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Berlin - Germany coach Joachim Low has voted for his goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and would be disappointed if he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or award on Monday.
Low told Friday's edition of the Bild paper that Neuer "has shaped the role of a goalkeeper in the past years like no one before him" and showed his "extraordinary quality" on the global stage at the 2014 World Cup which Germany won.
"Anything but his election would disappoint me," Low said.
Munich sports director Matthias Sammer agreed, saying he would be lost for words if Neuer wasn't elected, with the winner to be announced at a gala of the ruling body FIFA on Monday in Zurich.
Neuer is on the final shortlist with Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid) and Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona) who have won the award in the past six years.
Sammer named Neuer "unique" and added "Is a goalkeeper part of a team or not? If he is part of it then there is only who win, and that's him."
No goalkeeper has ever been elected World Player while Soviet Lev Yashin won the Ballon d'Or more than 50 years ago in its past form as European Player of the Year award.
