FIFA Ballon d'Or Announcements

[Chaplin]

http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/media/newsid=1981449/index.html?intcmp=newsreader_news_caption

Messi wins his 4th in a row--first player to ever do that. Amazing.

Abby Wambach wins Woman's player of the year and Pia Sundhage wins Womens Coach of the Year.

Del Bosque wins Coach of the Year, and deservedly so, IMO.

They also poll 50,000 players and coaches for their top 12 players and it's an amazing list:

Iker Casillas (Spain) in goal; Dani Alves (Brazil), Marcelo (Brazil), Gerard Piqué (Spain) and Sergio Ramos (Spain) in defence; Xabi Alonso (Spain), Andrés Iniesta (Spain) and Xavi Hernández (Spain) in midfield; and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Radamel Falcao (Colombia) and Lionel Messi (Argentina) up front.

The entire top 12 team is comprised of players who play club football in Spain. Pretty amazing considering how many great players are out there in England and Germany.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I dont like either the LB or RB picks.

I would have had Ashley Cole in one of the full back positions, preferably over Marcelo.

 

[Chaplin]

I dont like either the LB or RB picks.

I would have had Ashley Cole in one of the full back positions, preferably over Marcelo.

As much as I hate to say it, Dani Alves has been pretty average this season as well. He's been outplayed by Adriano on Barcelona. But to be fair, he played well last season.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

As much as I hate to say it, Dani Alves has been pretty average this season as well. He's been outplayed by Adriano on Barcelona. But to be fair, he played well last season.

I said the exact same thing about him being outplayed this year, but it didn't seem valid due to them being last year's awards.

 

[Chaplin]

All 91 Messi goals from 2012:

 

[dreamcastrocks]

#71 is my personal favorite. I have probably seen about 30 of those including the last 10 or so.

 

[Shzm13]

I dont like either the LB or RB picks.

I would have had Ashley Cole in one of the full back positions, preferably over Marcelo.

Pique wasn't elite last year. I would say Hummels is currently superior.

Ronaldo's reaction was priceless:

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Also, anyone else think it was kinda shady that Casillas voted Ramos ahead of Ronaldo? Speaks volumes about the drama currently going on in Real Madrid. Here's a list of each each voter and their top 3 choices:
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/bal.../98/07/84/fboawardmenplayer2012-bycountry.pdf

 

[Chaplin]

Pique wasn't elite last year. I would say Hummels is currently superior.

Perhaps at the first part of 2012, but in the first part of this current season
Pique is easily one of the top 3 center fullbacks in world football.

Also, anyone else think it was kinda shady that Casillas voted Ramos ahead of Ronaldo? Speaks volumes about the drama currently going on in Real Madrid. Here's a list of each each voter and their top 3 choices:
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/bal.../98/07/84/fboawardmenplayer2012-bycountry.pdf

You mean Real Madrid's keeper voted for a defender over a winger? What is wrong with him??

 

[Shzm13]

Perhaps at the first part of 2012, but in the first part of this current season
Pique is easily one of the top 3 center fullbacks in world football.



You mean Real Madrid's keeper voted for a defender over a winger? What is wrong with him??

Even in current form, Hummels, Silva, Kompany are all better center backs than Pique. The Barca/Spain hype helps him out, but he shouldn't be in the top XI for the past year.

It goes further than keeper preferring defenders, since there is an alleged rift between Portuguese and Spaniards in RM. Even if Ramos were the best in the world at his position (which hes not,) he would have had to be flat out amazing to eclipse what Ronaldo has done recently. Messi is better, yes, but it seems like Casillas deliberately avoided giving him his first place vote.

 

[Dr. Jones]

My take on the top 11: La Liga baby.... FTW! Only one player not from Real Madrid or Barcelona. lol


I like most of the picks. And Pique is just fine with me. I was upset that Van Persie missed out over Falcao.

My list of big snubs are Van Persie, Thiago Silva, & Pirlo (his team was undefeated in league last year!).

 

[dreamcastrocks]

My take on the top 11: La Liga baby.... FTW! Only one player not from Real Madrid or Barcelona. lol


I like most of the picks. And Pique is just fine with me. I was upset that Van Persie missed out over Falcao.

My list of big snubs are Van Persie, Thiago Silva, & Pirlo (his team was undefeated in league last year!).

If you think Pique was fine, you must think that Ramos shouldn't have been there over Silva? No way.

I don't mind the Alonso pick over Pirlo, although that was was probably close.

On second thought, Falcao over RVP is a bit of a snub though.

 

[Chaplin]

If you think Pique was fine, you must think that Ramos shouldn't have been there over Silva? No way.

I don't mind the Alonso pick over Pirlo, although that was was probably close.

On second thought, Falcao over RVP is a bit of a snub though.

I think with Falcao you're looking at short memories. Falcao has EASILY been the best striker in the world since August, but the latter half of last year RVP was on fire. Falcao is just killing it right now, so it's understandable that the voters (players and coaches) voted him in over RVP--you have to wonder if the fact he went from Arsenal to ManU was a negative in many players' eyes.

 

[Dr. Jones]

If you think Pique was fine, you must think that Ramos shouldn't have been there over Silva? No way.

I don't mind the Alonso pick over Pirlo, although that was was probably close.

On second thought, Falcao over RVP is a bit of a snub though.

The three of them (Pique, Ramos, Silva) are very close IMO. And yes it can go either way. Personally I like Pique & Silva. But Ramos is right there.

Chap's comments on Falcao are spot on for me. Last season he tailed off a bit while Van Persie has been magical for 18 months now.

I never tought of a Red Devils bias but I can see it as a possibility.

Pirlo over Alonso is a joke IMO the more I think about it. Best player on the undefeated Serie A champions. And (IMO) the player of the tourney for the Azuri in the Euro championships.

Other than that..... Spot on IMO.

How about Iker getting goalkeeper of the year while just being benched by Mourhino for Adan? Seemed awkward to me when he came on stage.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think with Falcao you're looking at short memories. Falcao has EASILY been the best striker in the world since August, but the latter half of last year RVP was on fire. Falcao is just killing it right now, so it's understandable that the voters (players and coaches) voted him in over RVP--you have to wonder if the fact he went from Arsenal to ManU was a negative in many players' eyes.

Easily better than Messi? Come on. Falcao has been amazing and I have watched a lot of La Liga this year, but MESSI has easily been the best striker in the world all year long.

 

[Chaplin]

Easily better than Messi? Come on. Falcao has been amazing and I have watched a lot of La Liga this year, but MESSI has easily been the best striker in the world all year long.

Since August, Falcao has literally carried his team to 2nd place in La Liga. Messi is my favorite player, but Falcao deserves props for his 1st half of the season. If he continues like this, he'll be up on the podium with Messi and Ronaldo next January. At least Messi still has Villa, Pedro, Cesc, Xavi and Iniesta. Who does Falcao have? Arda Turan and Raul Garcia.

Falcao is a traditional striker, Messi is not. He's like an attacking hybrid of striker, winger and attacking midfielder.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Since August, Falcao has literally carried his team to 2nd place in La Liga. Messi is my favorite player, but Falcao deserves props for his 1st half of the season. If he continues like this, he'll be up on the podium with Messi and Ronaldo next January. At least Messi still has Villa, Pedro, Cesc, Xavi and Iniesta. Who does Falcao have? Arda Turan and Raul Garcia.

Falcao is a traditional striker, Messi is not. He's like an attacking hybrid of striker, winger and attacking midfielder.

Props, absolutely. Claiming that he has been better than Messi.... too much.

 

[Chaplin]

Props, absolutely. Claiming that he has been better than Messi.... too much.

I never claimed he was better than Messi overall. I have said he's the best out-and-out striker in the world right now. And has been for a few months. Is he better than Messi? Of course not. But my point still remains.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I never claimed he was better than Messi overall. I have said he's the best out-and-out striker in the world right now. And has been for a few months. Is he better than Messi? Of course not. But my point still remains.

You said he has been the best striker in the world since August which means that he has been better than Messi.

Agree to disagree I suppose.

 

[Shzm13]

Best XI by English voters only:

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Good to see Toure get some credit. Hart is good but not worlds best.

 

[Chaplin]

Definitely English influenced, but hard to argue with any of those picks save Hart.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Best XI by English voters only:

You must be registered for see images attach

Good to see Toure get some credit. Hart is good but not worlds best.

Yaya isn't/wasn't better than Xabi Alonzo or Pique. Ramos at RB or were they just picking 4 defenders?

 

[Chaplin]

Yaya isn't/wasn't better than Xabi Alonzo or Pique. Ramos at RB or were they just picking 4 defenders?

I thought Busquets was one of the best in the world at defensive mid and nobody has even mentioned him.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I thought Busquets was one of the best in the world at defensive mid and nobody has even mentioned him.

Agreed. He is very underrated.

 

[Chaplin]

Agreed. He is very underrated.

He's even for the most part stopped his theatrics when fouled. The guy is a complete stabilizer back there, especially earlier in the season when the backline of Barcelona was decimated by injuries. I mean, they were running Mascherano and Alex Song as the two center backs. Masch is pretty damn good, but Song was exposed.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

He's even for the most part stopped his theatrics when fouled. The guy is a complete stabilizer back there, especially earlier in the season when the backline of Barcelona was decimated by injuries. I mean, they were running Mascherano and Alex Song as the two center backs. Masch is pretty damn good, but Song was exposed.

That's the thing I can't get past with La Liga. All of the theatrics when fouled. Big reason why I like Messi so much and end up watching more BPL than La Liga.