Men’s shortlists for FIFA Ballon d’Or gala 2012 revealed

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Flavia

Guest
Four days after announcing the names of the candidates for the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year and the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football for 2012 awards, FIFA and France Football have today revealed the names for the men’s awards.

The candidates for the FIFA Ballon d’Or and for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football awards have been unveiled (see below). The final decisions will be made by the captains and head coaches of the men’s national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football.

The winners of all of the awards will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala as part of a televised show at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 7 January 2013, during which the FIFA FIFPro World XI, the FIFA Puskás Award – for the most beautiful goal of the year – the FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented.

The list of 23 male candidates has been drawn up by football experts from the FIFA Football Committee and by a group of experts from France Football. The list of ten coaches has been drawn up by the Committee for Women’s Football and FIFA Women’s World Cup and by the FIFA Football Committee, as well as by a group of experts from France Football.

On 29 November 2012, FIFA and France Football will announce at a press conference in São Paulo (Brazil) the names of the three men and three women, as well as the three coaches for women’s football and three coaches for men’s football, who have received the most votes (without unveiling the winners). The three nominees for the FIFA Puskás Award and the FIFA FIFPro World XI shortlist for the best forwards will also be announced (the shortlists for best goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders will be unveiled on 19, 22 and 26 November, respectively).


The following 23 men (in alphabetical order) are in contention for the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2012:

Sergio Agüero (Argentina), Xabi Alonso (Spain),Mario Balotelli (Italy), Karim Benzema (France), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Sergio Busquets (Spain), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire), Radamel Falcao (Colombia), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Mesut Özil (Germany), Gerard Piqué (Spain), Andrea Pirlo (Italy),
Sergio Ramos (Spain), Wayne Rooney (England), Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire), Robin van Persie (Netherlands), Xavi (Spain).


The following ten coaches (in alphabetical order, first nationality and then team) are in contention for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football 2012:

Vicente del Bosque (Spain/Spain national team), Roberto Di Matteo (Italy/Chelsea FC), Alex Ferguson (Scotland/Manchester United FC), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Barcelona former coach),
Jupp Heynckes (Germany/FC Bayern München), Jürgen Klopp (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Löw (Germany/Germany national team), Roberto Mancini (Italy/Manchester City FC), José Mourinho (Portugal/Real Madrid CF), Cesare Prandelli (Italy/Italy national team).
 
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Flavia

Guest
Five candidates to Ballon d'Or: Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué and Busquets

WWW.FCBARCELONA.COM10/29/2012 15:00

The 23 candidates in the running for the FIFA Ballon d'Or was unveiled today at noon. FC Barcelona have five players in the running for the award: Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Pique and Busquets

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Five candidates for the FIFA Ballon d’Or are FC Barcelona players. This Monday at noon the 23 footballers, including Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernández , Andrés Iniesta, Gerard Piqué and Sergio Busquets, in the running for the award were unveiled by FIFA. The name of the winner will be announced on January 7 during the Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich. The shortlist - final three - will be unveiled in December.

First time for Busquets

Leo Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández and Gerard Piqué are once again among the 23 finalists for the award. The only Blaugrana candidate that’s new to the list is Serigo Busquets.

It’s worth noting that Leo Messi has won the last three editions of the Ballon d’Or, while Xavi Hernández finished third last year. In 2010, the top three positions were filled by Barça players (Messi, Xavi, Iniesta).

Guardiola among the finalists for Best Manager

The ex-Barça manager Josep Guardiola is among the ten candidates to win the Best Manager of the Year award. Guardiola will contend with Del Bosque, Di Matteo, Ferguson, Heynckes, Klopp, Löx, Mourinho, Mancini and Prandelli.
 

BarcaGirl

Active member
Top 3 - How it should be

1. Messi
2. Iniesta
3. Pirlo/Falcao


How it's going to be

1. Ronaldo
2. Messi
3. Iniesta
 

Cruijffista

SOY ANTIMADRIDISTA

CR7 missed a crucial penalty against Bayern Munich and then didn't even attempt one against La Roja while Cesc nailed his to win the match. I will be fuming if he wins it.

Iniesta's play in the Euros was just magisterial @ times. He was certainly the best player of the tournament w/ Pirlo being the 2nd best. Pirlo got outplayed by Xavi in the final though. I love watching Xavi when he's in the zone like that.
 

raskolnikov

Well-known member
Balotelli,benzema and Pique are lucky to be on the list, if it was thiago silva, kompany and ribery for example it would have been better but ballon d'or always has undeserved nominations.

Messi deserves it most cause of the best individual year in football history.
Also when you look at the previous editions he received all the central/south America votes except Brazil of course, this would obviously give him a big edge over the other favourites.
I expect its closer in Africa and Asia and for iniesta also in Europe.

1. Messi
2. Ronaldo
3. Iniesta

Seems like a fair top 3 and the most likely outcome.

If I could make a top 10 with the others it would be:

4. Pirlo
5. Van Persie
6. Xavi
7. Falcao
8. Casillas
9. Zlatan
10.Toure
 

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