And it is here, with Alex Ferguson, that I started to believe I could win the Ballon d'Or.
However, United gazumped the deal by entering negotiations and bidding three times what Arsenal offered for the recently-crowned 2008 Ballon d'Or winner.
Only once has one of Ferguson's men won the Ballon d'Or, awarded annually to the best player in Europe (it went to Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008).
WSJ: Some Lavish Praise for Alex Ferguson��Manchester United
Ronaldo was named Ballon d'Or winner in the early hours of Tuesday morning and will lift the trophy at an awards ceremony in Paris on Sunday night.
He was also twice named World player of the year in 2004 and 2005 and has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or (european player of the year) once.
Ronaldo and Messi will go head-to-head for the prestigious Ballon d'Or in January, with the Barcelona star having won the award on each of the previous three occasions.
The Glentoran striker's back flick at the Oval on 5 October is one of a shortlist of 10 goals in the running for the Ballon d'Or - Puskas Award.
On Monday, while attending FIFA's Ballon d'Or gala for international player of the year, Guardiola teased his potential suitors even further, saying that he expected to be coaching next year.
Speaking at the Ballon D'or awards in Zurich on Monday, FIFA president Sepp Blatter described Boateng's actions as "courageous" but said leaving the pitch was not the long term answer.
Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2008 when at Manchester United, led Madrid to the league title last season and has scored in his past six successive El Clasicos.
France Football, first published in 1946, organized the Ballon d'Or award for European footballer of the year until it was merged with FIFA's world player of the year award in 2010.
His form through 2008 resulted in him being named Fifa World Player of the Year in January - only a month after he won the Ballon d'Or as the European Player of the Year.
The FIFA Ballon d'Or was awarded for the third time following the 2010 amalgamation of the FIFA World Player of the Year award with the France Football Ballon d'Or, which was popularly known as the European Footballer of the Year award.
The FIFA Ballon d'Or was awarded for the third time following the amalgamation of the FIFA World Player of the Year award with the France Football Ballon d'Or, which was popularly known as the European Footballer of the Year award, in 2010.
On a personal basis, he has won three consecutive World Player of the Year titles and is favorite to beat teammate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo to win this year's FIFA Ballon D'Or (as the award became known in 2010).
CNN: Messi joins Xavi and Puyol in agreeing new Barcelona deals
Since signing for Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon as an 18-year-old in 2003, the Madeira-born forward has developed into one of the best players in the world and is the current holder of the Ballon d'Or award as European Footballer of the Year.
应用推荐