The Eurovision song contest is not alone in being riddled by people voting for their mates.

While justice was seen to be done as Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or, with Franck Ribery and Lionel Messi as his closest challengers for the crown of world’s best player, it was interesting to note just how many of the high profile players polled – and the votes of some others too – were influenced heavily by team and/or national allegiances.

An easy place to start is Manchester City’s captain Vincent Kompany.

He voted for Belgium international teammate Eden Hazard as third best player and gave his second place vote to City teammate Yaya Toure.

Toure plainly engenders great loyalty as his Ivory Coast international colleague Didier Drogba made him his best player on the planet ahead of both Ronaldo and Messi.

It was a pattern that repeated itself over and over again as Manchester United’s Robin Van Persie put down Dutch teammate Arjen Robben as best in the world, while Wales manager Chris Coleman and Swansea’s Ashley Williams thought countryman Gareth Bale was the top performer.

Just for a little variety the goalkeepers union also seemed to have an influence, for example Tottenham stopper Hugo Lloris voted for fellow international custodian Manuel Neuer, of Germany, but reverted to type for his top choice by selecting France teammate Ribery.

However, not everyone was so easily led and among a number of players who picked out the top three were Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky, Queens Park Rangers’ Yossi Benayoun and Malaga forward Roque Santa Cruz.

Now I know my opinion may be a little jaundiced of the man Mark Hughes obviously rated as a great striker, but I would have thought the Paraguayan international’s specialist knowledge would have centred around who were the world’s top substitutes and then the best players who have been out on loan on a regular basis.

But while I started with a comparison with Eurovision – a competition some believe to have been ruined by Balkan states voting for their neighbours – at the conclusion of the gala event at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Ronaldo turned it into the Oscars.

The former Manchester United star went all Gwyneth Paltrow and cried after receiving his trophy – pathetic!

There has to come a time when the excuses have to stop.

Once again Andy Murray was left as Britain’s sole survivor in a tennis major with the paint barely dry on the ‘tournament open’ signs.

Not that it will worry the Scot as tennis hardly falls into the category of being a team game, but it would be a pleasant distraction if one or two of our other players could hang around a little longer.

And that applies particularly to the women players who have been lauded as genuine hopes for success, but are still struggling to put anything together in terms of true competitiveness when it comes to the four big events.

Heather Watson and Laura Robson beat a very hasty retreat from the Australian Open – no doubt keen to have as much time as possible to take in the sights of Melbourne having made such a long and expensive journey.

Now it may seem a harsh point to make, given that Robson is still only 19 and Watson is 21, but just when are these players going to start to fulfil their supposed potential?

Since winning a silver medal playing alongside Murray in the mixed doubles at the 2012 London Olympics, Robson has risen as high as 27th in the world rankings in July last year, only to have gone into the Australian championship at No44.

Admittedly a wrist injury has hampered her progress but Robson was the first player to be defeated in the tournament going down 6-3 6-0 to Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens, who was 18th seed.

While Watson put up more of a fight in going out 7-5 3-6 6-3 to 31st seed Daniela Hantuchova, her slip from pressing for a top 30 world rankings has been even more dramatic than Robson’s.

The girl from Guernsey’s best placing was 39th in February last year, but started in Melbourne as 121 in the world.

While there are again mitigating circumstances, Watson having battled to overcome glandular fever, sooner or later the trend towards rapid departures has to be addressed.

Maybe a quick chat with Murray about just how exciting it is to play in the second week of a tournament might be a good place to start.