getty
Fabio Cannavaro now plans to revive the site after purchasing the landCredit: Getty
The Napoli icon won two league titles and the UEFA Cup during seven years with the club and a mural of him and daughter Dalma still dons the walls at the training ground.
Paradiso has been abandoned since the old Napoli went bankrupt in 2004, with Aurelio De Laurentiis forming a new club.
Partenopei have since risen back to the top of the Italian game and won Serie A for the first time since 1990 last season.
A mural of Maradona and his daughter still dons the walls of ParadisoCredit: Getty
Former Napoli defender Cannavaro has big plans for the training groundCredit: Getty More

EAGLE-EYED fans joked “bro is everywhere” after spotting a hidden star in Lionel Messi’s latest Ballon d’Or picture.The Argentina star, 36, scooped a record eighth award on Monday night after leading his country to World Cup glory.
Fans joked ‘bro is everywhere’ after spotting a familiar face on Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’OrCredit: Instagram
Argentina ace Messi scooped a record eighth award on Monday nightCredit: The Mega Agency
Messi is now the undisputed GOAT ahead of legends like Pele, Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo.
And he will be keen to continue his good form at new MLS side Inter Miami.
Messi toasted his success in the air as he jetted back to America from Paris.
The ace posed in several snaps showing him on board a private jet.
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
Messi was all smiles as he relaxed in his tuxedo with the Ballon d’Or trophy.
But sharp supporters couldn’t help noticing a familiar presence on screen.
Hilariously, Messi’s ever-present bodyguard could be spotted staring at his boss on the reflection of the award.
Yassine Chueko is a former Navy Seal and MMA expert who has linked up with Messi in Miami.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
Bodyguard Yassine Chueko could be seen keeping an eye on Messi in the reflectionCredit: Instagram
Chueko was all smiles as he got to pose with the Ballon d’Or tooCredit: Instagram
The vigilant bruiser can be seen patrolling the touchline in all of Messi’s games.
Indeed, Inter Miami star Robert Taylor hilariously dressed as Chueko for Halloween.
And the hardman takes no prisoners either, sprinting onto the pitch to deal with any invader getting too close to his boss.
Chueko has now become a viral hit with football fans, who love the idea of him being wherever Messi is.
But even the most ardent supporter could not believe it when Chueko was spotted in the reflection of Messi’s Ballon d’Or – before eventually getting to pose with the trophy himself.
One said: “Bro is shadow of Messi, bro is everywhere.”
Another declared: “Soon until he be playing on the field with him.”
One noted: “Bro ready to fight with the trophy.”
Another added: “The security is touching Messi, another security will come to stop him.”
Chueko is a former Navy Seal and MMA expertCredit: Instagram @yasstcheuko
He regularly stops pitch invaders from getting too close to MessiCredit: Getty
Chueko has become a viral hit due to constantly shadowing his boss More

CRISTIANO RONALDO has been slammed by fans after his social media post following Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or win last night. Messi picked up a record eighth Ballon d’Or award in Paris yesterday evening while Ronaldo wasn’t nominated for the first time in 20 years.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been slammed for his response to Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’or winCredit: Getty
Messi picked up his eighth Ballon d’Or award last nightCredit: EPA
CR7 thought the whole things was a big joke, seemingly
The pair have had a rivalry for the ages over the years as they battled it out for the accolade of the best player in the world.
But Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or victory now sends him three clear of Ronaldo’s five trophies and in the eyes of many puts the debate to bed.
And some fans are suggesting the Portuguese superstar is a little hurt by slipping further behind his rival.
Following the ceremony in Paris, Spanish journalist Tomás Roncero posted a video commenting on the awards.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
He said: “Hello friends. What we knew happened, they were going to give Messi another Ballon d’Or again. 
“He went to retire in Miami, even though he already looked like he was retired at PSG preparing for the World Cup. He won the World Cup, yes, good, but with six penalties… The World Cup was ten months ago, it’s November. 
“Messi has eight Ballon d’Ors, he should have had five. He has [Andres] Iniesta/Xavi’s Ballon d’Or, [Robert] Lewandowski’s who won six trophies in one season and [Erling] Haaland’s who was the top scorer.”
Ronaldo then commented on the scathing video on Instagram leaving four laughing emoji’s underneath the post.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or trophies, three less than MessiCredit: Getty
Although it is not yet known what the Al-Nassr star’s response meant, many fans have suggested he isn’t pleased that Messi won another Ballon d’Or.
Taking to social media one fan wrote: “Actually can’t believe how embarrassing this behaviour is, how has he not just accepted the debate is done.”
While another added: “How shameless can this guy be?”
A third posted: “Ronaldo is so childish, this is some people’s goat. The Messi Ballon d’Or really hurt this guy.”
Inter Miami’s Messi finished ahead of Erling Haaland in second place for the individual accolade.
While Kylian Mbappe was the third-placed nominee closely followed by Man City duo Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri in fourth and fifth place.
Jude Bellingham collected the Kopa Trophy for the best young player and Emiliano Martinez was named the Yashin Trophy winner for being the best goalkeeper of the year.
Jude Bellingham was awarded the Kopa TrophyCredit: Getty
Emiliano Martinez was named as the best keeper of the yearCredit: The Mega Agency More

FOOTBALL fans have ripped into internet star IShowSpeed after his bizarre reaction to Lionel Messi winning the Ballon d’Or.Argentine icon Messi, 36, claimed the award for a record-extending eighth time on Monday evening ahead of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
IShowSpeed was bizarrely gobsmacked by Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or win
He stood up in disbelief at the decision
IShowSpeed was close to the stage where Messi was presented with the award
It comes after he inspired his country to World Cup glory in Qatar in December.
Messi was hotly-tipped to claim the crown before the ceremony.
Yet Cristiano Ronaldo superfan IShowSpeed was still confusingly dumbfounded when the Barcelona legend’s name was read out.
The YouTube star attended the awards in Paris and was close to the stage for the announcement.
READ MORE ON BALLON D’OR
He muttered “Ronaldo” moments before Messi was confirmed as the winner, even though the Al-Nassr forward was not included in the 30-man shortlist.
When Messi was officially declared the winner, he theatrically got off his seat and began barking loudly, much to the astonishment of those around him.
Fans on social media were quick to slam his strange behaviour.
And one even compared him to Salt Bae – the celebrity chef who was criticised for going up to Argentina’s World Cup winners on the pitch following their triumph in Qatar.
Most read in Football
One said: “Watching Speed at the Ballon d’Or ceremony is similar to how it felt to see Salt Bae during the World Cup final celebrations.”
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Another added: “The world and football gone made. Why is this guy even there?”
A third replied: “Why is he barking? Omg, wheres the security?”
While a fourth responded: “This guy attending that ceremony is just very degrading for this prestigious award.”
And a fifth simply said: “This is beyond cringe.”
Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d’OrCredit: The Mega Agency More