The German coach, Joachim Löw, said that if the Ballon d'Or was awarded this year, it should go to the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, distancing himself from those who believe that the award should go to Robert Lewandowski.

"I have nothing against Robert Lewandowski, he is an exceptional striker but for me the award for the best player in the world this year should go to Manuel Neuer. Look at everything he saved in the final round in Lisbon!" said Löw in statements collected by the magazine "Kicker".

"Manu is something exceptional, he's crazy, he's unique. Already in the semifinal against Lyon he had three incredible actions. That serenity, that radiance, gives you the impression of being omnipresent," he added.

Löw insisted that Neuer was key in Bayern Munich's conquest of the Champions League, although he admitted that Lewandowski's performance - the top scorer in the Bundesliga, the German Cup, and the Champions League - was also crucial for the triple crown conquest.

"But against Lyon and against PSG, Manuel was in the right place at key moments and without his actions the game would have been 1-0 against Bayern or 1-1," he said. EFE