Neuer deserves the Ballon d'Or over Lewandowski, says Joachim Low

Even if the Ballon d’Or awards were held this year, Joachim Low would’ve picked Manuel Neuer over Robert Lewandowski. Low believes that the Bayern Munich skipper’s performance in the Champions League final was extraordinary and he would’ve been the more deserving candidate of the prestigious individual award.

France Football announced it will not present its annual award for the world’s best player this year due to the coronavirus pandemic which halted several competitions in 2019-20, including Ligue 1. The decision was then considered to be unfair for Lewandowski, being the standout player in the entire season and capable enough to succeed Lionel Messi after his 55 goals fired Bayern Munich to their second treble.

The striker was also named Germany’s Footballer of the Year and Lewandowski agreed that he rightfully deserved the global honor. Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed in early August that there is still hope as FIFA have plans to conduct voting for 'The Best' awards.

However, Germany head coach Low felt that no other player deserved it more than Neuer. The goalkeeper kept the German side in the game after a shaky first-half in the Champions League final, holding Kylian Mbappe and Neymar at bay. 

While talking to Kicker, he said, “Manu was in great shape throughout the 2019-20 season. Manu is in a class of his own. I have nothing against Robert Lewandowksi, he is a top-class goalscorer but for me, the world’s best footballer this year would be Manuel Neuer.”

“He had a very large role in winning the Champions League. Manuel was on hand in difficult situations against Lyon and Paris, otherwise it might be 0-1 or 1-1. You have the feeling he is omnipresent,” Low added. The UEFA Nations League is on the verge of going through and probably the performances in the tournament’s early stages would give us a fair idea of who actually deserves it, although Lewandowski already has an edge as he outscored both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have been winning the award for the last decade.

featured image credits- skysports.com