Keeper d’Or?: The Case for Manuel Neuer

Since 2008, the Ballon d’Or has been a two-man race between footballing demigods Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Lionel Messi has won the award for a record four straight times between 2009 and 2012, while Ronaldo won it both in 2008 and – most recently – in 2013. This year brings an interesting situation of the third shortlisted player competing against Ronaldo and Messi. He may be regarded as Germany’s best defender, and is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world,  but does he really have the attributes to beat out both Messi, voted Best Player of the FIFA World Cup 2014, and Ronaldo? Let’s therefore take a look into the case of Germany’s and FC Bayern Munich’s number one, and FIFA World Cup 2014’s Golden Glove Winner, Manuel Neuer.