Messi gets Bermuda’s Ballon d’Or vote

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo has won the The Ballon d’Or for the second time —but second-place Lionel Messi won the Bermudian vote.

Very few will begrudge a tearful Ronaldo cementing his place among the game’s greats but one of the fascinating aspects of this vote is seeing who went for who.

Eventually the shortlist was whittled down to three — Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery being the other — as different country’s coach, captain and one media representative got the chance to name their top three.

Bermuda’s skipper John Barry Nusum went for 1. Messi 2 Ronaldo 2 Ribery, while coach Andrew Bascome opted for 1. Messi 2. Ronaldo 3. Edinson Cavani.

Yours truly, who was fortunate to get the media vote, went for the same as Nusum.

More interestingly perhaps, Ronaldo and Messi both refused to recognize their main rivals for the prize. Messi kept his voting in-house, going for three Barcelona players — 1. Andres Iniesta 2. Xavi 3. Neymar — while Ronaldo kept things safe with his new bosom buddy Gareth Bale by going for 1. Falcao 2. Bale 3. Mesut Ozil.

If the media alone had their way, Ribery would have won with Ronaldo in second and Messi a close third.

There were other eye-catching choices, with the first two another example of club loyalties.

Martin Skrtel: 1. Suarez. 2. Ronaldo. 3. Messi.

Steven Gerrard: 1 Ronaldo, 2 Messi 3 Suarez

Jurgen Klinsmann: 1. Franck Ribery, 2. Gareth Bale, 3. Radamel Falcao

Roy Hodsgon: 1. Ronaldo 2. Ibrahimovic 3. Robin van Persie.

For the full list of votes click here (http://fifa.to/1gBgZjd).