Brendan Rodgers:There is no explanation for Suarez’s omission

Brendan Rodgers responded on omission of Suarez  from  the 2014 Ballon d’Or award

Brendan Rodgers insists there is no explanation for Luis Suarez‘s omission from Fifa’s 23-man shortlist for the 2014 Ballon d’Or award. He helmed Liverpool to the brink of a first Premier League title since 1990 last season, scoring 31 goals last season.

The 27-year-old Suarez was overshadowed by the punishment he received for biting Chiellini’s shoulder during Uruguay’s clash with Italy in world cup 2014. That was his third such offence due to which FIFA omitted him out of Ballon D’or. Rodgers believes his the star still deserved recognition for his achievements on the pitch.

The Liverpool boss told reporters “I can’t think of a reason why Luis shouldn’t be on the shortlist. Certainly, football-wise, he should be on there. I can only think that it is because of the bite that he isn’t being considered – and I don’t believe that’s fair.

“If you are judging it on football – and that’s surely what it is because it is called the Golden Ball, not the Golden Ball and Mouth.

“If anyone in the world names the five best players at the moment they would probably say Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Suarez and Bale. How can four be in it and one not? It means the Ballon d’Or isn’t about football.

“I don’t know the histories of all the players on the short-list, but I’m sure that some of them have been guilty of misdemeanours somewhere along the way. Luis Suarez is an incredible talent. What a player.

“I don’t know whether it is a political decision, but if you are basing the Ballon d’Or on football then he should be on the short-list – and he would have a great chance of winning it.”