It was coming to the winter months of 1967 when French President Charles De Gaulle vetoed Britain’s attempt to join the Economic European Community for a second time giving the British a simple answer, ‘Non’. This was seen as alien to many Britons around the country that somebody has taken centre stage and given their opinion on a certain complication when others would just sit back and modestly keep their sentiments to themselves. This appears to be the illustration with the German national coach, Joachim Löw as he has decided not to vote in the Ballon D’or making this clear to the DFB and FIFA in order to circumvent any disruption to his squad’s preparation for the World Cup in Brazil.

Joachim Löw has five of his players’ competing for the award on the 13th January 2014 in Kongresshaus, Zurich in Switzerland. These players include the quartet from Bayern München Manuel Neuer, Phillip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller. The other including Arsenal’s influential signing and creative midfielder, Mesut Ozil. You could quarrel that this is very wise by Löw as he prepares his diplomacies for next year’s tournament and showing no favouritism to any player in his squad, may stand him and Germany in a good location when he tries to psychologically formulate his performers against the competitors next summer.

A DFB spokesperson, Jens Grittner, speaking on behalf of Joachim Löw, put it to the press, "Since FIFA makes the choice of the jury members publicly, it brings the national coach in a kind of quandary". Grittner went on to say about the German head coach, "He sees himself unable to vote objectively and impartially. Therefore, he has decided to abstain from the election.” He finished his statement by claiming that Löw and Helmut Sandrock the DFB General Secretary, “have communicated this in a letter to FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, asking for understanding."

Traditionally, the accolade has been awarded mainly to forward thinking professionals. Fifty two of the preceding fifty seven winners have went about their routine attacking at their opponents, however the exception of Russian goalkeeper, Lev Yashin in 1963.

However, this subject will not be on Joachim Löw’s awareness as the World Cup draw takes place on Friday 6th December in Costa do Sauipe, Bahia, Brazil. Joachim Löw recently told the media about the World Cup draw and their possible opponents. "We'll take it as it comes and we don't have any preferred opponents. Whenever Germany go into a tournament, we always want to succeed."


The whole of Germany and numerous other countries around the world will be tipping the Germans to win the World Cup as two Bundesliga sides demonstrated their dominance in the UEFA Champions League last season when Borussia Dortmund and Bayern München met each other at Wembley in the Final. The many of spectator witnessed how the German youth system unassumingly works and the crop of special players they now have under their belt. It will be an interesting tournament and who could blame Joachim Löw for not wanting to vote in the Ballon D’or ballot, when he knows that Germany is expecting him and the rest of his squad to deliver in Brazil.

Pot 1: Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina; Colombia, Belgium, Switzerland, Uruguay



Pot 2: Chile, Ecuador, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria 



Pot 3: Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, USA 



Pot 4: Netherlands, Italy, England, Portugal, Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Russia, France

By James Williams @GermanBuLi