The 2010 Ballon d’Or shortlist makes sorry reading for English football, with not one Englishmen on the list and only three Premier League players, Cesc Fabregas, Didier Drogba and Asamoah Gyan. Yet on closer analysis you soon realise that this supposed illustrious list of the world’s best footballers is little more than farcical.
England’s abysmal showing in South Africa coupled with the absence of Premier League teams from the latter stages of the Champions League has been the catalyst for this no-show of England talent. FIFA and UEFA have showed a ridiculous self-interest in its nominations, it seems that to have been honoured with a place on this shortlist a player has to have exclusively performed well in FIFA and UEFA competitions. Irrespective of the players form in his domestic league.
Miroslav Klose and Asamoah Gyan both demonstrate the ludicrous state of the Ballon d’Or nominations. Klose had a torrid season for Bayern Munich, finishing with six goals for the season and fourth choice, a pattern that has re-emerged in the 10/11 season. Yet due to his heroics for the German national team he finds himself on the list. Gyan wasn’t even Ghana’s best player at the World Cup, he found himself eclipsed by the likes of Kevin Prince-Boateng and Andre Ayew. Two penalties and a goal against the USA elevated the Sunderland substitute to the upper echelons of football.
Given that the award is based on the calendar year, surely the likes of Carlos Tevez, Ashley Cole and Gareth Bale have demonstrated a consistently higher standard of form than the two aforementioned nominees. The lack of impact on FIFA and UEFA competitions obviously hinders the three premier league players. The same cannot be said of Gerard Pique who was the foundation on which the glittering qualities of the Spanish national side and Barcelona are built upon. Or Diego Milito who fired thirty goals in all competitions as Jose Mourinho’s side won an unprecedented Italian treble. All apparently negated due to the Argentine’s substitute role at the World Cup. Spare a thought for a certain Mr. Rooney too, who received every individual award a player can win in England alongside a record goal tally. Yet he finds himself no way near the nomination list. Whilst Cesc Fabregas, perennially a Spanish substitute and the star player of Arsenal sides outclassed by Rooney’s United, sits amongst the ‘best’ players in the world.
Irrespective of FIFA and UEFA’s slightly biased list of nominees. There are players on that list that well and truly deserve to be in consideration for the famous golden ball first won by Stanley Matthews. FIFA could have chosen a nominee list comprised only of Spanish players, instead they democratically settled for seven. Of the seven realistically only Xavi and Andres Iniesta deserve to win the prestigious award. Both had fantastic seasons again for Barcelona, fighting off the advances of Real Madrid’s challenge for La Liga and becoming World Club Champions. The two men from Barcelona then ‘Tika-Takad’ Spain to a maiden World Cup victory, with Iniesta fittingly slotting home the deciding goal. David Villa deserves credit for his World Cup performances, had he been a Barcelona player for the whole of 2010, he may well have been serious competition for his Barcelona teammates.
Diego Forlan too deserves immense credit for his performances in South Africa, almost single-handedly carrying Uruguay to the third place play-off. It is easy to forget that it was also his goal that handed Athletico Madrid the inaugural Europa League. Following his performances in 2010 he has become on the most sought after strikers in world football, with clubs such as Liverpool, Juventus, Inter Milan and even his old club Manchester United linked with the Uruguayan.
The Ballon d’Or is an individual award, so it would be a folly on the part of FIFA to not acknowledge Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. Neither had the World Cup that was expected of them, yet there is no argument that individually the two players are a level above any other footballer in the game. Messi at least won La Liga, giving his nomination more credence, but in 2010 Ronaldo’s domestic form has been blistering, with 36 goals in his last 37 games.
It is a losing World Cup Finalist that finds himself the favourite for the Ballon d’Or. Wesley Sneijder surely would have been the unanimous winner had he added the World Cup to his hefty trophy collection of 2010. Sneijder started the 09/10 season as a Real Madrid outcast, discarded and sold to Inter Milan for a cut price fee of £13 million. Sneijder had the last laugh however, winning a domestic double with Inter and finishing the season by lifting the Champions League trophy in the Bernabeu after an imperious performance in the final. Joint top goalscorer at the World Cup and the only member of the Dutch national side that didn’t descend into brutality in the final. Sneijder is the man to beat and one of a select few who truly deserves to be recognised as one of the greats of our times.