Vidic >>> Horse face (2008 Ballon d'Or voting)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...pe/7758016.stm

1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd) 446 points
2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 281 pts
3 Fernando Torres (Liverpool) 179 pts
4 Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) 133 pts
5 Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona) 97 pts
6 Andriy Arshavin (Zenit St-Petersburg) 64 pts
7 David Villa (Valencia) 55 pts
8 Kaka (AC Milan) 31 pts
9 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan) 30 pts
10 Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 28 pts
11 Marcos Senna (Villarreal) 16 pts
12 Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) 12 pts
13 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) 11 pts
14 Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid) 10 pts
15 Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 8 pts
16 Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich) 7 pts
17 Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona) 6 pts
18 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) 5 pts
19 Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) 4 pts
21 Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United) 3 pts
24 Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), 2 pts

Why is Gerrard there?

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

Why is Gerrard there?

Because he is a brilliant footballer?

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

Why is Gerrard there?

its gerrard innit

How was Rio not in the top 10 (at the absolute worst)?

They are desperate to give that award to Messi though. Superb player but he was injured for a lot of last season. Torres clearly had a better year than Messi. A minor point as the best man won it but Messi has no business being second in that Poll.

The main problem is that the football world is obsessed with South Americans. They love giving it to Brazilian or Argentinians. That even pervades this forum ffs. How Ferdinand is not in there I'll never know. Ferdinand has been consistently the best defender in world football for the last 2 years.

Originally Posted by BryanRobson'sLiver

Because he is a brilliant footballer?

Yes but what has he done on merit to be there over the last year?

How can Ibrahimovic be above Ruud


Seriously ?


What a load of shit this trophy is - waste of £#%&!ing time imo

Casillas with 133 points?

Originally Posted by BryanRobson'sLiver

Because he is a brilliant footballer?

Very occasionally.

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

Yes but what has he done on merit to be there over the last year?

Slightly more than Marcos Senna who finished one place below him and slighlty less than Zlatan Ibrahimovic who finished one place above him.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Casillas with 133 points?

The spanish FA got behind him.

Originally Posted by BryanRobson'sLiver

The spanish FA got behind him.

133 points? I think Stephen Hendry got behind him.

was marlo on the voting committee?

Originally Posted by Part 36 Offer

How was Rio not in the top 10 (at the absolute worst)?

They are desperate to give that award to Messi though. Superb player but he was injured for a lot of last season. Torres clearly had a better year than Messi. A minor point as the best man won it but Messi has no business being second in that Poll.

The main problem is that the football world is obsessed with South Americans. They love giving it to Brazilian or Argentinians. That even pervades this forum ffs. How Ferdinand is not in there I'll never know. Ferdinand has been consistently the best defender in world football for the last 2 years.

I imagine Vidic is in there over Rio cos the voters are journalists and he probably got the Serbian vote. Most English would have voted Ronaldo.

For me, Senna should have been much higher up. Was instrumental for Villarreal last season, when they had a fantastic season and managed to finish second in La Liga, and was the best player at the Euros. Would certainly have put him above Xavi and Gerrard, myself.

The total absence of Rio is a complete joke as well, even if his absence is explainable for tactical reasons. Incidentally, one thing I've found is that the Spanish don't rate him at all. Most of them seem to be of the opinion that Vidic is the superior player, and by some margin too. Very strange.

Originally Posted by Don Stuarte

How can Ibrahimovic be above Ruud


Seriously ?


What a load of shit this trophy is - waste of £#%&!ing time imo

zlatan was ok last season. goal of euro 2008.

Originally Posted by signed dc

was marlo on the voting committee?

Originally Posted by Part 36 Offer

The main problem is that the football world is obsessed with South Americans. They love giving it to Brazilian or Argentinians.

They don't give it to Argentines, to be fair. Since non-Europeans were allowed to be nominated, Messi is the only Argentine player to be selected in the top three. There has never been an Argentine winner of the Fifa award, either. I think the bias is more club-related than to do with nationality.

Originally Posted by Don Stuarte

How can Ibrahimovic be above Ruud


Seriously ?


What a load of shit this trophy is - waste of £#%&!ing time imo

He scored more goals than Ruud last season, and got the same amount at Euro 2008. He's had a good start to this season, too.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

He scored more goals than Ruud last season, and got the same amount at Euro 2008. He's had a good start to this season, too.

About 3 more ?

Despite what many of you may think


Ibrahimovic plays in a shit league


That may sound controversial but when you think about it - its true

Originally Posted by Don Stuarte

How can Ibrahimovic be above Ruud


Seriously ?


What a load of shit this trophy is - waste of £#%&!ing time imo

How can Zlatan be in the top 25?!

What a pile of shit.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

They don't give it to Argentines, to be fair. Since non-Europeans were allowed to be nominated, Messi is the only Argentine player to be selected in the top three. There has never been an Argentine winner of the Fifa award, either. I think the bias is more club-related than to do with nationality.

Maybe that is the logic for the fact that they seemingly cannot wait to give it to him.