Zoff: Messi will beat Casillas to accolades

8 July 2012 11:01

Dino Zoff does not believe Spain and Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas can beat Lionel Messi to the 2012 Ballon d'Or.

After leading Real to the Liga title and Spain to European Championship glory, many players and pundits have claimed Casillas deserves to be recognised with the most prestigious individual honour in the game.

And Zoff would enjoy seeing the 31-year-old shot-stopper land the award, but even as a fellow member of the goalkeepers' union, he finds it difficult to look past Barcelona's Messi, who has won the award for the past three years.

"I would be happy to give it to Casillas," former Italy goalkeeper Zoff told AS.

"But, honestly, I cannot see it. I think Messi will win it again. For me he's the best player in the world; he is an artist.

"He is the best and Cristiano (Ronaldo) is very close to him. They are the two best players in the world. After that comes the rest: Casillas, (Andrea) Pirlo, (Gianluigi) Buffon."

Indeed, Zoff feels just making the top three would be a fine achievement for Casillas, given the quality of his rivals.

"Anything is possible," the former Juventus man said.

"I got second in 1973 behind Johan Cruyff.

"But I think that a great result for Casillas would be second behind Messi. I think it's different for a goalkeeper. I think it's a prize for artists of the ball.

"Casillas has many attributes. He is so complete. There is no doubt that he is one of the greats. He's one of the best goalkeepers in the world, along with Buffon and (Petr) Cech.

"But Messi is something else."

Zoff earned 112 caps for his country and remains the oldest player to have lifted the World Cup, having led the Azzurri to the title in 1982 at the age of 40.