A Ballon D’Or on a field blaugrana…
By: Ade C. | October 19th, 2009To wash the bitter taste that this weekend’s match left in our mouths, and get in the mood for Wednesday’s return to the European matches, what better than to bask in the glory that are, for Barça at least , this year’s nominations for France Football’s Ballon D’Or.
Ballon D’Or candidates (from left to right and from top to bottom): Xavi Hernández, Leo Messi, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o, Andrés Iniesta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Touré Yaya and Cesc Fábregas (what do you mean I could have found a more recent photo of him?)
Out of the thirty candidates to one of the “bestest” awards of the footballing world (next in importance to FIFA’s World Footballer), six are currently playing for Barcelona (Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, Ibrahimovic and Yaya Touré), one touched the sky with us last season (Samuel Eto’o), and another was brought up in La Masía (Cesc Fábregas) (not to mention that another one keeps declaring his love for Barça whenever there’s a journalist present… yes, Arshavin, I’m looking at you).
The complete list (with our boys highlighted) is:
Andreï Arshavin (Russia, Arsenal)
Karim Benzema (France, O. Lyon then Real Madrid)
Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Manchester United then Real Madrid)
Diego (Brazil, Werder Brêmen then Juventus de Turín)
Didier Drogba (Côte D’Ivoire, Chelsea)
Edin Dzeko (Bosnia, Wolfsburg)
Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon, Barcelona then Inter Milan)
Cesc Fábregas (Spain, Arsenal)
Fernando Torres (Spain, Liverpool)
Diego Forlan (Uruguay, Atlético de Madrid)
Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool)
Ryan Giggs (Wales, Manchester United)
Yoann Gourcuff (France, Burdeos)
Thierry Henry (France, Barcelona)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, Inter Milan then Barcelona)
Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona)
Julio Cesar (Brazil, Inter de Milán)
Kakà (Brazil, Milan AC then Real Madrid)
Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea)
Maicon (Brazil, Inter Milán)
Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
Luis Fabiano (Brazil, Sevilla)
Franck Ribéry (France, Bayern Munich)
Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United)
John Terry (England, Chelsea)
Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United)
David Villa (Spain, Valencia)
Xavi Hernández (Spain, Barcelona)
Yaya Touré (Côte D’Ivoire, Barcelona)
Everyone keeps saying that Leo Messi is a shoo-in for the Ballon D’Or this year (let’s just hope no-one with a vote was watching the match in Mestalla on Saturday), and culés everywhere were seething for the absence of Carles Puyol in the list, but personally, I’m just thrilled that Yaya Touré is nominated… finally people are starting to recognise what an asset he is! That makes me happy!
So… who do you think will win? And who do you think *should* win? And isn’t it great that Barça has six nominees and Real Madrid only four?
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Tags: Andres Iniesta, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Team News, Thierry Henry, Xavi, Yaya Toure, Zlatan IbrahimovicSubscribe
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Comments | Add your comment
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not enough love for defense really, terry vidic and maicon are the only defenders on the list. Puyol should have got a look in, valdes is underrated as well.
If you look basically barce’s entire attack and midfield are short listed.
Posted from
United States
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Bar Casillas, “Madrid’s” four candidates can hardly have their claim staked by the capital.
Messi should win, Xavi should finish second. After that, it really doesn’t matter. The universe will be in balance.
Posted from
Australia -
I really think Xavi should win it (if one from Barca does of course), he has been in top form for 2 seasons now and it must be clear even to those who do not Barcelona that well that when Xavi has an off day so does the rest of the team.
Posted from
United States -
Ade mentioned that Yaya is finally getting the credit he deserves for being such a fantastic footballer. This is a little off-topic, but on Football Manager 2010, the demo at least, Yaya is finally has been given outstanding stats, which pleases me. And the host of Blaugrana supporters who also play the game.
Posted from
United States -
From a Madrid supporter, Messi deserves the Ballon D’or. He was the best player last year and played on the best team and deserves the award. I don’t see how anybody with unbiased eyes can dispute him getting it. Not to start controversy but if you count Febregas for Barcelona (if you were joking I take it back) then you should count Eto’o for Madrid too because he was a Madrid canterano just like Cesc was a Barcelona canterano. Some may argue that Cesc was there longer, but canterano is canterano no matter the time period. Good luck this season and hopefully this La Liga is a tight multi-team race.
Posted from
United States -
TSDrew makes a good point.
I don’t think Cesc and Ibra should be included in that photo. Ibra, while he’s a Barca player now, has been nominated according to his performance with [i]Inter[/i] last season. And Cesc, well, What he’s today, it’s because of Wenger, as much as I hate to say that.
Anyway, I’d love to see Xavi getting this award. It might be (hopefully not) his last chance to get the so-long-waited recognition he deserves for the long years he’s served at Barca. Iniesta and Messi still have many years ahead of them to earn those awards for breakfasts.
Posted from
United States -
Aww, come on, people, lighten up! Of course Cesc shouldn’t be in that picture… that’s pure wishful thinking of my part (we, along with Txiki, can only sigh, “Someday…”)! And well, if Ibra shouldn’t be there either, then Real Madrid shouldn’t boast of having Kaká, CRon and Benzema (it seems like a fair deal to me).
I do agree that Xavi ought to get a major award soon, though, but I don’t think he has the “star power” to carry off with the Ballon D’Or… which is a shame, because Leo and Andrés have much to learn and many seasons more to show off, while I think Xavi is at the top of his form now. Oh well, that’s footballing awards for you…
And hey, TSDrew, nice to see a madridista here, and one who likes Messi as well! Good luck this season to you too, and surely Sevilla and Valencia won’t make things easier for anyone…
Posted from
Spain -
hmmm Iniesta or Xavi should win it. thats from a Real fan lolz
Posted from
United Kingdom
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