Monday, September 13, 2010

FIFA Ballon d'Or 2010

it was announced that the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or will be merged. two of the most disputed prizes in world football, each had its own critics and supporters, laying claim to be the ultimate individual honour for a footballer.

although sounding more like the heavyweight, FIFA World Player of the Year only started in 1991, considered a lifetime late since the sport turned pro. also, it is voted for by national coaches and captains, which although ensuring diversity, often throws up obscure nominees.

the Ballon d'Or is therefore what many consider the ultimate prize. it has a longer history and is voted for by journalists. the one gribe was originally only European players at European clubs were eligible. only since 1995 did it allow international players playing at European clubs. and it was just three years ago that the award allowed any player from anywhere in the world. because of this blot, legends like Pele and Diego Maradona have never been conferred.

after fighting for years, the two sides have finally found truce and come to an agreement, to merge the two awards, to be voted for by journalists, and national coaches and captains. now we do have the top honour.

but this brings me to wonder about its recipient this year. you see, on World Cup years (and to a lesser extent, European Championship years), these awards traditionally go to players who made major contributions to the tournaments, especially winning them.

let's not go too far back.
1988
(B) Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard
the Dutch won Euro 88.

1990
(B) Lothar Matthaus, Salvatore Schillaci, Andreas Brehme
Germany won World Cup 90, while Italy finished with bronze. Toto was Golden Boot and Golden Ball.

1994
(F) Romario, Hristo Stoichkov, Roberto Baggio
(B) Hristo Stoichkov, Roberto Baggio, Paolo Maldini
Brazil beat Italy in the final of World Cup 94, while Stoichkov's Bulgaria was semi-finalists. the above four names lit up the tournament, with Romario walking away with the Golden Ball.

1996
(F) 3rd Alan Shearer
(B) Matthias Sammer, 3rd Alan Shearer
Germany won Euro 96 with Sammer the Golden Ball, while Shearer was irrepressible.

1998
(F) Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Davor Suker
(B) Zinedine Zidane, Davor Suker, Ronaldo
France, Brazil and Croatia were the three best teams at this tournament. Suker was Golden Boot while Ronaldo was Golden Ball.

2000
(F) Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo
(B) Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane
the two greats fought tooth and nail this year as Zidane's France continued dominating world football while Figo's 'golden generation' signalled its arrival on the senior level.

2002
(F) Ronaldo, Oliver Kahn
(B) Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Oliver Kahn
Brazil put a fifth star on its crest as traditional rivals Germany pushed them all the way. German captain Kahn received a rare accolade for a goalkeeper.

2004
(B) 2nd Deco
as hosts of Euro 2004, Portugal went all the way to the final, in one of the country's greatest achievements, before losing to a negative-minded Greece.

2006
(F) Fabio Cannavaro, Zinedine Zidane
(B) Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Thierry Henry
the two unfancied giants this World Cup were the last teams standing, and although Zidane was head and shoulders above the rest, Cannavaro took home both awards as a defender.

if past evidence is anything to go by, South Africa 2010 should define this year's recipient. many expected Lionel Messi, Kaka or Cristiano Ronaldo, the past three winners, to lead their teams to victory, but all three did not make the semis. more often than not, the planet's top player would hail from one of the remaining four.

Spain, Holland, Germany and Uruguay.

doing the math, it should be a toss-up among the cast of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, David Villa, Iker Casillas, Miroslav Klose, Mezut Ozil, Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben.

considering their club achievements and personal consistency, it should be either Xavi, Iniesta, Schweinsteiger, Sneijder or Robben.

only Sneijder won the Champions League.

or will Messi retain it, with his 47-goal exploits last season?

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