Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has said that he reckons goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and himself are both deserving of the Ballon d'Or award.
"I would give two Ballon d'Or prizes," he told France Football. "One to me and one to Buffon. There is a great respect and friendship between Gigi and I."
Real Madrid centre half Cannavaro lifted the World Cup trophy in the summer, while Juventus' number one Buffon kept five clean sheets in the seven matches contested in Germany.
"I am already satisfied with what happened in the summer, and the Ballon d'Or would be the last prize reflecting that," Cannavaro continued.
"I hope that an Italian wins because it would be positive for our football."
Arsenal winger Freddy Ljungberg meanwhile has won the Swedish version of the award.
"I am proud and delighted," he told website football.fr. "But I would be nothing without my team-mates, at Arsenal or in the shirt of Sweden."
