Ballon D'or

[slippers]

Player nominees: 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).

 

Coach nominees: Vicente Del Bosque (Spain/Spain national team), Alex Ferguson (Scotland/Manchester United FC), Rudi Garcia (France/Lille OSC), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Barcelona), Jurgen Klopp (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Low (Germany/Germany national team), Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay/Uruguay national team), Andre Villas-Boas (Portugal/FC Porto, Chelsea), Arsene Wenger (France/Arsenal).

 

Messi and Villas Boas for me!

 

On a side note why is Wenger on manager shortlist? Only club manager on list that hasn't won anything last year or the previous 4 or 5 seasons!

[Dynamo]

Easy.

 

Pep and Messi, no other contenders come close.

 

 

Messi is a stick on.

 

The Uruguay manager has done well though, winners of Copa America.

 

Why's Wenger on there? And no Van Persie, his goals:game must be better than every striker on that list for this year!

[Dynamo]

Arsenal goals scored in 2011 (Premier League) - 41

Van Persies goals scored in 2011 (Premier League) - 27

 

 

He really is something else.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/11/01/2737068/right-man-right-place-right-time-why-robin-van-persie-is-finally-

[Bluto10]

this award lost a bit of credibility with me they year sneijder didnt win it.

 

what a pointless shortlist anyway.

 

why not make a 5 man shortlist, where each and everyone in it is in with a chance of winning it.

[Bluto10]

Easy.

 

Pep and Messi, no other contenders come close.

 

- i'd say villas boas has done better with what he had than pep with barcalona.

[Crossbow]

- i'd say villas boas has done better with what he had than pep with barcalona.

 

Over the last year I'd agree - hard to see past Messi, but I'd give it to Villas Boas over Guardiola

[minijc]

Eric Abidal only on it because of his off field problems, sympathy vote if ever there was one.

[OddJob]

Eric Abidal only on it because of his off field problems, sympathy vote if ever there was one.

Agreed. I mean i felt sorry for the guy and delighted he's overcome his illness but the guy is not that good a player and certainly nowhere near the class of most of the players in that list.

 

Will definitely be Messi winning again, and agree it should really be Villas-Boas who wins the coach award but it will be Pep

[Donmacca]

Looking at the players list and it rubbishes the EPL's claim to be the best league in the world. Most the players on there have played in la liga at some point this year where as only 5 of them have played in england.

[tutankamun]

And no Van Persie, his goals:game must be better than every striker on that list for this year!

 

Agreed, shocking omission there. Gomez as well.

[Sonoftherock]

Messi and Tabarez for me.

[Bluto10]

announced tonight.

 

if its not messi, then i'll eat my baseball cap. he should win 70 : 29.99 : 0.01

 

as for coaches, probably pep but theres nae a huge amout to choose between them if you anaylse their achievement individually as opposed to looking at who won the c.l.

[Bluto10]

World 11 announced: Casillas, Dani Alves, Pique, Ramos, Vidic, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney

 

Only Real Madrid, Man United and Barca players. Hmmm....

 

No Robin Van Persie, one of the best strikers in the world in 2011.

 

Fitba is shite.

 

who picks these team or the year players? do they just go ''who finished first second and third in the cahmpions league'' and divvy the players up from there?

 

so casillas was the best keeper on the planet? not last year he wasnt.

 

and very harsh on van persie.

definitley had a better all round year than rooney.

but he's been an ace player all his arsenal career but always goes unnoticed, prob due to his injuries.

[Dynamo]

who picks these team or the year players? do they just go ''who finished first second and third in the cahmpions league'' and divvy the players up from there?

 

so casillas was the best keeper on the planet? not last year he wasnt.

 

and very harsh on van persie.

definitley had a better all round year than rooney.

but he's been an ace player all his arsenal career but always goes unnoticed, prob due to his injuries.

 

Probably because he's won nothing.

[vanderark14]

who picks these team or the year players? do they just go ''who finished first second and third in the cahmpions league'' and divvy the players up from there?

 

so casillas was the best keeper on the planet? not last year he wasnt.

 

and very harsh on van persie.

definitley had a better all round year than rooney.

but he's been an ace player all his arsenal career but always goes unnoticed, prob due to his injuries.

 

I am sure I heard on talksport that these teams are voted for by coaches

[Bluto10]

Probably because he's won nothing.

 

so did cassillas, ramos and alonso.

[Dynamo]

They won the Copa Del Rey remember.

 

Not saying it rights, but maybe it's a reason.

 

They also played CL semi final and were runners up in the league.

 

Whereas Arsenal lost the Carling Cup final.

 

Maybe he's not been picked because he's not been playing at the top top level?

 

I agree though, he is a class act. Rooney has scored more goals this season already than he (Rooney) did in the whole of the previous one!

[Bluto10]

They won the Copa Del Rey remember.

 

Not saying it rights, but maybe it's a reason.

 

They also played CL semi final and were runners up in the league.

 

Whereas Arsenal lost the Carling Cup final.

 

Maybe he's not been picked because he's not been playing at the top top level?

 

I agree though, he is a class act. Rooney has scored more goals this season already than he (Rooney) did in the whole of the previous one!

 

copa del rey, monkey cup min. worthless.

[E-P-K]

Ballon D'or tonight,

 

Has to be Messi.

 

Interesting stats on the link between Messi, Ronado and Iniesta.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20910453

[minijc]

Got cash on Ronaldo and iniesta, prices are too good to turn down.

[E-P-K]

Got cash on Ronaldo and iniesta, prices are too good to turn down.

 

High odds for a very good reason, 91 reasons infact,

 

good luck.

[E-P-K]

Just as i say that, Messi confirmed winner, Ronaldo 2nd, Iniesta 3rd.

 

FIFA team of the year, is made up completely of players based in Spain

 

All Barca and Real players and Falcao.

[minijc]

Well the prices weren't good value after all. The bookies love mug punters. They run a book against dead certs and mugs buy into it. How could anyone bet against Messi winning it, as he inevitably did? What odds were they offering on him? 1/100?

1/6 actually, it was

[Aberdeen_Fan]

Well there was only ever one winner really.

[caledonia]

http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/puskasaward/index.html

 

I would have voted for FALCAO here for best goal instead of STOCH although not much difference between the two.

[Bluto10]

as good as ronaldo and iniesta are is no one talks abouthwm being the best ever, like people do for messi

 

he has been the best in the world for 6/7 years now.

[E-P-K]

as good as ronaldo and iniesta are is no one talks abouthwm being the best ever, like people do for messi

 

he has been the best in the world for 6/7 years now.

 

Both are rather unfortunate to be around in Messi's era,

[tightbreeks]

i would pick bale ahead of marcelo and alves.

[Aberdeen_Fan]

Casillas is a good goalie but never best of year

[Bluto10]

Both are rather unfortunate to be around in Messi's era,

like everyone else in history of world football would be????