Xavi, Iniesta & Messi – Barcelona Holy Trinity Named On Ballon D’Or Shortlist
By Ollie Irish
Tres is the magic numero: Xavi, Iniesta, Messi
Barcelona stars Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi have been shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d’Or. It’s a remarkable feat for the Catalan club; the last time a club boasted all the players in the Ballon D’Or top three voting was in 1989 when Milan’s Marco Van Basten, Franco Baresi and Frank Rijkaard were on the podium.
Messi is the bookies’ favourite to claim the award in Zurich on 10 January 10, but I think it has to go to Xavi, who has been untouchable in the last year or so.
For ze ladeez, the shortlist features Brazil forward Marta and German duo Fatmire Bajramaj and Birgit Prinz.
Barca head coach Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, who won an unprecedented Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble with Inter last season, and Spain’s World Cup-winning coach Vicente del Bosque have been named on the shortlist for the Coach of the Year award. I’d give it to Mourinho. A treble is not to be sniffed at.
Who deserves to win the Ballon D’Or? Vote below…
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Sneijder?
Yeah Sneijder should be there in stead of Iniesta. Sneijder doesn’t go down in light sidewinds, and he won the CL.
Xavi would be my pick – the guy’s in his prime, and I think FIFA may finally feel co-erced into recognising his talents considering his relatively ‘advanced’ years.
Definitely a bit harsh on Sneijder not to make top 3 after season he had.
Yeah… but the vote belongs to the NT coaches and captains of the FIFA affiliated countries.
Sneijder must have been dragged down by Inter’s dreadful season. After all, the award is for the year and not the football season.
Has to be Xavi, I remember the Daily Mail coming up with a hideous article a year or two ago titled “The best players in the world (and Xavi.” I hope he wins it and shoves his award.. well you know.
Sneijder deserves to be there ahead of all of them. It’s not his fault Rafa Benetiz can’t manage his way out of a paper bag. He won the treble and made the world cup final. No slight to the Barca players but it’s just wrong.
Sneijder obviously, but I’d actually give it to Forlan over any of those three – it’s a heck of a lot easier to look good playing for Barca or Spain, than it is to drag your country almost single-handedly to a WC semi and win the Europa League & Cup Winners Cup with an “average” team.
But, if I had to choose – Xavi. A man so overlooked he doesn’t even appear on Crackovia (a genius catalan sketch show taking the p*ss out of RM & Barca. Mainly RM).
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FIFA showcases its ridiculousness once again.
Should be Forlan, Sneijder and Xavi
What about Carrick, Park and Rooney
GOTTA BE XAVI. HAD A KING OF A YEAR
no u actually do v ya muppet. sneijder DESERVEDLY not there. read back, a few months ago i already said i’d be ridiculous if sneijder won it. he has AN impact on inter’s treble, but not THAT much of an impact. sneijder’s contribution wasn’t anymore significant then eto’s(huge as a make-shift winger), milito, julio ceasar, cambiasso, or zanetti. whereas the xavi and iniesta are the ticking heart beats of both barca and spain. sneijder isn’t as unmissable for neither inter not holland. in fact holland would do fine without him (van der vaart) and he’s been absolutely shocking since the world cup (bar a handful of matches).
messi is the world’s best player by such a distance it isn’t funny, but we’d be talking of shame if xavi were to retire – and he prolly will soon his knees n all – and never won a high personal distinction.
i do feel kinda sorry for c-ron here, apparently his monstrous goal/game ratio (for a winger!!!) doesn’t mean shit this time round. maybe it’s partly gotta do he plays for a hopeless national team (until recently).
Deckard, you really should’ve watched at least one Inter game last season, muppet.
I even question myself if you’re serious. c-ron? This award was always about titles. He won NOTHING, whereas SNEIJDER won it ALL along with 1932193 assists in the whole season PLUS 5 GOALS IN A WORLD CUP. Definitely missable!
For the record, I think it’s rather stupid to have a award for a single player in such a team sport.
Sneijder all the way ! Last season Sneijder practically took down Barca on his own. SO if one of those players win it would mean the Ballon D’Or is as corrupt as giving the World Cup to some nation I can’t even find on Google Earth !
Eto’o is nothing without Sneijder, he is a slice of magic taken from Real and flourished in Inter. It’s just a shame Raffa is ruining him.
Of course Iniesta and Xavi deserve to be in the top 3. Falling over (Iniesta) and waving imaginary cards (Xavi) are such underappreciated parts of the modern game…
just be as friends.