Ronaldo should not be among Ballon d´Or final three – Neymar

Barcelona attacker Neymar feels he deserves to be among the final three candidates to win this year’s FIFA Ballon d’Or alongside team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

FIFA and France Football will announce the final three-man shortlist for the prestigious individual award on Monday and the Brazil international is adamant the trophy should go to a member of Barcelona’s deadly attacking trio.

“I think we deserve to be there for what we have been doing,” Neymar told Globo Esporte.

“I would be very happy if Barca’s trident formed the three candidates, for all the history we are making and for all we are winning, the three of us should be there.”

Neymar is adamant, however, that winning the Ballon d’Or or other individual trophies is not the main priority in his career.

“What I enjoy doing is contesting trophies and winning them. I have never played to be the best in the world or to win the Ballon d’Or,” he added.

“I’ve always played to become a better player than I am, to overcome my own personal aims and be a better footballer.

“Being voted the best in the world is a consequence of that work and if people are talking about me in that way now, then it must be because I am working well.”

The Ballon d’Or has been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi over the past seven years, with the Real Madrid man bagging the trophy three times and the Argentine taking the award home on four occasions.