MOSCOW: After a decade of duopoly, the FIFA-run vote to crown best player finally seems open to third parties after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo left the World Cup early.

Neymar must help Brazil lift the trophy next week if he wants to join the greats, according to the World Cup winner who first took home FIFA’s top individual award.

Cutting out the play-acting would also help Neymar win votes, 1990 World Cup winner Lothar Matthaeus said on Wednesday.

“We need players like Neymar,” said the former West Germany captain, who won the inaugural FIFA world player award in 1991. “But not with this acting what he was doing now in each game.”

A debate about Neymar faking injury and overreacting to tackles is polarising opinion between European outrage and Brazilian defence.

Former England player Alan Shearer called Neymar’s behaviour ‘absolutely pathetic’ in a broadcast.

“The criticism is nonsense,” Brazil great Ronaldo said on Wednesday. “I don’t think referees have been protecting him enough.”

Ronaldo, a three-time winner of best player award, and Matthaeus spoke at a briefing about the individual accolade that Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won five times each in the past decade.

With Portugal and Argentina both going out early, the award seems open for a new winner to emerge. “Sure, Neymar when he will win the World Cup,” said Matthaeus. “You have to win titles with your team.”

Ronaldo and Messi arrived in Russia after Real Madrid won a third straight Champions League title and Barcelona won La Liga. Neymar’s absence since February with a foot injury was barely a blip for PSG’s procession to win the French league.

“It’s easy to win the title in France,” Matthaeus said. “For me, Neymar this season, he did not show until now he can be the best.”

The German great picked out another PSG star, Kylian Mbappe of France, England captain Harry Kane and Croatia captain Luka Modric as potential candidates for the FIFA award when voting opens on July 23, while the winner will be announced in London on Sept 24.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2018