Joachim Low snubs Robert Lewandowski to pick Manuel Neuer as his choice for cancelled Ballon d'Or
Germany national team's head coach Joachim Low picked Manuel Neuer over Robert Lewandowski for the best player in the world this year. Low feels Neuer did a commendable job in the Champions League semifinal against Lyon and in the final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Lewandowski who was the highest goal-scorer in Bundesliga and Champions League this season was tipped to win the Ballon d'Or trophy, which was cancelled this year due to the season being affected by coronavirus pandemic. The 32-year-old Polish striker netted 55 goals last season.
On being asked his choice for Ballon d'Or winner this year, Low picked Neuer and said he is in a class of his own.
“Manu was in great shape throughout the 2019-20 season,” he told Kicker. “Manu is in a class of his own. Crazy, unbelievable.
“I have nothing against Robert Lewandowski, he is a world-class goalscorer, but for me, the best player in the world this year would be Manuel Neuer. What he did in the Final 8 in Lisbon! He kept the shop shut!
“Manuel was on hand in difficult situations against Lyon and Paris, otherwise it might be 0-1 or 1-1. You had the feeling that he was omnipresent.”
Bayern Munich beat PSG in the final of the Champions League this season to lift their sixth European Cup as they also complete their treble this season.
Lewandowski was the prime reason behind Bayern's ruthless show in Champions League this season as he scored in every game for them except in the final. While 34-year-old Neuer proved that he is far from finished with a world-class performance in the UCL final against PSG where saved goal-scoring efforts from Neymar and Kylian Mbappe with total ease.
Earlier, Lewandowski said that if the Ballon d'Or wasn't cancelled, he should have been given a reward as he won everything this season.
"If the organizers didn't cancel the Ballon d'Or, I should have been the winner. I won everything this year. Winning the Champions League was my greatest dream and I achieved it. I'm really proud of that. In the final game against PSG, I didn't score but I worked really hard for my team," he said in an interview for the Polish paper Przeglad Sportowy.
