The Ballon d'Or shortlist has a bit of a Spanish flavor to it.
Seven of the 23 nominees for the prestigious award participated in the FIFA World Cup for Spain over the summer, with Xavi, Andres Iniesta, David Villa, Carles Puyol, Cesc Fabregas, Xabi Alonso and Iker Casillas making the cut.
Germany features five nominees (Mesut Ozil, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Mueller), Brazil has three (Maicon, Julio Cesar, Dani Alves) and World Cup runner-up Netherlands has two (Wesley Sneijeder, Arjen Robben).
Other nominees include Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o, Diego Forlan, Asamoah Gyan and Lionel Messi.
Who do you think should win the award? Think anybody got snubbed from the shortlist? Think anyone is on the list that doesn't belong?
Share your thoughts below.
Hey, Alex has got a point… Gyan doesn’t deserve to be on that list.
Completely agree. In addition to all the titles mentioned above he had a very close run at the golden boot this WC.
i disagree. Given that messi won last year, and this is a world cup year, i think it goes to someone who excelled for club and country. ie. xavi or sneijder. messi didn’t do enough in s. africa.
Lots of crazy talk in here. Messi wins this by a mile.
I gotta think it’ll be Xavi or Messi
yeah that and the fact that FIFA spikes US tap water to keep us from growing up to be clinical finishers and competent fullbacks. and what’s with that making us cough up early goals time and again… I mean, DAMN THEM!
so, no Gyan?
Habbout Paul the Octopus? That dude was unstoppable.
Wait, can you call an octopus a dude?
I know he wouldn’t be a contender to win, but no Carlos tevez on the list?
just saying Gyan on list is crap
If Gyan made the list so should Donovan.
Excellent 10 games in the europe’s top league, 3 WC goals, 1 a game winner. created multiple chances, including ball to altidore for MB’s goal. hand in Edu’s no goal.
geesh.
The most interesting stat for me is that La Liga has 12 nominees and EPL only 3 (Guyan, Drogba and Fabergas). EPL is a great league, but La Liga has the best top individual talent (Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, etc.).
I agree with you on the playmaker deserving it….I think Sneijeder just edges out Xavi for Domestic and Champions League trophies. If Sneijeder hadn’t played in the World Cup Final I would pick Xavi.
I am shocked and dismayed that Jozy Altidore is not on this list.
I don’t see how it could be anybody else unless the standard is based upon something other than winning (just about)everything.
I like Xavi, but, really, these types of awards are stupid. What is the criteria for deciding between Xavi, Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta, etc? The differences conjured up must be so thin as to be ridiculous.
Pique being snubbed is disappointing.
How in the world did Gyan end up on this list? Who was paid off this time?
how was it one of the most shameful games in world cup history? because we lost? if anything, he scored a fantastic goal to win that match for them.
I don’t know…Italian Cup, Scudetto, Champions League winner, and World Cup finalist. I mean, what’s he done to earn it?
Really, Sneijeder is the only choice for me. People would kill to have a career as good as his 2010.
this award is based on the calendar year, so only achievements in 2010. rooney hasnt done anything since march except cause major drama.
No Wondo?
It’s interesting that Brazil’s three nominees are two defenders and a goalkeeper. Where have you gone Joga Bonito???
Pique and Milito are certainly the two biggest snubs. For my money, Pique is the best defender in the world right now.
Rooney isn’t too big a snub in my book as he has been wretched since late March (although he was the best player from January to March).
Surprised to see Klose on there as he has scored only 5 goals this calendar year for Bayern (although he does have about 11 goals for Germany). Gyan is obviously a ridiculous choice.
Yes. For once, let’s see the playmaker/stringpuller get it rather than the person that finishes off the glorious chances he sets up. Xavi.
They factored the World Cup way too much in their selection. Somehow Asamoah Gyan who is backing up Danny Welbeck at the moment makes it over the runner-up in goals scored in the Premier League(Rooney) and the POM of the Champions League Final(Milito)
xavi gets my vote. looking at the way spain and barca play with and without him, he’s shown he’s the most important player on the two best teams in world soccer.
Sneijder would probably get my vote, but I think Iniesta’s absence from Bacra’s lineup showed just how much they depend on him in big time matches.
is there any chance messi isn’t in the top 3
Agree..but it won’t be. It’s either Messi or Xavi.
Would love to see Xavi Hernandez win it.
I think Wayne Rooney got shafted here. I know he had a bad World Cup and start of the year, but his 34 goals last year in all competitions definitely warranted a nomination over Asamoah Gyan.
Gotta be Sneijder. Case shut.
Asamoah Gyan? Let’s see, you play for Ghana in one of the most shameful games in World Cup history against the USA, and then you miss the game-winning PK in the last minute of extra time against Uruguay. How is he nominated?
I also assume it will go to a Spaniard. But I think it should go to Wesley Sneijder. He was one of (if not the) main forces in winning the triple – Champions League, Serie A, and Coppa Italia). And he was a blown Robben chance away from winning a quadruple including the World Cup (which could be unprecedented). Can’t get much better than that.
I also would have nominated Pique over both Puyol and Dani Alves.
Asamoah GYAN, that is.
Asamoah Gyan? Really?
No Diego Milito? Really?
FIFA continues to embarrass themselves.
Asamoah over Milito? Wow.
Asamoah’s inclusion is yet another smack in the US face by FIFA who clearly have a conspiracy against us.
[/sarcasm]
Gyan is a shocking pick. He was good in the World Cup, but never exceptional. There’s a host of players that should be on this list before him.
Milito’s the biggest snub to me. He was never going to win it though so no big deal.
Wait, I thought I heard the top 3 were Diego Milito, Sniejder, and Iniesta… and now Milito isn’t even in the top 23?
Wow.
Robben had a good year. Eto’o too. But I assume in a World Cup year it will go to a Spaniard