Del Bosque, on the Ballon d'Or: It loses something when Messi isn't there LaLiga Santander - Real Madrid Former coach on the Barcelona player

Without his trademark moustache for the first time in 45 years, Vicente del Bosque surprised everyone on his most recent appearance, where he talked about his sadness at not seeing Lionel Messi as part of the Ballon d'Or ceremony.

Everything points to Real Madrid's Luka Modric winning the award with Barcelona's No.10 not even in the final three this year.

"I am very surprised that Messi isn't there," he said to MARCA.

"I think it [the award] loses all value if he is not leading the best players in the world.

"It is, at the very least, a little strange."

The former Spain coach is also enjoying the fact that LaLiga Santander is very equal this season.

"It's good that Sevilla are the leaders and that LaLiga is equal because it means other teams have more possibilities," he continued.

"Atletico, Real and Barcelona are in a hurry, but football must be a more open competition."

Santiago Solari is Real's new coach, a player Del Bosque signed when he was in charge at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

"We signed Solari as a replacement for Roberto Carlos, and also for the left wing," he added.

"But he was very disciplined, so disciplined in fact that in the Glasgow final he ended up playing with Makelele and even participated in Zizou's goal."

Finally, Del Bosque joked about his new look.

"Well, it [the moustache] was taken away from me, but after 45 years... and with a lot of resistance on my part!" he laughed.

"But it was a nice campaign, they associated my moustache with the product that Pescanova [a fishing company] sells.

"I hope that it will soon be there again as always."