The nominations for the Ballon D'or are out and we have 3 of our lads in there, just the usual suspects. I would have been pretty angry had either of those 3 not been there. Anyway here is the full list:

Full list: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Diego (Juventus), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Kaka (Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Maicon (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Luis Fabiano (Seville), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), David Villa (Valencia), Xavi (Barcelona), Yaya Toure (Barcelona).

I guess the hot favourites to take out the prizes would have to be between the likes or Ronaldo, Eto'o, Forlan, Gerrad (hate to say it), Iniesta, Messi, Ribery, vidic, villa and xavi. Might have missed one or two players out there. Unfortunately can't see any of our boys getting into the top three as we won no major silverware and none were top scorers in the league or anything.

Just a sidenote really annoys me that Giggs is up there. He did not deserve PFA player of the year and he does not deserve to be in this list, its purely sentimental.

Anyway everyone else's thoughts?

1. Messi

2. Iniesta

3. Ronaldo

agree abot Giggs though, obviously he does a job for them and HAS been a great player but doesn't realy deserve to be on the list.

Anelka deserves to be in over Torres.

Saint Stevie, without a doubt.

Saint Stevie, without a doubt.

Steven Kaka, or Steven Xavi?

pointless exercise in terms of such a large list...it's bound to be messi and i wouldn't be surprised if iniesta and xavi make it a barca top three

Steven Kaka, or Steven Xavi?

Steven Kavi?

1. Messi

2. Xavi

3. Red balloon that scored against Liverpool

I think first is academic, but Ronaldo has got to be number two. I think the CL final clouded the judgement of alot of people, and while Xavi and Iniesta have been nothing short of world class for years now, I think Ronaldo, minus the final in Rome, has been almost as brilliant as Mr Messi

think it will go Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta personally.

TWW, that's my list too. it'll certainly be those three, just a question of who takes second

I see someone mentioned anelka not getting a nomination which is a fair point. It dosent matter if it was lowscoring for golden boot he was still the topscorer in the top league in the world.

I think TWW is right with the final 3 and i think iniesta will get 2nd.

messi won the ballon d'or. 473 from a possible 480 votes. Somehow ronaldo got 2nd above iniest and xavi. Drogs in 9th. Unbelievable that rooney got above him

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id...ope&cc=3888

Messi deserved to win but it is unreal that Drogba was 9th. Many of the players that were above him didn't deserve to be that high. Drogba was much better than they were. There are a lot of people out there that don't like Drogba and don't really see how good he is.

Whatta hell is that king of scousers doin on the list(and quite high he is) every year???

Edited December 2, 200916 yr by alvarezCFC