Top 5 Premier League players who can be Ballon d'Or candidates in 2014

Cristiano Ronaldo, to his great delight, walked away with the greatest prize of the night when the Ballon d’Or was awarded to the Portuguese after he secured about 27% of the total votes cast leaving Lionel Messi behind in a close fight. The English Premier League fans weren’t hoping for much joy in that department, but they were in for a rude shock when not even a single player made the World XI. Surely that isn’t a fair reflection of the league and its talent?

Jose Mourinho certainly didn’t think so. The self-designated ‘special one’ asserted that the exclusion of Premier league stars was not indicative of the comparative quality of the league but rather suggests the greater competition that creates a more hostile, competitive environment for professional footballers. The 2013-14 Premier League season stands in obvious support of that statement as the top half of the Premier League remains congested with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool leading the race even though defending champions Manchester United cannot yet be ruled out of the contest.

However, it can hardly be contested that Spain and Germany (more particularly Bayern Munich) have become desired destinations for the top footballing talent. How does that reflect on the quality of the players in the Premier League? Greater competition entails greater expectations week in and week out. The league does not offer a lot of walkovers and even the last quarter of the table can punch above its weight on its day and in its own backyard.

This has direct consequences for the players who have to maintain high-performance levels, remain mentally focused and physically fit in spite of the packed calendar. The unique Christmas period that English footballing tradition has preserved is testament to the pressure that players and clubs have to undergo. There is also the eternally present argument that the Premier League is more physical, less tolerant towards players ‘who do not have the fight in them’ or as is colloquially said ‘go down easily’.

However, the general multi-layered ‘toughness’ of the Premier League is no excuse for a lack of presence at the Ballon d’Or. It is, after all, an affirmation of those already present fears that top talent has been looking away from England when it comes to their desired ultimate destination: Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale are some prominent examples. 2014 looks like a better bet for the English league as Suarez has smashed the ball rolling and leads the goal scoring charts. Pellegrini’s power-packed Manchester City look like a force to reckon with as indicated by their victory over current European Champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stage. Mourinho has returned to Stamford Bridge promising a re-enactment of his original triumphs at the club.

Here is a list of the top five players who can make their presence felt, if not topple the Messi’s and the Ronaldo’s, when it comes to the Ballon d’Or:

5. Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney was written off by many last season and speculation was strong that he might begin a new career away from Old Trafford. Incoming manager David Moyes was not the ideal replacement for Rooney in any sense as the two had shared a troubled relationship, but the English International has proved his worth to the club playing the redeeming saviour at a challenging time for the club. He has participated in more than two-thirds of Manchester United’s goals scoring 9 goals and assisting another 9 in 17 Premier League games so far. But more importantly, he has played with a great deal of elan.

He seems to have matured as a footballer as he looks focused, is a leader on the pitch and seems reconciled with his outlined role as the creative forward for the Red Devils. Another aspect that adds to Rooney’s candidature is the fact that he is a multi-faceted footballer who can create and score goals much in the manner of the Ronaldo’s and the Messi’s. The question is; can he find that dramatic consistency and drive his team to glory from a position of unprecedented trouble?

The odds for him to make his presence felt in 2014 as compared to some players who have starred at the Ballon d’Or event recently are not high by any stretch of imagination. However, United are still alive in the Champions League, Capital One Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and Rooney has lead England in their road to Brazil. Something dramatic, though improbable, cannot be ruled out.