It should have gone to Sneijder anyway. Sneijder was as good as Milito for Inter (better in te league, but Milito was better on UCL) and had a stellar WC, while Milito played there for 20 minutes.
The next Ballon d'Or winner that isn't Cristiano or Leo
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I don't dispute much of that, but:
in a very very functional Inter team that consigned Eto'o to the wings, with 2 very defensive DMs and 2 CBs who felt most at home defending a siege in their own box (making it necessary to play very deep), he was absolutely crucial for all their transitions to attack.
And nobody expected him to dominate midfield vs Barca because nobody dominated midfield vs Barca. He was pretty good in that 3-1 win at the San Siro, involved in a couple of goals too I think. Anyway it was never the strategy of Mourinho's Inter to dominate midfield possession-wise, they were all about keeping it tight (suffocatingly tight in their own half) and hitting hard on the break.
But the big game you're missing is the game at Stamford Bridge vs Ancelotti's free-scoring Chelsea, he did dominate Ballack and Lampard completely that day, setting up countless chances including a beautiful assist for Etoo's decisive goal.
Very true. Being the best player of the CL winner is one thing, being the best player in the world is another thing. The award is for the best player in the world, not for the best player in a tropheys winning team.
Imagine that Messi scores 100 goals for Barca but they fail to win anything of notice. Should we give the award to, say, Müller, because Bayern won 3 tropheys? Well, clearly no, because Müller is like a donkey compared to Messi. And I appreciate him as a player!
There is a good reason why Messi and Ronaldo win the award. They are all time greats, the rest are just good players in comparision.
Nope, The Sneijder hype came from his exploits in the CL and his world cup tournament also pushed his agenda. He had a wonder of a performance vs Barca in the 1st leg of the semi and was wonderful in the final. Sneijder was easily Inter's second best player that season, easily. He missed 12 league matches not 50% of them. No one is ever really in awe of any Serie a player because the league gets very little attention.
@Vato this above post from @Balu concurs with my view generally, although I'd probably hand the 2012 one to Cristiano for reasons summed up by @Cait Sith in post #97...
More in-depth my opnion on the last few seasons:
I'm not a big believer in the seemingly popular theory that had one of Cristiano/Messi not been around the other would've had a clean sweep of all the awards... for me there have been multiple deserving winners in most calendar years since their domination except for 2008 and 2011 probably.
2008-Cristiano
2009-Messi, but Xavi would've been equally deserving (honourable mention to Iniesta)
2010-Messi, but Xavi and Sneijder would've also been deserving (honourable mention to Milito, LITERALLY scored the goals that won Inter the league, the cup and the CL, but didn't feature at the WC and started off 2nd half of year terribly, had this been a seasonal award it would've been very hard not to have him in the top-3 at very least / also Forlán, WC Golden Ball, equalled top scorer, won a very poor Atléti the EL with important goals in SF and Final; played well and scored in both league games v both Barça and RM including the winning goal in the only league game Barça lost that season, overall scored an impressive amount of goals for a team finishing 9th)
2011-Messi
2012-Cristiano, but Pirlo and Iniesta would've also been deserving (honourable mention to Messi for his fck tonne of irrelevant goals)
2013-Ribéry, maybe Robben?
2014-no real standout apart from Cristiano's goalscoring form in CL and 2nd half of year (if Di María hadn't been injured at the WC and he helped Arg win the thing he would be sure #1 candidate for me, his 1st half of the year was incredible and so far at Utd making a key impact in a relatively struggling team; others Neuer/Robben/Diego Costa? although the latter has his & Spain's pitiful WC against him and his unfortunate injuries at the back end of 13/14 season), as things stand both Cristiano and Di María would be worthy winners for me.
2013 and 2014 were/are very problematic years IMO, you have Cristiano and Messi scoring loads of goals once more, but they've either underperformed or just weren't good enough on the majority of big occasions. The argument about winning team honours is also being misrepresented by a lot of posters: it's mostly about the impact/influence the invididual's performances have on the team rather than just the sum of trophies won. For example in 2012 Barça only won the Copa del Rey despite Messi scoring 70-80 goals, in 2013 RM didn't win a single major honour (in fact even got beaten to one at their own stadium by their neighbours against whom they hadn't lost a game in 14 years!)... I mean, honestly, a big part of the reason these two players produce their incredible stats in the first place is the teams they're playing for.. when they then can't provide success in return I don't feel it's inappropriate to question this. Rest assured that's just half of it, the other half is their actual match performances in these years themselves which weren't particularly impressive when required either. It's here where (often meaningless) goals mask average performances.
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His world cup is one of the most overrated tournaments I've ever seen. A few decent performances, a few poor ones. All people cared about was that he scored a lot of lucky, deflected (and probably not even his own) goals though.
Good European campaign and don't watch enough Serie A to know, but no way was his World Cup "stellar".
I agree on the Sneijder thing, in the sense that he was Inter's 2nd best performer that season, but in light of his performances in CL (he really was great in most of their knock-out games, none more so than 1st leg v previous season's winners Barça) and WC (even though overrated he did still equal for most goals that got a rather unfancied Holland to the final) I would probably include him as a "fair" candidate for that BdO together with Xavi, but ultimately I have to defer to Messi that season/year as it was then that he was beginning to be touted as a potential all-time great.
Yeah that's fair enough. I agree with most of it, just don't think his World Cup was that praiseworthy, i.e worthy of a Balon d'Or candidate.
Overall though he was definitely a fair candidate for the award for sure, but yeah I'd have had Messi as first (and Xavi second).
Agree with every single word on this post.
What I meant was that he missed almost 50 % in minutes, not appearances. He started 24 out of 38 games, came on twice as a sub and got subbed off a few times due to injury. He also got himself sent off twice which also resulted in two suspensions. Overall he only played 2038 minutes out of 3420 possible. Against Atalanta it cost them points, Inter couldn't hold on to their lead. Anything but a standout performer in the league nor Coppa Italia.
In the Champions League Milito stole the show in all the crucial games bar Chelsea fixture and Barca return leg. Against Chelsea 1st leg (Milito still scored) it was all about Lucio and Cambiasso, particularly Lucio who had 11 successful tackles, 9 interceptions and 9 clearances. Just as a comparison. The entire Chelsea team had 13 tackles, 14 interceptions and 12 clearances. Never was the term "1 man wall" more apt. In the 2nd leg more of the same, including 2 last man tackles. You can see here in the Telegraph's 2nd leg preview that Sneijder isn't even mentioned in the "key battles": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...9874/Chelsea-v-Inter-Milan-match-preview.html Strange for someone who later is believed to be a Ballon d'Or candidate, no? Here is another review by Chris Wright who describes Lucio as the MOTM and Sneijder as "lively but nothing much of substance": http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/chelsea/17616/inter-milan-vs-chelsea-player-ratings.html
Against Barca Sneijder did okay, scored an offside headed tap-in, but Milito scored and assisted 2 which means he was involved in all 3 goals. In the final against Bayern Sneijder did okay but Milito again scored a brace in a 2-0 victory. So overall I don't see where Sneijder was ever the standout performer in the Champions League. Sure, Sneijder did okay, I'm not saying he didn't, he played his part in a few games. But if I have to analyse Inter's success that season it comes down to 2 things: a) offensively Milito deciding games more than Sneijder and b) the defense keeping it very tight (both Chelsea games, both Barca games, Bayern). So I'm not so sure I would even label Sneijder Inter's 2nd best performer. For one of the meanest defensive teams in modern times the likes of Walter Samuel, Lucio, Maicon, Cambiasso, Zanetti and even Julio Cesar don't get much credit at all in hindsight compared to Sneijder's Ballon d'Or claim.
Think the Sneijder hype had more to do with "treble + WC final" than his actual performances. Michael Cox reviewed the World Cup. Sneijder only made it into his "B XI" because, I quote:
As far as midfielder performances go this was the absolute pinnacle back in 2010:
World Cup footage is untraceable but according to OPTA only Cruyff in 74 created more total chances than Xavi in 2010. Just unfortunate that Torres decided to decline just during that period and everyone started parking the bus against Spain after Euro 2008.
World Cup footage is untraceable but according to OPTA only Cruyff in 74 created more total chances than Xavi in 2010. Just unfortunate that Torres decided to decline just during that period and everyone started parking the bus against Spain after Euro 2008.
I'd always like a Forward or attacking player to win it. In most cases, if a non attacking player wins that means there were no good attackers that year and I personally like seeing attackers destroy teams than defenders save them. (unless it's someone like Scholes or Zizou...)
who? bale and hazard? hazard has been haivng a much better season than bale so far
Neymar has this wrapped up as soon as Messi/Ronaldo go away. He combines eye catching tricks/flicks with goals. In fact, He is the only one of next generation of players that could potentially get close to those two aliens in terms of goal scoring.
Hazard will take over the mantle from Robben/Riberry. but Neymar should shade it.
Hazard will take over the mantle from Robben/Riberry. but Neymar should shade it.
Messi scored 86 goals in 2012, the highest of all time.
Only an absolute moron would reduce that to "stats and records being more important than actual performances". Especially when it is a player like Messi scoring those goals who is so much more than just a goalscorer.
I think Augero could be in with a good shout if he has an injury free season.
Hopefully Di Maria
Ronaldo should have won it in 2007 really. He was better than both Kaka and Messi that season and the only reason Kaka won it was due to Milan winning the CL.
The one's after that have been spot on except for perhaps last year. Messi was the best player last year as well but Ronaldo got a bit lucky with Messi getting injured and FIFA extending the deadline for no apparent reason.
Not sure what people are smoking when they suggest Iniesta, Sneijder or Milito. Messi has been the best player since about 2009 and has deserved won all but one award since then.
The one's after that have been spot on except for perhaps last year. Messi was the best player last year as well but Ronaldo got a bit lucky with Messi getting injured and FIFA extending the deadline for no apparent reason.
Not sure what people are smoking when they suggest Iniesta, Sneijder or Milito. Messi has been the best player since about 2009 and has deserved won all but one award since then.
Rues, if he moves to a bigger club and keeps getting the figures he has for Dortmund.
Neymar, Reus, Hazard.
Sterling
Sterling
All these Reus talk - Germany just won the world cup without him. His numbers will not get that much better than they are now I don't think. He is too close in age to Messi to ever outshine him too. I dont think he will win any Balon d'Ors.
At least, Neymar and Hazard have the years on Messi. I keep saying Messi because Messi is the younger of the two between him and Ronaldo.
At least, Neymar and Hazard have the years on Messi. I keep saying Messi because Messi is the younger of the two between him and Ronaldo.
What does that have to do with anything?
Actually he scored 91 goals, but who's counting right?... oh, right.
Anyway, I'm glad a throwaway line intended for brevity and effect wasn't misinterpreted and I now don't have to painstakingly and boringly expand on what I meant by it.
...
To keep it short, the bolded bit is exactly why I feel 2012 Messi was disappointing, because he is that player that is so much more. That season/year he was, only in my opinion of course, little more than a glorified poacher compared to what he was in the period 2008-11. And I felt that Cristiano fulfilled this role better by delivering far more significantly and consistently when it mattered that season/year. To be fair, my opinion on this is largely formed because I always consider the 2nd half of the previous calendar year (aka 1st half of the 2011-12 season) as well to some degree and perhaps attach a bit less importance to the 2nd half of the 2012 calendar year than to the 1st "business-end-of-season" half (maybe something like 60-40 or even 70-30).
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Germany are not likely to win it again in his time? and that is usually one of the criteria of a Balon D'or winner. Unless you have an otherwise super impressive season off course, which I went on to say he is likely not to outdo others by that much.
I think there is a chance for Diego Costa to get it even this year, if Chelsea win the PL and CL and he is the top scorer in England, plus him netting a bunch of goals for Spain. Of those only the CL is a bit of a question mark, the rest are very likely. Through the national team he has one thing working for him - the exposure to the Spanish press, which is very influential.
Performances against the very best, title deciding games, should go a long way in determining who's performances was better over the course of the season. Messi was wank against Inter, and mediocre in the World Cup.
Possibly, although I'm not sure if Costa will be able to maintain his current record of scoring to the point where he'll win the award. He'll score 25+ league goals I expect, barring injury, and if Chelsea do win the CL then he'd have an even better chances, but I still think it's unlikely unless Messi or Ronaldo really don't impress. Still, he's an outsider with a decent chance if things goes his way.
At a guess, Neymar. But he and Suarez and Bale will have to outshine their more illustrious team mates at club level before they have a realistic chance of getting the votes to win in the next couple of years.
Pogba
I think James has a bright future and could be in the running sometime in the future.
A few months ago Januzaj would've been mentioned in this thread a lot more. Even last season during peak Adnan-hype I suspect people wouldn't have thought he'd be the first to win it after Messi/Ronnie but many touted him as a nailed on Ballon d'Or winner....
Aguero, first time I saw him play for 90 mins I was in awe of his technique.
Good point.
Henry, Romario, Deco, Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Lampard, Ibrahimovic, Raul, Ballack, Drogba, Bergkamp, Robben, Totti, Van Nistelrooy, Van Persie and Shearer have already retired or will soon do so without having won the Ballon D'or trophy.
If Januzaj can be added to that list without looking out of place, we'll all be ecstatic with how he turned out.
As far as midfielder performances go this was the absolute pinnacle back in 2010:
World Cup footage is untraceable but according to OPTA only Cruyff in 74 created more total chances than Xavi in 2010. Just unfortunate that Torres decided to decline just during that period and everyone started parking the bus against Spain after Euro 2008.
Where did you get all this data? Amazing!
this.
Phlillip Lahm deserved it at least once in the past few seasons tho. But he is no striker/goal scorer.
It's from Opta. Statistics sites like Whoscored.com get their data via Opta. They have collected statistics about all World Cups since WC 1966:
Someone compiled the data in an Excel sheet. Here it is: http://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ai10DGghuMTrdDR4N0NWMm1yTWNEWHQ3bTZvYVhwV2c#gid=0
Tip: Click View -> List. Then you can select a specific World Cup etc.
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Maybe in 2-3 years Ronaldo will start to decline a bit and Messi will have an injury and someone from the Hazard/Neymar/Reus/Bale group of 22-23 year old attacking stars can sneak one like Ribery almost did?
My longshot is that Messi and Ronaldo win the next 3, then Spain win the WC in 2018 and Koke wins the Ballon D'or as the team's star man.
My longshot is that Messi and Ronaldo win the next 3, then Spain win the WC in 2018 and Koke wins the Ballon D'or as the team's star man.
It is becoming more and more obvious that James Rodriguez should be the next ballon de or. Sadly he doesnt have the same marketing scheme of Slave Boy.