Ballon d'Or

[Dion 2,476]

James had a great world cup. But it's so unfair to guys like Silva, Suarez that they miss out. Goetze same thing. He's a good player but he wasn't a pivotal player for Bayern or Germany. World cup performances hold too much weight imo.

As it should IMO. Performances in the highest stage of football should be worth more than in domestic leagues or, let's say, friendlies. Even if, the whole package considered, you are individually worse than player X, if you performed better than X when it mattered and led your team to victory, you should be held in higher regard.

It's like Kaka in 2007. Kaka is a great player but he was not individually the best player in the world in 2007, he was the player that performed the best in matches of the highest importance that year, he was the player that showed up the most when the team really needed him, there's a slight difference if that makes sense. When everything was at stake he absolutely destroyed Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the strongest contender IMO. Kaka and also Seedorf who played out of his mind in the latest stages of that UCL.

I believe the prize should put even greater emphasis on team success in important tournaments than it does as of now, because it encourages team work. You must play in a way that improves the chances of leading your side to victory whether you bag loads of goals and assists or not. Winning as a team should be of the utmost importance even for individual prizes, just so even the CR7's and Messi's care about team balance, about defending, about marking, and not only about being flashy or hitting 3 digits of goals and assists. A Ballon D'Or winner should come from at least one of the finalists in UCL or World Cup, with rare exceptions. Continuing this train of thought, I honestly find it a disgrace to the game that CR7 takes so many shots per game, it's simply not possible that every single one of those attempts were the best option available for him at the time he made them. IMO that kind of overly selfish attitude should be discouraged from football and one of the ways in doing that is not giving individual awards to players performing like that. I also think players who dive/cheat too much should not even make the list. The prize should be used to improve the sport more so than for awarding individual prowess which worsen it. But that's just me.

[iseah100 5,612]

As it should IMO. Performances in the highest stage of football should be worth more than in domestic leagues or, let's say, friendlies. Even if, the whole package considered, you are individually worse than player X, if you performed better than X when it mattered and led your team to victory, you should be held in higher regard.

It's like Kaka in 2007. Kaka is a great player but he was not individually the best player in the world in 2007, he was the player that performed the best in matches of the highest importance that year, he was the player that showed up the most when the team really needed him, there's a slight difference if that makes sense. When everything was at stake he absolutely destroyed Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the strongest contender IMO. Kaka and also Seedorf who played out of his mind in the latest stages of that UCL.

I believe the prize should put even greater emphasis on team success in important tournaments than it does as of now, because it encourages team work. You must play in a way that improves the chances of leading your side to victory whether you bag loads of goals and assists or not. Winning as a team should be of the utmost importance even for individual prizes, just so even the CR7's and Messi's care about team balance, about defending, about marking, and not only about being flashy or hitting 3 digits of goals and assists. A Ballon D'Or winner should come from at least one of the finalists in UCL or World Cup, with rare exceptions. Continuing this train of thought, I honestly find it a disgrace to the game that CR7 takes so many shots per game, it's simply not possible that every single one of those attempts were the best option available for him at the time he made them. IMO that kind of overly selfish attitude should be discouraged from football and of the ways in doing that is not giving individual awards to players performing like that. I also think players who dive/cheat too much should not even make the list. The prize should be used to improve the sport more so than for awarding individual prowess which worsen it. But that's just me.

Bale it is then.

[Dion 2,476]

Bale it is then.

I don't know if it should be Bale, but these billion goals scored by CR7 and Messi should be analyzed past the numbers and hold less weight than they seem to do in the present day. For instance, if the Ballon D'Or should go to any Argentinian player I'd rather have it go to Di Maria or Mascherano who actually performed the best amongst their NT squad in the World Cup.

[Victor Von Doom 258]

I don't know if it should be Bale, but these billion goals scored by CR7 and Messi should be analyzed past the numbers and hold less weight than they seem to do in the present day. For instance, if the Ballon D'Or should go to any Argentinian player I'd rather have it go to Di Maria or Mascherano who actually performed the best amongst their NT squad in the World Cup.

Messi was the best Argentine player.

[Dion 2,476]

Messi was the best Argentine player.

IMO he wasn't. Not even close, actually.

[iseah100 5,612]

I don't know if it should be Bale, but these billion goals scored by CR7 and Messi should be analyzed past the numbers and hold less weight than they seem to do in the present day. For instance, if the Ballon D'Or should go to any Argentinian player I'd rather have it go to Di Maria or Mascherano who actually performed the best amongst their NT squad in the World Cup.

He scored 2 cup winning goals.

Without Ronaldo and Messi would Braca and Real have gotten so far? Tough to say, you can't dismiss those goals because, ultimately, the point of the sport is to put the ball into the back of the net. They do it better than anyone.

Messi was the best Argentine player.

LMAO. Di Maria says hi.

[Victor Von Doom 258]

w/o Messi's goals they wouldn't even have got out of the group stage. Mascherano & ADM were great, granted. But for me it was Messi.

[Dion 2,476]

He scored 2 cup winning goals.

Without Ronaldo and Messi would Braca and Real have gotten so far? Tough to say, you can't dismiss those goals because, ultimately, the point of the sport is to put the ball into the back of the net. They do it better than anyone.

LMAO. Di Maria says hi.

It's not only about the goals. If Bale performed great on top of his goals maybe. Goals are important but so is not conceding or setting up those goals in the first place. I'm just tired of other great players not going further in these awards because Ronaldo and CR7 scored like crazy even when they were quiet in important games or the only thing they did was score a penalty with an overall mediocre performance.

[Dion 2,476]

Another example - at first I found it strange when I didn't see Suarez on the list. You know what? I bet Suarez found it weird himself. And I bet he got the message conveyed in not having him on the list. That's the purpose these awards should have.

[Spike 12,049]

Same could be said about Costa who you suggested. Spain were awful in the world cup. Didn't score in the CL final. Didn't score in the Semi's of Copa Del Rey over 2 legs. Didn't score in Supercopa De Espana. Not the best player in the world.

Ronaldo is more deserving than Costa or Muller.

17 goals in CL. Leading scorer on CL winners and Copa Del Rey winners. Leading goalscorer in La Liga. Got Portugal to the WC.

Costa is in a far more average team (though still a great team) than Ronaldo his achievement are in my opinion more weighted.

Costa had 8 in the CL got his Atletico team to the final, which is an amazing feat by itself, much more impressive than Real Madrid due to Atleti's circumstances. . Scored 27 goals in La Liga and actually won it. Costa won trophies with a team that wasn't supposed to win anything. Real Madrid are an amazing team and Cristiano makes them a whole world better but I believe Real Madrid could do it without him. The same can not be said for Costa. CR7 is a better player can't argue that but Diego Costa's feats last season were just to important to the success of Atleti Madrid. A team that hasn't been to a CL final in 41 years and hasn't won La Liga in

18 years.

Costa did very poorly in his cup run though

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Should be Lahm but it will go to bottle job Penaldo

[Spike 12,049]

Di Maria was pathetic in the world cup.

[Spike 12,049]

That is why I like Muller. He is so integral to the success of everything that Bayern (Bundesliga and Pokal) and Germany (World Cup) do. He is so instrumental in everything. There is no flash or elan but what he does makes Bayern and Germany the winning machines they are.

[Dion 2,476]

Costa is in a far more average team (though still a great team) than Ronaldo his achievement are in my opinion more weighted.

Costa had 8 in the CL got his Atletico team to the final, which is an amazing feat by itself, much more impressive than Real Madrid due to Atleti's circumstances. . Scored 27 goals in La Liga and actually won it. Costa won trophies with a team that wasn't supposed to win anything. Real Madrid are an amazing team and Cristiano makes them a whole world better but I believe Real Madrid could do it without him. The same can not be said for Costa. CR7 is a better player can't argue that but Diego Costa's feats last season were just to important to the success of Atleti Madrid. A team that hasn't been to a CL final in 41 years and hasn't won La Liga in

18 years.

Costa did very poorly in his cup run though

And he didn't play the final because he couldn't. He was injured but still tried to be on the pitch for his team. He gave his all and even risked his body's health to try to make his side the winner. That's impressive on many levels.

[Liquidator 5,176]

Where's Mo Salah?

[Spike 12,049]

Where's Mo Salah?

I imagine lounging around London somewhere. Doesn't have much else to do.

[BleedsBlue 1,549]

I'd love to see Muller win it but it'll probably go to Ronaldo.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Just too much hype surrounding Ronaldo for him not to win it. Neur deserves it better IMO for being the absolute best in his line of work.

Simeone for manager is a no-brainer.