The_Rev Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The long list for the Ballon d'Or came out today. Some interesting names on there, worth a thread I think. Eric Abidal (France), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Karim Benzema (France), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Dani Alves (Brazil), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Nani (Portugal), Neymar (Brazil), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Gerard Pique (Spain), Wayne Rooney (England), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Luis Suarez (Uruguay), David Villa (Spain), Xabi Alonso (Spain), Xavi (Spain). The list is as above. It gets turned into a short list of three next month, then the winner is announce at the start of January. Very surprised to see Van Persie left off it when you consider he has something like 35 goals in 35 games for club and country this calendar year, especially when Cesc Fabregas who spent several months out injured is included. I added a few names in the poll, but space wont let me fit them all in so I only included those who I think have a realistic chance of winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregavfc Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Granted I don't know an awful lot about world football, but I cant see past Messi. Although Ronaldo and Xavi will be up there IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanvilla_1994 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 How on earth is Benzema on there and Van Persie not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 for the year he has had and i hate to say it Suarez should win as he was best player in the only major international tournament of the year. but Messi will win it even though he again failed for his country in major tournament but did well for club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Abidal and Fabregas? Don't understand Benzema either. Other players have had very good years in terms of goals like Di Natale, Cavani and van Persie, why aren't they there? I really don't care about the Ballon D'or anymore after Diego Milito was left off the 2010 list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ED Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I take it this is for the calendar year? Xavi needs to win this award before it's too late. So him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bose Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 for the year he has had and i hate to say it Suarez should win as he was best player in the only major international tournament of the year. but Messi will win it even though he again failed for his country in major tournament but did well for club So international tournaments are more important than club games? I think it should be an even balance and even then the club games should matter more because they are over a longer period of time and you need to show consistency. International tournaments depend more on the players current short time form. You really like to go against the grain don't you Zatman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 for the year he has had and i hate to say it Suarez should win as he was best player in the only major international tournament of the year. but Messi will win it even though he again failed for his country in major tournament but did well for club So international tournaments are more important than club games? In FIFA's eyes, yes they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 yeah winners of past FIFA award include 98- Zidane 2002 - Ronaldo 2006 - Cannavaro Abidal and Fabregas? no offence to him but i Abidal is a token nomination and he would probably admit himself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share Posted November 1, 2011 Yeah, its for the calendar year Dan. And players have won the award on the back of strong World Cups (2002 & 2006 spring to mind instantly) but Leo Messi is so very obviously the best player in the world right now it would be insane to give it to anybody else. He has scored two goals in the first half tonight in the Champions League btw, which takes him to 21 for the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Make that 22. Leo Messi of course. He stands in front of everyone else as the best player and deservedly will win it. The idea that the Copa America is more important than say a Champions League is quite a funny one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The idea that the Copa America is more important than say a Champions League is quite a funny one. how? copa america the oldest international tournament in the world which has had probably had every great South American player participate in at one stage and also the continent which has produced the greatest players of all time like Maradona, Ronaldo, Pele, Zico. Also ask msot South American players and they would prefer to play for their country in Copa America. You wouldnt see Tevez refuse to warm up for Argentina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The idea that the Copa America is more important than say a Champions League is quite a funny one. Would you say that a Champions League game is more important than say, England vs Portugal in the European Championships? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qwpzxjor1 Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Messi. But for the sake of argument, I'd go for David Silva. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 How? Really? The Champions League handles pretty much all the best teams and players in the world, bar the odd couple. It is the tournament that shows the best against each other (in the knock outs) We're talking about the Copa America for **** sake. It's a small factor but that's it, a small factor, maybe used to seperate two very identical performance years for their club, two players of similar ability. Just like I wouldn't look at the Euro's best player in 2012 and automatically make one of them win it. It just clearly rules out certain players, when it should be the best player in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share Posted November 1, 2011 Champions League vs Copa America depends on who you ask. As the Ballon D'or is traditionally a European award it tends to be biased towards European football (they have made moves to go truly global in recent years, the merge with the FIFA award being quite a big deal, but I cant see a shift towards bias for South America any time soon) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The idea that the Copa America is more important than say a Champions League is quite a funny one. Would you say that a Champions League game is more important than say, England vs Portugal in the European Championships? I'd say the CL final is bigger than the Euro final yeah. Or usually is in terms of quality on display. Messi played in Copa America but forgetting him, the idea Suarez deserves world player of the year over Ronaldo or Xavi is also extremely laughable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 why not? he was a major factor in Liverpool revival last season and in Ajax winning first league titel in many years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 It's Ronaldo, Messi or Xavi. I would go Ronaldo, but could accept the other 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The idea that the Copa America is more important than say a Champions League is quite a funny one. the idea Suarez deserves world player of the year over Ronaldo or Xavi is also extremely laughable. I'd fully agree with that. I'd also disagree with you statement that the average Champions League game is more important than the average European Championship game. As an example, I can tell you off the top of my head that Spain won in 2008, Greece won in 2004, France won in 2000, Germany won in 1996, Denmark won in 1992, Netherlands won in 1988 and France won in 1984. That's every European Championships in my lifetime, but I'd be hard pushed to tell you who won the equivalent Champions League or European Cup in any of those years. You? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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