The world's highest paid coach (by some margin) Pep Guardiola remarked once that "Philipp Lahm is perhaps the most intelligent player I have ever trained in my career. He is at another level.” Guardiola went on to suggest that if Lahm played at any position for a year, he would be amongst the best in the world, at that position. This came from a coach who had managed Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, Ibrahimovic and Puyol.
Philipp Lahm led Bayern Munich in 2012-2013 season with five trophies and found his name in UEFA team of the year, yet, wasn’t considered for the prestigious Ballon d’Or. The Ballon d’Or committee infact extended voting dates to cash in on a Ronaldo’s superlative performance (of all things, in a world cup playoff game) and subsequently (and might add farcically) handed the trophy to the Portuguese - in a year he won nothing!
Lahm polled 14th that year with a meagre 0.82% of the votes.
Arguably the world’s best full back of his generation (left or right), one of the best defensive midfielders around, and equally effective winger or central midfielder (whenever the need arose), Lahm doesn't find his name being discussed amongst the Ballon d’Or 2013-2014 hopefuls either.
He led Germany to their first ever World Cup win by an European team in the South Americas, found his name in FIFA World Cup all star team, led Bayern Munchen to the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal titles but for all you know, he may just feature in top five of Ballon d’Or list more as a consolation ornament based on the sentimentality of his international retirement.
Lahm’s importance was underlined to the world, when soon after his retirement, Germany were thrashed at home by Argentina, then huffed to a win over Scotland, lost at Poland and drew at home to Republic of Ireland to complete Die Mannschaft’s worst two months in international football since mid 2006.
Incidentally Lahm was also selected in FIFA world cup all star team 2006 and FIFA world cup dream team 2010 – in both instances Germany made it to the semi-finals of the event. Add their finalist status in Euro 2008, last four in Euro 2012 and Bayern Munich reaching finals of UEFA Champions League 2010 and 2012, and you wonder why no German made it to even the top three of Ballon d’Or or FIFA world player of the year, the past six years.
Another top candidate to grace the same teams, Manuel Neuer, does have a point when he suggested recently that he wasn't fashionable enough to win the award ahead of players who have a 'red-carpet lifestyle' or a modelling career. While the oft repeated logic is defense wins titles, it’s strange why defenders or custodians aren’t considered for the greatest individual honour in football.
The last defender to be name in top three was Fabio Cannavaro (2006) who went on to eventually win it after leading his nation to an unexpected World Cup win. The last German to be present in the top three shortlist was Oliver Kahn in 2002 and the last German to win it was Lothar Matthaus, way back in 1991.
Phillip Lahm also comes across as an ideal role model for upcoming generations to follow – versatile to play at any position, equally good in defense and attack, captain of one of the best club and country teams football has ever seen, life with zero controversies on and off the field, no misconduct charges and a defender who received a meagre 37 yellow cards over a career spanning 505 games for club and country, at the highest level. That’s one yellow card in every 14 games appeared!
Zero career red cards! Probably he is the most ‘liked’ player of his generation. Seldom has a football fan, player or expert have anything bad to say about Lahm.
Never has a footballing legend and a perfect role model been snubbed so badly by UEFA/FIFA. It will be gross injustice if he were to finish his career without it. Philipp Lahm deserved the Ballon d’Or 2012-2013 over anyone else, he deserves the Ballon d’Or 2013-2014, much ahead of anyone else.
Source: DSG
