adminFIFA announced yesterday that the deadline for voting for the 2013 Ballon d’Or has been extended to 29 November.
The decision has been viewed in Spain as a ploy to favour Cristiano Ronaldo over other leading contenders such as Lionel Messi, Franck Ribery and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, after the Portugal captain’s hat trick against Sweden sealed his nation’s place at next year’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
The deadline for coaches and captains of national team and participating journalists to submit their top three choices had been Friday 15 November, hours after the World Cup qualifier playoff first legs had finished, and Bayern Munich’s Ribery was then the clear favourite in the betting to take a first award.
However, that date has now been extended, and votes can be changed to take into account recent performances – such as Ronaldo’s spectacular hat trick on Tuesday against Sweden which clinched Portugal’s place at next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.-Soccernet.
Online Reporter