FIFA Ballon d'Or 2012: Messi, Ronaldo and Iniesta go Head-to-Head
AFRIK UPDATE
SPORTS
By Colin Young
For the first time, FIFA will present the Women’s Player of the Year award, which will be contested by Brazilian Marta and United States pair Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach.
Iker Casillas; Daniel Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Nemanja Vidic; Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Xavi; Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney.
Only three men can pick it up after the original shortlist of 23 was whittled down to the three greatest players in the world. Before they go head-to-head-to-head for the last time, we consider the pros and cons in the race to be As well as men, women and coaches, FIFA will honour the cream of the game tonight.
SPORTS
By Colin Young
The 2012
FIFA Ballon d’Or will be bestowed on the game’s player of the year with
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi looking to pick up the title for the fourth
consecutive year. He faces competition from two other nominees, Cristiano
Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta.
The
blazers at FIFA have been unveiling shortlists and longlists for the past two
months and will present a number of major awards in the televised awards
ceremony in Zurich Kongrresshaus tonight.
For the first time, FIFA will present the Women’s Player of the Year award, which will be contested by Brazilian Marta and United States pair Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach.
The
women’s coach of the year will be named and there is also the men’s coach of
the year award which, like the Balon D’Or, will be mainly contested by the
giants from Barcelona and Real Madrid.
But the
main threat for coach of the year surely comes from Spain boss Vicente Del
Bosque who added the European Championship title to his incredible haul of
trophies.
It is,
however, the Ballon d’Or - once the property of France Football but now very
much under FIFA’s control - which takes centre stage as it is the award every
player wants to win.
THE 2011 FIFA/FIFPRO WORLD XI
Last year's team consisted of two players from the Barclays Premier League and nine based in Spain...Iker Casillas; Daniel Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Nemanja Vidic; Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Xavi; Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney.
HOW THE PLAYERS COMPARE:
|
Player
|
Andrés Iniesta
|
Lionel Messi
|
Cristiano Ronaldo
|
|
Games
Played
|
39
|
50
|
51
|
|
Minutes
Played
|
2835
|
4380
|
4541
|
|
Goals
|
6
|
72
|
53
|
|
Mins per
Goal
|
472.5
|
60.8
|
85.7
|
|
Goals
(inside box)
|
6
|
62
|
41
|
|
Goals
(outside box)
|
0
|
10
|
12
|
|
Total
Shots
|
48
|
205
|
288
|
|
Shots on
Target
|
23
|
139
|
149
|
|
Shooting
Accuracy %
|
47.9%
|
67.8%
|
51.7%
|
|
Shot
Conversion Rate %
|
12.5%
|
35.1%
|
18.4%
|
|
Shots per
Game
|
1.2
|
4.1
|
5.6
|
|
Assists
|
16
|
17
|
11
|
|
Chances
Created (inc. assists)
|
66
|
101
|
91
|
|
Chances
Created per game
|
1.7
|
2.0
|
1.8
|
|
Passes
|
2667
|
3178
|
1848
|
|
Passes per
Game
|
68.4
|
63.6
|
36.2
|
Only three men can pick it up after the original shortlist of 23 was whittled down to the three greatest players in the world. Before they go head-to-head-to-head for the last time, we consider the pros and cons in the race to be As well as men, women and coaches, FIFA will honour the cream of the game tonight.
There is
the FIFA Presidential Award, the FIFA Fair Play Award, and the goal of the year
in the guise of the FIFA Puskas Award which is voted for by fans on FIFA.com
from an original list of the 10 best goals.
The final
three will be decided from goals scored by Radamel Falcao, Neymar and Miroslav
Stoch.
This year
55 players were also nominated for the FIFA/FIFpro World XI and, as with most
of the awards tonight, the final line-up has been decided by journalists from
France Football, national coaches and captains and FIFA officials.
The final
11 will be announced position-by-position tonight.
THE HALL OF FAME:
2011 - L Messi
2010 - L Messi
2009 - L Messi
2008 - C. Ronaldo
2007 - Kaka
2006 - F.Cannavaro
2005 - Ronaldinho
2004 - A. Shevchenko
2003 - P. Nedved
2002 - Ronaldo
2001 - M.Owen
2000 - L. Figo
1999 - Rivaldo
1998 - Z. Zidane
1997 - Ronaldo
1996 - M. Sammer
1995 - G. Weah
1994 - H. Stoitchkov
1993 - R. Baggio
2010 - L Messi
2009 - L Messi
2008 - C. Ronaldo
2007 - Kaka
2006 - F.Cannavaro
2005 - Ronaldinho
2004 - A. Shevchenko
2003 - P. Nedved
2002 - Ronaldo
2001 - M.Owen
2000 - L. Figo
1999 - Rivaldo
1998 - Z. Zidane
1997 - Ronaldo
1996 - M. Sammer
1995 - G. Weah
1994 - H. Stoitchkov
1993 - R. Baggio
1992 - M. Van Basten
1991 - J-P. Papin
1990 - L. Matthaeus
1989 - M. Van Basten
1988 - M. Van Basten
1987 - R. Gullit
1986 - I. Belanov
1985 - M. Platini
1984 - M. Platini
1983 - M. Platini
1982 - P. Rossi
1981 - K-H. Rummenigge
1980 - K-H. Rummenigge
1979 - K. Keegan
1978 - K. Keegan
1977 - A. Simonsen
1976 - F. Beckenbauer
1975 - O. Blokhin
1974 - J. Cruyff
1991 - J-P. Papin
1990 - L. Matthaeus
1989 - M. Van Basten
1988 - M. Van Basten
1987 - R. Gullit
1986 - I. Belanov
1985 - M. Platini
1984 - M. Platini
1983 - M. Platini
1982 - P. Rossi
1981 - K-H. Rummenigge
1980 - K-H. Rummenigge
1979 - K. Keegan
1978 - K. Keegan
1977 - A. Simonsen
1976 - F. Beckenbauer
1975 - O. Blokhin
1974 - J. Cruyff
1973 - J. Cruyff
1972 - F. Beckenbauer
1971 - J. Cruyff
1970 - G. Müller
1969 - G. Rivera
1968 - G. Best
1967 - F. Albert
1966 - B. Charlton
1965 - Eusebio
1964 - D. Law
1963 - L. Yashin
1962 - J. Masopust
1961 - O. Sivori
1960 - L. Suarez
1959 - A. Di Stefano
1958 - R. Kopa
1957 - A. Di Stefano
1956 - S. Matthews
1972 - F. Beckenbauer
1971 - J. Cruyff
1970 - G. Müller
1969 - G. Rivera
1968 - G. Best
1967 - F. Albert
1966 - B. Charlton
1965 - Eusebio
1964 - D. Law
1963 - L. Yashin
1962 - J. Masopust
1961 - O. Sivori
1960 - L. Suarez
1959 - A. Di Stefano
1958 - R. Kopa
1957 - A. Di Stefano
1956 - S. Matthews
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