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Casillas: Ronaldo has my Ballon d’Or vote

By on November 21, 2013
Cristiano Ronaldo has received the backing of Iker Casillas to win the Fifa Ballon d'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo has received the backing of Iker Casillas to win the Fifa Ballon d’Or

Iker Casillas confirmed Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Rolando has earned his first-place vote for the 2013 Fifa Ballon d’Or after the winger’s sensational year.

Casillas, speaking at a publicity event, said he had cast his vote for Ronaldo to win his second Ballon d’Or, which he claimed was still a prestigious award despite criticism over voting issues, after Spain’s international friendly against Equatorial Guinea on Friday.

“My first vote has been for Ronaldo,” the Spanish international said.” I would be surprised if he didn’t win it this year because his goal tally is out of this world”.

The 32-year-old was mocked for voting for Spain and Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos over Ronaldo last year, but Casillas’ pick has returned to Ronaldo following the 28-year-old’s outstanding performance in Portugal’s World Cup playoff tie verses Sweden.  Ronaldo has scored seven goals in his last three matches, and is has already score twice as many goals as arguably the only player who rivals his skill on the planet, Lionel Messi, in La Liga.  Having scored 16 league goals in just 12 matches Ronaldo tops La Liga’s goalscoring charts, leading Casillas to claim the former Manchester United man fully deserves the award, which has been left wide open after four time winner Messi found himself sidelined until the end of the year. 

“Ronaldo deserves it because he is having an amazing year,” two time European Champions and 2010 World Cup winner Casillas said.  “I would be surprised if he wasn’t given it, although we all have our own criteria. Some of us value titles more, others playing style, but for me, it’s about goals. Scoring more than 90 from 80 games is out of this world.”

Casillas also congratulated Ronaldo for fighting back after Fifa president Sepp Blatter criticized the Portuguese international’s style of play.

The Spain captain said of Blatter: “That routine was not his best moment. Sometimes these things catch up with you, but he has apologised and we are not going to make a big deal of it.

“Cristiano does his talking on the pitch and he will be rewarded for that. Hopefully he will get the Ballon d’Or for his play. We are happy because we have contributed to his chances of winning it.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.