Poll: Who do you think will win the Ballon d'Or 2012?

[fenrizz]

So fellow escapists, that time of the year is upon us again.
The prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_Ballon_d%27Or] is due to be awarded tonight (GMT).

Spoiler: The Award looks like this

The Candidates Are:
Lionel Messi [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messi]
Christiano Ronaldo [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiano_Ronaldo]
Andrés Iniesta [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andres_Iniesta]

Who do you think will win?
Who would you vote for?

Commence discussion!

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

...Messi.
...Because he DID win it xD.

But nah, it's deserved. What I will say is that I much prefer Ronaldo as a player, and do think he's better overall. Yet Messi has Xavi and Iniesta behind him.

I dunno, props to the little man. Exceptional footballer.

What I think's pathetic is the Fifa Team of the Year.
To have them all playing in the Spanish League is a bit ridiculous.
Scratch that; extremely ridiculous.

 

[Andy Shandy]

...Messi.
...Because he DID win it xD.

But nah, it's deserved. What I will say is that I much prefer Ronaldo as a player, and do think he's better overall. Yet Messi has Xavi and Iniesta behind him.

I dunno, props to the little man. Exceptional footballer.

What I think's pathetic is the Fifa Team of the Year.
To have them all playing in the Spanish League is a bit ridiculous.
Scratch that; extremely ridiculous.

Who was the team of the year? I agree that it does seem ridiculous that they are all La Liga though, while the league can be good, it is blown a bit out of proportion.

 

[SonOfMethuselah]

Well, Messi, I guess.

I'm somewhat unsettled by the fact that all the candidates for team of the year are La Liga. I mean, it is a good league, but quite often the games aren't nearly as entertaining to watch as some of the other leagues. I'm also kind of ill-disposed toward the Spanish league, because of the last world cup. Honestly, Euro Cup champions, then World Cup champions, then Euro Cup champions again? Yeah, the Spanish team is good, but it isn't that good. And a lot of the players in the Spanish league (such as Iniesta, who I cannot stand) seem extremely smug in international circles because of it. They don't deserve to be so over-confident.

But, anyway, yeah, I guess I'd give it to Messi. As stated, I really don't like Iniesta, and while Ronaldo is a pretty decent footballer, I think he's a little past his prime. I mean, he still plays pretty well, but I don't know, something about his pitch presence just seems a little different, now.

EDIT: Goddamn it, now I really want to go out and get FIFA '13.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Well Messi of course.

Now that we know it's him again, we can all admit as to why.

Messi is a nice guy. I'm pretty sure the whole of UEFA and FIFA desperately doesn't want to give Christiano 'I am treated like slave labour' Ronaldo and award for anything lest his head disappear all the way up his arse and he turns into some kind of headless all legs abomination.
If he was the only footballer in Europe to score in a whole year they'd still find an excuse to give it to someone else, probably a goalie if only one guy scored in a whole year.

Who knows, maybe Iniesta will get lucky next year.

 

[Andy Shandy]

snip

So besides Falcao, it's between two teams as well? Fuck, that is ridiculous. I'm sure that people could justify some, if not most, of them but bloody hell.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Honestly, Euro Cup champions, then World Cup champions, then Euro Cup champions again? Yeah, the Spanish team is good, but it isn't that good.

I think they looked at Manu U and realised that they didn't have to play good (or stylish, flowing, blah blah) football as such, you just have to beat the other guy, so that's what they do. Boring but effective...

 

[SonOfMethuselah]

I think they looked at Manu U and realised that they didn't have to play good (or stylish, flowing, blah blah) football as such, you just have to beat the other guy, so that's what they do. Boring but effective...

SUPER boring. I mean, every international game I see them play runs the same way. They made the Italians boring, the Dutch boring, the Germans boring (and I love the German international team). Sure, they win. But given that football is a huge spectator sport, you'd think they'd try to make it a little more entertaining.

 

[neil1990]

I think they looked at Manu U and realised that they didn't have to play good (or stylish, flowing, blah blah) football as such, you just have to beat the other guy, so that's what they do. Boring but effective...

Quite the opposite actually, the football Spain plays is extremely flowing and an exciting brand. The only problem is that their possession football completely strangles the opponent's chances and thus making it a one sided contest. They are enjoyable to watch just to admire but the spectacle can be dull overall

 

[SonOfMethuselah]

Quite the opposite actually, the football Spain plays is extremely flowing and an exciting brand. The only problem is that their possession football completely strangles the opponent's chances and thus making it a one sided contest. They are enjoyable to watch just to admire but the spectacle can be dull overall

Hmm... I don't know that a strategy that revolves around such resolute possession could be considered 'flowing,' or that I've ever gotten that impression myself, but I do see where you're coming from. Generally speaking, the possession statistic is very telling of the game overall, and Spain definitely have possession in spades. I suppose it's just that I tend to be impressed by a more 'technical' style of football, and what Spain plays is a 'strategically sound' style.

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

...Messi.
...Because he DID win it xD.

But nah, it's deserved. What I will say is that I much prefer Ronaldo as a player, and do think he's better overall. Yet Messi has Xavi and Iniesta behind him.

I dunno, props to the little man. Exceptional footballer.

What I think's pathetic is the Fifa Team of the Year.
To have them all playing in the Spanish League is a bit ridiculous.
Scratch that; extremely ridiculous.

Who was the team of the year? I agree that it does seem ridiculous that they are all La Liga though, while the league can be good, it is blown a bit out of proportion.

Yeah someone beat me to telling you haha. Pique, Marcelo and Dani Alves have no place in it, in my opinion.
Just annoyed at it to be honest.