Ballon D'or

[sebo_sek]

I really couldn't care less about the Ballon d'or. It really is just between Ronaldo and Messi with the odd exception here and there - boring as fuck. Lewandowski should have got it simply for the fact that he has bossed the Bundesliga for years, is Poland's top scorer, has just set a CL record for scoring 4 goals in 14 minutes, was the first player to score 4 in a CL semi, it took him 9 minutes to score 5 in Germany. But, because he's Polish and probably won't ever achieve anything with the national side, he won't ever get one. Shame as his personal development is on par with the likes of Ronaldo and Messi. Just as VVD's was.

 

[WalkerboyUK]

The women's award is causing a bit of a stir online.
Awarded to Megan Rapinoe, proving it was political rather than for what she's done on the pitch in the last year.
6 goals in the World Cup, 3 of which were penalties.
Club appearances in 2019 - 6... yes SIX club level appearances all year.

Vivianne Miedema might be a gooner, but she's been a MUCH better player than Rapinoe.
Hell, she scored 6 and assisted 4 in one game at the weekend!

 

[Spurrific]

I really couldn't care less about the Ballon d'or. It really is just between Ronaldo and Messi with the odd exception here and there - boring as fuck. Lewandowski should have got it simply for the fact that he has bossed the Bundesliga for years, is Poland's top scorer, has just set a CL record for scoring 4 goals in 14 minutes, was the first player to score 4 in a CL semi, it took him 9 minutes to score 5 in Germany. But, because he's Polish and probably won't ever achieve anything with the national side, he won't ever get one. Shame as his personal development is on par with the likes of Ronaldo and Messi. Just as VVD's was.

Hasn't stopped Messi winning it 6 times.

FWIW, I agree. Lewandowski or van Dijk should have won it for me. Messi and Barcelona's abject capitulation in the CL semi final should have excluded any of their players from it

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

Hasn't stopped Messi winning it 6 times.

FWIW, I agree. Lewandowski or van Dijk should have won it for me. Messi and Barcelona's abject capitulation in the CL semi final should have excluded any of their players from it

Even though Messi was the top scorer, top passer and completed the most dribbles over the two legs of any Barca or Liverpool player?

His standards are so ridiculously high, so far above everyone else, that he gets criticised every time his team doesn't win a trophy. At least 45 goals every single year this decade? More assists and completed through-balls than anyone else year after year? And so on and so on...

Did you see the way Simeone applauded Messi's late winner against Atletico the other night? Not many players can win that type of respect from the opposition in a crucial moment of an intense match. There's a reason for that.

 

[Spurrific]

Even though Messi was the top scorer, top passer and completed the most dribbles over the two legs of any Barca or Liverpool player?

His standards are so ridiculously high, so far above everyone else, that he gets criticised every time his team doesn't win a trophy. At least 45 goals every single year this decade? More assists and completed through-balls than anyone else year after year? And so on and so on...

Did you see the way Simeone applauded Messi's late winner against Atletico the other night? Not many players can win that type of respect from the opposition in a crucial moment of an intense match. There's a reason for that.

Yeah. Messi is the best player ever, would never question it. He didn’t deserve the Ballon d’Or this year though, imo. He did nothing in the second leg and Liverpool were more than deserved winners - with van Dijk leading the charge. He also didn’t perform in the Copa America.

It’s all shite either way, and he deserves whatever he gets based on talent alone. Other players achieved more this year gone by though for me.

 

[sausage]

Yeah. Messi is the best player ever, would never question it. He didn’t deserve the Ballon d’Or this year though, imo. He did nothing in the second leg and Liverpool were more than deserved winners - with van Dijk leading the charge. He also didn’t perform in the Copa America.

It’s all shite either way, and he deserves whatever he gets based on talent alone. Other players achieved more this year gone by though for me.

Messi's behaviour when on International Duty overshadows his ability. I don't really like Messi because he always seems petulant, although I expect that's what you get when you get molly-coddled in a team like Barca for your entire career *shrug*.

 

[Hakkz]

I really couldn't care less about the Ballon d'or. It really is just between Ronaldo and Messi with the odd exception here and there - boring as fuck. Lewandowski should have got it simply for the fact that he has bossed the Bundesliga for years, is Poland's top scorer, has just set a CL record for scoring 4 goals in 14 minutes, was the first player to score 4 in a CL semi, it took him 9 minutes to score 5 in Germany. But, because he's Polish and probably won't ever achieve anything with the national side, he won't ever get one. Shame as his personal development is on par with the likes of Ronaldo and Messi. Just as VVD's was.

Should at least be acknowledged in the top 3..

 

[LeParisien]

Well done Megan Rapinoe

 

[SugarRay]

Yeah. Messi is the best player ever, would never question it. He didn’t deserve the Ballon d’Or this year though, imo. He did nothing in the second leg and Liverpool were more than deserved winners - with van Dijk leading the charge. He also didn’t perform in the Copa America.

It’s all shite either way, and he deserves whatever he gets based on talent alone. Other players achieved more this year gone by though for me.

Didn’t Messi score 51 goals last season? I really fail to see anyone who did more than he did.

Messi and Ronaldo get judged differently from everyone else. In reality nobody comes remotely close to them, it’s almost like they are playing a different sport entirely.

Pointing out single games where he didn’t win it single handedly. Exactly my point that them two get judged differently. He has probably won more games single handedly for Barcelona in the last 12 months than VVD has done for every clubs he’s ever played for since lacing up his boots as a young child.

The hardest thing to do in the game is score goals. That’s just one facet of his game too.

 

[Spurrific]

Didn’t Messi score 51 goals last season? I really fail to see anyone who did more than he did.

Messi and Ronaldo get judged differently from everyone else. In reality nobody comes remotely close to them, it’s almost like they are playing a different sport entirely.

Pointing out single games where he didn’t win it single handedly. Exactly my point that them two get judged differently. He has probably won more games single handedly for Barcelona in the last 12 months than VVD has done for every clubs he’s ever played for since lacing up his boots as a young child.

The hardest thing to do in the game is score goals. That’s just one facet of his game too.

van Dijk is a defender. If you want him to score more goals I don’t know what to tell you. He has single-handedly won Liverpool plenty of points - it’s reductive and simplistic to go on about how many goals Messi has scored. VvD had the best year in football, not goal scoring.

 

[SugarRay]

van Dijk is a defender. If you want him to score more goals I don’t know what to tell you. He has single-handedly won Liverpool plenty of points - it’s reductive and simplistic to go on about how many goals Messi has scored. VvD had the best year in football, not goal scoring.

Scoring goals is stil the hardest thing in the game. It’s why forwards are the most revered, expensive and celebrated players in the game. Messi was miles ahead of him individually. He carries that Barca side on his shoulders and has done for the past 3 years at least.

I didn’t go on simply about his goals either by the way, I mentioned the frankly ridiculous amount he scores and then said it’s one of many things he does. No sane person looks at Messi and says ‘all he does is score goals’, but even if that was the case ( which is a stupid statement about any player by the way ) it’s still more than enough.

 

[Spurrific]

Scoring goals is stil the hardest thing in the game. It’s why forwards are the most revered, expensive and celebrated players in the game. Messi was miles ahead of him individually. He carries that Barca side on his shoulders and has done for the past 3 years at least.

I didn’t go on simply about his goals either by the way, I mentioned the frankly ridiculous amount he scores and then said it’s one of many things he does. No sane person looks at Messi and says ‘all he does is score goals’, but even if that was the case ( which is a stupid statement about any player by the way ) it’s still more than enough.

Are you suggesting I’ve said that? Apologies if you’re not, just checking. VvD’s arrival has turned Liverpool from nearlymen to European champions and likely premier league champions this year. I’m not saying Messi isn’t the best ever, I’m not saying he was bad - I’m saying FOR ME van Dijk deserved it.

No idea why some of Messi’s superfans get so defensive at the notion that somebody might think he doesn’t deserve every award. The hardest thing in football isn’t scoring goals, it’s Erik Lamela.

 

[Spurger King]

Are you suggesting I’ve said that? Apologies if you’re not, just checking. VvD’s arrival has turned Liverpool from nearlymen to European champions and likely premier league champions this year. I’m not saying Messi isn’t the best ever, I’m not saying he was bad - I’m saying FOR ME van Dijk deserved it.

No idea why some of Messi’s superfans get so defensive at the notion that somebody might think he doesn’t deserve every award. The hardest thing in football isn’t scoring goals, it’s Erik Lamela.

Funny for the Lamela line.

I’m not really going to delve into this, because personally I think Messi deserves the award for virtually every season he’s been playing. Clearly the best footballer of all time.

I am actually old enough to remember watching Maradona, but whilst he could do everything Messi could do, he couldn’t do it as often. He could also do things Messi could only dream of, but not very often. Messi has also done things Maradona could only dream of.

 

[sebo_sek]

Didn’t Messi score 51 goals last season? I really fail to see anyone who did more than he did.

Messi and Ronaldo get judged differently from everyone else. In reality nobody comes remotely close to them, it’s almost like they are playing a different sport entirely.

Pointing out single games where he didn’t win it single handedly. Exactly my point that them two get judged differently. He has probably won more games single handedly for Barcelona in the last 12 months than VVD has done for every clubs he’s ever played for since lacing up his boots as a young child.

The hardest thing to do in the game is score goals. That’s just one facet of his game too.

If winning games singlehandedly is the main criterion then Lewandowski really couldn't have done more. Been top scorer in Germany for I don't know how many years.

 

[Hakkz]

If winning games singlehandedly is the main criterion then Lewandowski really couldn't have done more. Been top scorer in Germany for I don't know how many years.

Germany will probably never be considered as good as Spain, as a league. So Lewandowski needs to win the CL for Bayern if he's going to have a chance. Sadly.

I think the same goes for Ibrahimovic. He should have reached the top 3 in one of his prime years, simply because of what a monster he was.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I really couldn't care less about the Ballon d'or. It really is just between Ronaldo and Messi with the odd exception here and there - boring as fuck. Lewandowski should have got it simply for the fact that he has bossed the Bundesliga for years, is Poland's top scorer, has just set a CL record for scoring 4 goals in 14 minutes, was the first player to score 4 in a CL semi, it took him 9 minutes to score 5 in Germany. But, because he's Polish and probably won't ever achieve anything with the national side, he won't ever get one. Shame as his personal development is on par with the likes of Ronaldo and Messi. Just as VVD's was.

Being Polish has nothing to do with it; Lewa, who probably should have been top three this year, has just never been the best player inside a calendar year.

Being Ukrainian didn’t work against Shevchenko or Belanov, nor Czech against Nedved or Russian against Yashin. Stoichkov was Bulgarian. Most recently of course was the Croatian Modric. The winner and top three players are littered with Eastern Europeans, unless you think anyone would specifically discriminate against Polish footballers. Considering that the voting takes place amongst journalists from every country and not just from the Daily Mail or The Sun I find that highly unlikely.

Maybe Lewa is just, like many other players, unlucky to be playing at the same time as the greatest player of all time, who deservedly won it this year after being top of every single relevant metric available, absolutely carrying his side in doing so (and winning games single handedly in a better league) and again being a great entertainer throughout.

 

[wakefieldyid]

Messi is the best player I’ve seen In my lifetime so far. Absolute magician, and comes across quite humble compared to others.

... particularly in his discussions with the Spanish tax authorities!

 

[Gassin's finest]

Funny for the Lamela line.

I’m not really going to delve into this, because personally I think Messi deserves the award for virtually every season he’s been playing. Clearly the best footballer of all time.

I am actually old enough to remember watching Maradona, but whilst he could do everything Messi could do, he couldn’t do it as often. He could also do things Messi could only dream of, but not very often. Messi has also done things Maradona could only dream of.

Maradona did everything Messi did and more, whilst smacked off his tits for a decade. Imagine if El Diego had been clean and had the support Messi has had since he was 16.

 

[Shadydan]

Maradona did everything Messi did and more, whilst smacked off his tits for a decade. Imagine if El Diego had been clean and had the support Messi has had since he was 16.

Yeah imagine Maradonna playing in an era where everyone else wasn't smacked off their tits and smoked their life away

 

[Gassin's finest]

Yeah imagine Maradonna playing in an era where everyone else wasn't smacked off their tits and smoked their life away

Shilton might have fucking out jumped him at least.