Wanyama, Williamson snub Ballon d’Or voting
By DAVID KWALIMWA
Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama and coach Bobby Williamson did not to participate in this year’s Ballon d’Or voting process.
It however remains unclear why the two opted not to participate in the voting process for the world’s best football player that was awarded to Argentina’s Lionel Messi on Monday night in Zurich.
The winners of the award are voted in by a panel of national team coaches, captains and selected journalists.
Messi of FC Barcelona, who picked his fifth award, was voted for by an estimated 42 percent of those who cast their votes.
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo came second with 27 percent, while Messi’s teammate Neymar finished third with eight percent of the votes.
Kenya’s other representative in the voting process, the Daily Nation’s veteran sports journalist Charles Nyende, voted for Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard in that order.
“I don’t normally go with the wave (of popularity). Suarez deserves recognition. He seems a changed man after several off the pitch incidents. He also has done extremely well for Barcelona especially during Messi’s absence. Hazard was also exceptional for Chelsea last season,” Nyende told Nairobi News.
Almost 500 captains, coaches and journalists had their say in this exercise.
The award winner Messi voted for his teammates at Barca Suarez, Neymar and Andreas Iniesta in that order.
Ronaldo, likewise, picked his teammates at Real Madrid Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale.
