The right-back Rafinha, from Bayern Munich, which plays for one of the biggest clubs in the world and for the team that has more Bundesliga titles is sure that goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and should win the award for best player of the year, the Ballon D’or from FIFA.
Rafinha played between 2005 and 2010, along with Neuer at Schalke. “His nominationt is something special to me. I was with him in the field when he made his first game in the Bundesliga for Schalke. Now, we have played together for nine seasons, five years at Schalke and almost four here at Bayern. I always followed his career. You could see from the start that he would be a great goalkeeper, and in the last five years he has been playing a very high level.”
For Rafinha, the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer should win the award: “We have won many titles with Bayern and won almost everything last season and he became world champion, so for me he should win the Ballon d’Or.”
Rafinha, you trained after the appointment of Manuel Neuer for the Ballon d’Or on Tuesday for the first time. Was he celebrated in style?
Rafinha: Of course, we all congratulated him. To be one of the last three of choice is a great honor, everyone was happy for him.
Will he win the Ballon d’Or?
Rafinha: Usually, we do not see a goalie in the last three competitors, so he has already achieved a great recognition for all he did last season. But I think he should win the Ballon d’Or as well. He played very well last year with Bayern, where we won almost everything, and in the summer with the national team he won the World Cup. I have great respect for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and everyone knows how good they are. But I believe that Manuel is the favorite to win.
