Goal : Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has admitted he wants Lionel Messi or Xavi Hernandez win the Fifa Ballon d’Or award for 2011, rather than Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Barca pair were recently named in the three-man shortlist for the prestigious award alongside the Portoguese, with the winner to be announced at a special gala in Zurich on January 9.
And Iniesta makes no apologies for favouring his club team-mates ahead of the profilic Portugal forward.
“The three that are there are the best three,” admitted Iniesta, who was on the shortlist for the 2010 award won by Messi. “But I have two colleagues and I will be happy if the winner is one of them.”
The 27-year-old Spain international was speaking at the Albacete Sports Gala, where he was honoured with the award for Sports Excellence, and he said he is looking forward to next year.