Would you have given it to him before the World Cup?
Who do you think deserves Fifa player of the year?
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Would you have given it to him before the World Cup?
What's all this bullshit about Messi only being there because he's a big name? Load of shit. He was head and shoulders the best player in the world, a WC tournament doesn't change this. I know he didn't win the CL or the World Cup, but something like 47 goals and 14 assists, speaks for itself.
I'd say based on last season..
Messi
Ronaldo/Rooney
Xavi
Sneijder/Robben
Forlan
Milito
Think I may have forgot some players, Iniesta will probably be on the list for his final goal alone, even though he's had a season plagued with injuries.
Edit: yeah forgot Fabregas and maybe Drogba
I'd say based on last season..
Messi
Ronaldo/Rooney
Xavi
Sneijder/Robben
Forlan
Milito
Think I may have forgot some players, Iniesta will probably be on the list for his final goal alone, even though he's had a season plagued with injuries.
Edit: yeah forgot Fabregas and maybe Drogba
Sneijder definitely for me.
Spearheaded Inter to Treble, scoring lots of goals, and important ones......then went on to "drag" his nation to WC Final, while scoring 5 goals....can't see what else he should do!
Spearheaded Inter to Treble, scoring lots of goals, and important ones......then went on to "drag" his nation to WC Final, while scoring 5 goals....can't see what else he should do!
Try playing on the same level as the Messis and Ronaldos of the world.
Sneijder had a great season but he was not dragging anyone anywhere.
So in your opinion, to put it rougly, scoring 5 goals for example against Xerez beats scoring 1 goal in WC semi-final...
He WAS by far the best player of side that won Champions League, Italian league and Cup, and the side that reached WC Final when no one expected to do it.
In the same time, Ronaldo won nothing and Messi only won the league....then went to WC and got knocked out while managing not to score a single goal....
Is that the "level" you're talking about....?
Care to truly elaborate for which exact reason you think that Messi should get it instead of Sneijder...?
It's between Xavi, Forlan and Sneijder for me. Three players who had great seasons domestically and were great at the world cup, Xavi probably lesser so IMO.
Agree with this.
So in your opinion, to put it rougly, scoring 5 goals for example against Xerez beats scoring 1 goal in WC semi-final...
He WAS by far the best player of side that won Champions League, Italian league and Cup, and the side that reached WC Final when no one expected to do it.
In the same time, Ronaldo won nothing and Messi only won the league....then went to WC and got knocked out while managing not to score a single goal....
Is that the "level" you're talking about....?
Care to truly elaborate for which exact reason you think that Messi should get it instead of Sneijder...?
Sneijder was consistent all year long and did it when it mattered. He was the main man at Inter and helped them to the CL crown. This is an Inter team that have never looked like serious threats in the CL. He was excellent at the WC and excellent domestically. IMO the most consistently brilliant player in the last year.
And to be honest, although I support United and care most about club football, the world cup is the single biggest competition in the game. It's more important than 3 league titles put together.
So in your opinion, to put it rougly, scoring 5 goals for example against Xerez beats scoring 1 goal in WC semi-final...
He WAS by far the best player of side that won Champions League, Italian league and Cup, and the side that reached WC Final when no one expected to do it.
In the same time, Ronaldo won nothing and Messi only won the league....then went to WC and got knocked out while managing not to score a single goal....
Is that the "level" you're talking about....?
Care to truly elaborate for which exact reason you think that Messi should get it instead of Sneijder...?
Sneijder was a key clog in two machines. Both Holland and Inter actually played a simeler style and the reason Inter were able to win everything was because they had a fantiastic team and Sneijder was a big part of that but no more so than many many other players in that side.
He wasnt the absolute key to holland, infact he didnt play sensationally in any match, he showed flashes of brilliance and got a lot of luck with his goals in the world cup. They side was built on hard work and solidity. He was a part of that, he showed great desire and worked hard for his team but he didnt raise the level.
He scored 8 goals in all comps last season for Inter, thats from around 40 matches. He missed quite alot of games so to call him the key for inter in the league is missleading.
Also i think the player who had the most impact in the CL was Milito, not Sneijder and add to that he wasnt the best player at the world cup.
He had a great season but the best in the world? not quite and not ever to be honest.
Messi was just producing week in week out match winning performances and the few times he didnt his side suffered badly. Inter were a stronger team than Barcelona last season but their was still no greater player than Messi.
The problem with that shortlist is that the Barca players compete for "Barca" points, while only Sneijder gets the "CL winner" points (who else from Inter would contest them?).
One thing that consistently screws Xavi is splitting votes with Iniesta, in this case even the "won the World Cup" points. Casillas may also nick them some points on those grounds. The "World Cup winner" advantage may be more limited this time around. Anyone looking at the Dutch campaign for inspiration would have to say Sneijder over Robben.
So it will likely be close between Sneijder and Messi, with Xavi 3rd. Unlucky Xavi, he might as well have been a goalkeeper if he wanted individual awards.
In fairness, Messi was stuck with a very poor Argentinian side. In the group stages, when the rivals wouldn't show them up, he turned it on and despite not scoring was superb at times. He shat all over the Koreans but Higuain got the tap ins.
You can't seriously expect one player to do it all by himself. Forlan was superb but worked off a pretty solid defensive and overall team performance and made the best of whatever service he got, but he wouldn't have done much better than Messi in that Argentina side. No one would have.
If you asked me who out of Messi, Sneijder or Xavi I would have rather had "dragging Uruguay to the semis" in the absence of Forlan I would say Messi, no contest.
Has to be Sneijder - won everything under the sun (domestically) one of the top goalscorers in the WC and he has just been brilliant throughout. Top player.
Sorry but Sneijder has not been the best player in the world. For a long period of time it was Messi with Rooney behind him, that can't really be forgotten.
I repeat, the FSW will most likely get his slim chances shot down by making him look very ordinary.
i agree but memories are short in these awards. I wouldnt be surprised if Sneijder or Forlan got it but i dont think either were the best in world.
I wouldnt grudge them it as they have both been great but the world cup and end of season tournaments play a big part in the voting if recent years are anything to go by.
Sneijder won't have any split points? I'm pretty certain he will, plenty would argue that Lucio, especially his performance in that second leg was as important, if not more important than any of Sneijder's, plus Lucio and Maicon were also the main standouts for Brazil, fully expect both of them to be shortlisted, as well as Milito, who don't forget score effectively score the tie winning goal against Barca before scoring both in the final, he also plays in the same national team as Robben...
Over the course of the season+world cup, I think Forlan deserves it more than anyone, I guess if you look at it as a who's most important to their teams success, then no one really comes close as he does, Atletico don't even make the quarter's yet alone win the Europa and well Uruguay maybe make the second round without him.
But I still fully believe Messi will take, you needed something outstanding from an elite player at the world cup to take it away from him, and we didn't really get that, had Uruguay made the finals, I'm pretty certain it'd be Forlan's, but they didn't, so he probably won't win it.
Over the course of the season+world cup, I think Forlan deserves it more than anyone, I guess if you look at it as a who's most important to their teams success, then no one really comes close as he does, Atletico don't even make the quarter's yet alone win the Europa and well Uruguay maybe make the second round without him.
But I still fully believe Messi will take, you needed something outstanding from an elite player at the world cup to take it away from him, and we didn't really get that, had Uruguay made the finals, I'm pretty certain it'd be Forlan's, but they didn't, so he probably won't win it.
I agree other Inter players stood out, but I don't think there are any which also had a good WC and would be seriously considered for WPOTY. I mean... Milito? Yes, he scored some important goals but would anyone in their right mind vote for him as WPOTY? Lucio, maybe, but he is a defender so won't impact much.
I also acknowledged the possible comparison between Sneijder and Robben, but trophies and goals scored at the WC would probably send that vote Sneijder's way every time. Sneijder came -by some distance- second for Golden Ball, not Robben.
In the case of Iniesta vs. Xavi, not even the Spanish can agree on which one is more influential.
He is probably the most critical to his team's success, but that alone won't make him WPOTY. It's Atletico and the Europa League after all, no one cares. It's unlucky, but I can't see WPOTY given to anyone outside a big dominant club. Has it ever happened?
Ahh yes, because goals are the pivotal point for a player to win the accolades. So where was Ruuds award then??? Or Henry's??? Or Forlans????
Messi did not show up in the big games of this season. It doesn't matter how many goals you score, unless you can perform at that potential right the way through, then you don't deserve shit.
Tell these players to produce the magical play Messi does and then they would have had it in the bag.
Also Messi scored in El Clasico and probably every other side in LaLiga, I would say Arsenal but It's subjective whether they are a big team.
Over a 60 game season you could probably list 3 instances Messi didn't perform and then you bring up the criteria of performing right the way through. Out of all the players mentioned in this thread none of them have been as consistent as Messi, so it's ironic people use a few games to beat him with.
To be fair, asking where Thierry Henry's award is is a bit stupid since him not getting it is the biggest robbery of the decade, should of won it at least once in either 03 or 04.
Surprisingly?
You need not have posted and everyone will know that you think Messi should win it.
As for his 47 goals, that's all very well, so 47 is the magic number, is it? When Ruud scored 44 goals and also won the domestic league with us, he was just 3 goals short of winning WFOTY?
Fact is, Messi bottled it big time on the biggest stage, the CL semis & the WC QF.
Yep. But the thing is both Messi and Rooney floundered when it came to the business end of the season, in the champions league, in the world cup finals, the really important stuff that makes or breaks a season. Whereas Sneijder came alive at those times and was an incredibly important player for club and country. Its simply a bigger achievement to have been a huge player for your team in the crucial, epic matches, than it is to punish lots of smaller teams. And thats why Sneijder does deserve to be in the running with the rest of them.
Surprisingly?
You need not have posted and everyone will know that you think Messi should win it.
As for his 47 goals, that's all very well, so 47 is the magic number, is it? When Ruud scored 44 goals and also won the domestic league with us, he was just 3 goals short of winning WFOTY?
Fact is, Messi bottled it big time on the biggest stage, the CL semis & the WC QF.
That got me too
but I agree with everything you said!
Messi can't be ahead of Xavi, he needs to have him in his team to perform to some decent level.Xavi is a key member of a WC winning team (big influence on the POTY award and was even more important for a Barca team that won the spanish league.
I can't conceive how Messi will be possibly win the award ahead of him never mind a credible contender in Sneijder
I can't conceive how Messi will be possibly win the award ahead of him never mind a credible contender in Sneijder
Sorry, but I find that ridiculous. Messi is head and shoulders the best player in the world. He doesn't need a certain player. Was it against Stuttgart when he scored a hat trick without Xavi in the team? Of course it helps to have more quality players in the team, but it doesn't mean he needs Xavi to perform.
Granted Xavi played very well against Arsenal, it wasn't him who beat several players and smashed in four goals. You can look at David Villa for Spain too, the team had all the possession, but he made something out of nothing for the team.
People said Ronaldo couldn't perform without the likes of Rooney/Tevez beside him, he clearly put that myth to bed when he's performed very well for Madrid.
Your argument probably comes from his performances for Argentina, but I'd like to see how Messi would perform if he had the likes of Cambiasso/Banega in the midfield supplying him. Despite that, he still played well.
Rubbish. Milito scored the winner in the Coppa Italia final, the winner on the final day of Serie A and both goals in the Champions League final.
He also managed to hit the 30 goal mark in a season for the first time in his club career.
The likes of Lucio, Cambiasso, Zanetti and Maicon also had brilliant seasons for Inter.
Xavi did not have his best domestic season in my books, he was even out injured for a period, a period in which Messi completely took apart every team they played.
With or without the wonderful Xavi, Messi is still the best player in the world.
Surprisingly?
You need not have posted and everyone will know that you think Messi should win it.
As for his 47 goals, that's all very well, so 47 is the magic number, is it? When Ruud scored 44 goals and also won the domestic league with us, he was just 3 goals short of winning WFOTY?
Fact is, Messi bottled it big time on the biggest stage, the CL semis & the WC QF.
So basically all you need is for your team to be superb, then to have big performances in two big games and that makes the difference?
It's a season of football, from day 1 until the final day. Messi was the best player in the world for 80% of the season there were times others ran him close but overall he was and still is the best player in the world.
No he isn't.He hasn't proved in another context than his comfy Barca one.
Xavi is better than him.
Xavi is my favourite midfielder bar Scholes. But that simply isn't true, in the stretches they've gone without one of them, Barcelona have looked alot worse when Messi isn't in the team. Like seriously struggling to even get a draw against the likes of Almeria* struggling.
Infact, one of Xavi's best performances in a Barca shirt over the past few years only ended up in a 2-2 draw, ok that score should of never happened, but that was also a game where Messi was quiet....the next week, Messi isn't quiet and win easily 4-1.
If Xavi didn't have Messi and a much better Spanish team around as to what he had prior, he would continue to go unrecognised for the most parts outside of Catalan like he did prior to winning Euro 2008. Because he was still one of the best midfielders in europe between 02-08 anyway.
Infact, one of Xavi's best performances in a Barca shirt over the past few years only ended up in a 2-2 draw, ok that score should of never happened, but that was also a game where Messi was quiet....the next week, Messi isn't quiet and win easily 4-1.
If Xavi didn't have Messi and a much better Spanish team around as to what he had prior, he would continue to go unrecognised for the most parts outside of Catalan like he did prior to winning Euro 2008. Because he was still one of the best midfielders in europe between 02-08 anyway.
Take the name Sneijder out, replace it with Zidane and you pretty much have the same scenario except the latter's exploits will never be questioned. Zidane played the central role in both domestic and international competition, without scoring many goals, but no one dares to mention the likes of Thuram, R. Carlos, Redundo, Viera, Raul, etc. as having played equal roles to him.
Every season Messi proves more important. In the big games it is Messi who goes missing not Xavi, he is burdoned unlike Xavi. From 2005/6 onwards it has been Messi who has been the decisive player.
TO say Xavi is better than Messi is madness. Xavi is a master at his game but only his game. Xavi can play one role, for spain he was too far forward and proved not a fraction as effective.
Of course people will argue that Xavi does it for spain and Messi cant do it for Argentina. Again keep in mind that Spain borderline are Barcelona, 7 starters were Barcelona, how easy do you think it is for these players to transition to spain compared to Messi to Argentina.
There are many factors here, to plainly state "Xavi is better than him." is madness.
Obviously the same applies to Messi to a certain extent.If he's asked to be the creator of a team, he cannot perform.They've all got their best roles.
It's a matter of opinion but I think the fact that Xavi's been part of a winning team in a WC year will be the boost needed to win them awards.
Messi is a great footballer but he's shown his limits, voters won't care if Maradona is an inept coach just like they didn't care in previous years who was the best and most consistent in the seasons before and after the WC.
There is the fact that Messi chocked it when it mattered and as unfair as it seems it's the way things work when awards are decided.
We have to put understand how the voting goes and not only choose who we'd want see win.
Do you honestly think that will matter to all those voters when they'll have to decide between the last nominees? I could be wrong but I don't think so because the reasoning applied is a plain and simple observation of facts.
Messi couldn't perform when needed for Argentina (for whatever possible reasons) and that's the thing to remember the most.In previous years voters didn't care who had the best season in a WC year, more often than not it's related to who wins the tournament.
Club form is not really the priority.
Much like the whole of the Argentinian side, which is clearly more to do with the horrible selection and tactics.
Messi's clearly not a choker. And has clearly been the best player this last season.
I really can't believe people are arguing about Messi choking/not being good enough in the real tests, etc. You may want to argue others had better seasons, but you can't possibly believe he has been "shown up".
What a load of rubbish
What a load of rubbish
I wasn't replying based on what voters will do, I was replying to you saying Xavi is better.
Because of none of them being truly brilliant and therefor being ridiculous split votes from the Spanish team, I simply cannot see one of them winning it, I mean based off the world cup alone, Iniesta, Villa, Xavi, Puyol, Casillas(despite not being that great :/) are all contenders. Whereas Messi is going on most voters card just because he's the outright leader and the out and out brilliant player of the last season regardless of not doing it when it mattered most, he'll be on most cards, just not #1 on everyone of them pretty much again, although he'll still get his fair share of #1 votes too. I simply can't look past Messi winning it because of this, whether or not I think he deserved it the most(I don't really, but he deserves more than some past winners...).
Get the feck outta here!
Sneijder gets my vote. Up until the World Cup I would have said Messi as he was brilliant overall last season. But if this is over all the competions then Sneijder has performed and been an effective part of the success Inter achieved and ditto for Holland.