The Ballon d’Or (or the European Footballer of the Year Award) has a rich history of presenting Europe’s cream of the crop with the title of best player. Since 2007, 96 football journalists from around the world decide the winner from a shortlist of 50 players from Europe. Last year’s winner was Brazilian and Milan ace, Kaká.
In 1963, Lev Yashin was one of the first goalkeepers ever awarded the Ballon d’Or. In 2008, after 45 years, Spanish goalkeeping maestro Iker Casillas may be on his way to grab hold of the title of Europe’s best. His performances to help Real Madrid take out the La Liga was met with high praise, and the exceptional effort Casillas displayed in the recent Euro 2008 campaign for Spain has held him in good stead to win the coveted prize.Though, even high profile team mates like Raúl seem less than optimistic for Casillas chances, even with the 27 year old goalkeeper taking out the Trofeo Zamora as La Liga’s best goalkeeper of 2007/08 this past Monday:
“I hope Iker can win it because he was one of the best in the Eurocopa and he helped us win the league, but it’s always more difficult for a goalkeeper because their merits are not recognized,” he said in an interview with a local Madrid newspaper. (Source: KS Leong, Goal.com).
On the other hand, Casillas seems exceptionally stoic about the award, but applauds his fans for pushing for him to grab hold of the coveted golden orb:
“I’ve always said I didn’t give these awards much importance, because there are so many people who deserve them,” he told Spanish newspaper AS.
Casillas has some fervent supporters ranging from politicians, to ex-players in Spain. With the young Spaniard only coming to the peak of his craft in the coming few years, it seems more than fitting to break the mold and gift the Ballon d’Or to a goalkeeper of Casillas’ calibre after 45 years of patient waiting.
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