Juventus” data-scaytid=”1″>Juventus and Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo reportedly didn’t even poll in the top five of the 2012 Ballon d’Or.
Juventus and Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo reportedly didn’t even poll in the top five of the 2012 Ballon d’Or.
Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo were yesterday nominated for the award at the end of a year where Pirlo inspired his club to Scudetto success and Italy to the Final of Euro 2012.
Pirlo was widely considered as an outside bet to make the final reckoning, but it appears he didn’t really threaten the top three.
The Mundo Deportivo is today reporting that Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez finished fourth in the voting and Radamel Falcao of Atletico fifth.
National Coaches and captains, as well as leading journalists from each country, are allowed to vote.
Meanwhile, two Italian tacticians are believed to have just missed out on the podium for the Coach of the Year award.
Roberto Di Matteo – sacked by Chelsea after leading the club to the FA Cup and Champions League last season – and Azzurri boss Cesare Prandelli are believed to have polled fourth and fifth respectively.
La Roja boss Vicente Del Bosque, former Barcelona man Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid tactician Jose Mourinho are on the three-man shortlist for that honour.