Ballon d'Or 2013 Finalists: Predicting Which Nominees Won't Make 2014 Shortlist

The 2013 Ballon d’Or nominees have been picked apart, analysed and critiqued since the 23-man shortlist was announced at the end of October. 

Who was snubbed? Who was nominated on reputation? Who will win?  

We’ve discussed it all. 

But with 2014 a mere four weeks away, it’s time to turn our attentions to the 2014 edition of the award. 

As FIFA gets set to whittle the 23 names down to three at the beginning of December, here’s a look at which nominees will struggle to make next year’s shortlist. 

Robert Lewandowski 

Lewandowski was well-deserving of his spot on the 2013 shortlist after leading Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final, while helping himself to four goals against Real Madrid in the semi-final. 

But 2014 could be a tricky year for the Pole. 

The forward has hinted that he will leave Dortmund when his contract expires at the end of the season, and Bayern Munich appears the likely destination, according to Paul Smith in the Daily Mirror. 

Lewandowski will need to produce at an extremely high level in the opening five months of 2014 if he is to make his way onto the shortlist again, because life at Munich may not be instantaneously fruitful. 

Mario Mandzukic, the current forward at Munich, has scored eight Bundesliga goals in 10 appearances this season—per ESPN—yet the Croat’s position in the starting XI is far from assured. Munich boss Pep Guardiola is happy to roll out a team sheet with no recognised centre-forward, like he did in Bayern’s Champions League clash against Manchester City at the Etihad.  

If Lewandowski does end up at the home of the treble winners, he will be competing with not only Mandzukic, but with Guardiola’s formation also.

Unlike the majority of players on the 2013 shortlist, Lewandowski won’t be able to strut his stuff on the World Cup stage next year after Poland failed to qualify. 

Andrea Pirlo

It pains me to speak of Pirlo in a negative manner, but the 34-year-old will have an uphill task on his hands if he is to make his way onto the 23-man shortlist next year. 

While many of us would like to live in a world where Pirlo never ages, in reality, he will. In fact, he already has. 

Pirlo is still working his magic for both Juventus and Italy. Playing in “the regista” role, he is pulling the strings from a little deeper than he did at his peak. 

But the Italian has slowed down in recent years. He has lost a step, or two, and he is currently benefitting from those young, fresh legs around him at Juve. 

With Arturo Vidal, who had a good argument for inclusion ahead of Pirlo on this year’s shortlist, and Paul Pogba buzzing around him, Pirlo has been able to prolong his time amongst the game’s elite. 

But another year playing at a high enough level to be counted as one of the world’s best 23 may be a stretch too far for the midfield magician. 

Yaya Toure 

Some eyebrows were raised when Toure’s name was announced in this year’s 23-man shortlist, and he will need to up his game if he is to seek inclusion next year. 

The Ivorian is one of those players who can do wonderful things at unlikely moments. His highlight reel is dominated by stunning long-range efforts and late thundering runs into the box. 

But to be named among the top best 23 players on the planet, consistency is key, and Toure has lacked it recently. 

He can often go missing in games, and as a central midfielder one of his main jobs is to limit the opposition’s space and break down their attacks. This year, in that area, Toure hasn’t been at the level required to be classed among the elite. 

He will need to produce a solid second half of the season with Manchester City, and a big showing in Brazil with the Ivory Coast may help his cause too.