Spain dominate Ballon d'Or shortlist as English players miss out

[Joss]

Spain dominate Ballon d'Or shortlist as English players miss out

• Three Premier League players included in Ballon d'Or list
• José Mourinho in contention for inaugural coaching award


Cesc Fábregas, Didier Drogba and Asamoah Gyan are the only Premier League players on the 23-man shortlist for the prestigious Fifa Ballon d'Or award. There are no English players on the list.

Seven members of Spain's World Cup-winning squad have been included. Andrés Iniesta, who scored his country's winning goal in the Johannesburg final against Holland in July, is among the contenders, along with his Barcelona team-mates Xavi, Carles Puyol and David Villa. Spain's captain, Iker Casillas, and his Real Madrid team-mate, Xabi Alonso, make the shortlist along with Fábregas.

Barça's Argentina forward, Lionel Messi, and Brazil's right-back, Daniel Alves, the Atlético Madrid forward Diego Forlán – who scored five goals at the World Cup and won the Golden Ball award – and the Real Madrid pair of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil make up 11 players nominated from La Liga.

Internazionale's quartet of Samuel Eto'o, Júlio César, Maicon and Wesley Sneijder are included after winning an unprecedented Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble last season, with their former manager José Mourinho heading the candidates for the inaugural World Coach of the Year award. Chelsea's Carlo Ancelotti, Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal's Arsène Wenger are also on the list.

Messi is the reigning Ballon d'Or winner and Fifa World Player of the Year. But the awards have merged so the best player in the world will now be recognised by a single accolade – the Fifa Ballon d'Or. The final decision will be made by the captains and head coaches of the national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football. The winners will be revealed in Zurich on 10 January.

World Player of the Year nominees:
Xabi Alonso (Spain), Daniel Alves (Brazil), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fábregas (Spain), Diego Forlán (Uruguay), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Júlio César (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Maicon (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Müller (Germany), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Carles Puyol (Spain), Arjen Robben (Holland), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Holland), David Villa (Spain), Xavi (Spain).

World Coach of the Year nominees:
Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Vicente del Bosque (Spain), Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Pep Guardiola (Barcelona), Joachim Löw (Germany), José Mourinho (Internazionale/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay), Louis van Gaal (Bayern Munich), Bert van Marwijk (Holland), Arsène Wenger (Arsenal).

Not sure where to put this...

 

[Eds]

Some ridiculous desicions in there...

 

[DMF]

Not a surprise to see no English players in the list.. Messi has to be favourite after his season last year.

Although, Sneijder's season wasn't half bad either.

However, after the season Wayne Rooney had last year it's weird seeing Asamoah Gyan there ahead of him. Seems like it's been a bit biased towards World Cup performers.

 

[Witsel]

Suprised Rooney isn't there after the great season he had last year.

 

[Ride The Walrus]

Asamoah Gyan's in there, but no Diego Millito is a crime.

 

[Joss]

Not a surprise to see no English players in the list.. Messi has to be favourite after his season last year.

Although, Sneijder's season wasn't half bad either.

However, after the season Wayne Rooney had last year it's weird seeing Asamoah Gyan there ahead of him. Seems like it's been a bit biased towards World Cup performers.

This, can't understand the decision to put Asamoah Gyan in there - OK, he had a good WC, but surely the award is based on more than just that? Roo should really be in there ahead of him, he'd actually have a chance as well.. It seems just a tad unlikely that Gyan will get any votes, certainly not enough.

Poll added.

 

[DMF]

Also, agree with RTW.

Top scorer in the Serie A, Champions League and won the treble. But not in the list for World Player of the Year. Odd decisions here.

 

[tiraths]

They've basically made that list based solely on World Cup performances bar Messi, Fabregas & Ronaldo...

 

[Alcaraz]

Very Odd..... Gyan's inclusion is extremely suprising and so is Fabregas' tbh but if I think anyone has a chance it will be Drogba who was top scorer in the Prem League and and scored against Brazil in the WC despite having a broken arm

 

[philly]

Has got to be Sneijder imo.
Was in magical form for Inter and Netherlands.

 

[cfc12345]

Messi will most likely get all the votes

 

[Eds]

If Lionel Messi doesn't get it, I'm officially disregarding any future FIFA awards...

 

[Joss]

Very Odd..... Gyan's inclusion is extremely suprising and so is Fabregas' tbh but if I think anyone has a chance it will be Drogba who was top scorer in the Prem League and and scored against Brazil in the WC despite having a broken arm

Why is Fabregas' inclusion surprising? He scored 19 PL goals.. And added even more assists, got an assist in the WC final.. Just because we didn't win anything, doesn't mean our standout player can't..

 

[tiraths]

If Lionel Messi doesn't get it, I'm officially disregarding any future FIFA awards...

Seeing as all the nominations were judged on World Cup performances, I wouldn't give it to Messi...

 

[Mike.]

this is a bit of a joke, no Rooney, unbelivabley no Diego Milito. Puyol makes it but Pique doesnt.

 

[fuelledbypassion]

Spain weren't overly impressive in the World Cup, and neither was Messi. I really think Rooney and Millito should have been in there - what more can the Argentine do?

Also a little surprised that Hodgson isn't in the manager candidates.

For me, it was between Sneijder, Maicon, Forlan, Drogba or Puyol.

I just went for Puyol but the more I think about it, should've picked Forlan. Star performer for both club and country, both overachieving in major competitions because of him

 

[Joss]

Not sure Klose/Muller should be in there - Didn't Klose have a miserable season with his club? And how well did Muller do at Bayern pre-WC?

 

[Tharros]

Forlan for me. He has been great in the WC and for Atletico.

 

[Mike.]

No Ashley Cole, despite being the best left back in the world for the past year

 

[CtPauley]

Disopointed about no evra, vidic or rooney. I mean how can someone score 34 goals the season before and be excluded from that list as some of these players only had good world cups when they were pants for their clubs.