Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez says Fernando Torres deserves to win this year's Ballon d'Or. Benitez told AS: "I would give it to Fernando because he has had an extraordinary year. He has scored more than 30 goals with the added difficulty of it being his first year in England.

"Then there was the Euro campaign, marked with a goal in the final.

"For many reasons I believe that he deserves it, without ignoring the merits of Iker Casillas or any of the other nominees because they have been important also."