FIFA Ballon d'Or 2013

[WinCool]

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery were announced as the three nominees for the FIFA Ballon d'Or, while Nadine Angerer, Marta and Abby Wambach were revealed as the nominees for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award on 9 December 2013. From these final shortlists, journalists, national coaches and captains will vote for the winner of the respective awards.

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 13 January 2014.

A 23-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d’Or was compiled by the FIFA Football Committee and a group of experts from France Football. It was announced on 29 October.

A ten-player shortlist was unveiled on Friday, 25 October for the FIFA's Women's Player of the Year, which was chosen by experts from FIFA's Committee for Women's Football and the FIFA Women’s World Cup and a group of experts from France Football.

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[WinCool]

Men's

POR - CRISTIANO RONALDO

2013 proved to be another goal-drenched year for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star helped himself to 34 of them in the 2012/13 Liga season, a haul beaten only by Lionel Messi’s 45, and scored a hatful more in Europe and for his national team. Always on top form for Real Madrid and Portugal, the flying forward, who won the FIFA World Player award in 2008, is only gaining in stature with Los Merengues, and it came as no surprise when he extended his contract with the club to 2018 and said he was considering staying put for the rest of his career.

ARG - Lionel MESSI

Since winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive FIFA Ballon d’Or the Barcelona ace has showed no sign whatsoever of letting up, topping the La Liga’s scoring charts as his side made off with the 2012/13 league title. Messi has been just as prolific on the international front, finishing the South American qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ as the second-highest marksman. With a third world finals to look forward to next year, the 26-year-old attacking wizard is bearing downing fast on another record, as he seeks to become the highest goalscorer in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

FRA - Franck RIBERY

Frustration reigned for Franck Ribery in 2012 as Bayern Munich finished runners-up in the Bundesliga, German Cup and UEFA Champions League, but the dangerous France winger did not have to wait long to exorcise the memory. Operating at a different level since those disappointments, he helped his side win all three competitions in 2013, adding the UEFA Super Cup for good measure. Moreover, he has also shone brighter for Les Bleus in recent times, becoming a more convincing and decisive performer on the international stage. Reputed for his mesmerising dribbles, precise shooting ability, and explosive acceleration, those qualities could well keep Bayern on top at home and abroad and inspire France to force their way back into the limelight – just as they convinced UEFA to crown him the Best Player in Europe in
2013.

 

[WinCool]

Women's

GER - Nadine ANGERER

Over the course of 2013, Nadine Angerer left little doubt as to her credentials as one of the world’s best, and the goalkeeper was a decisive figure in Germany’s UEFA Women’s Euro campaign in Sweden, helping her country to an eighth continental crown. As the most-capped player among coach Silvia Neid’s young squad, the 34-year-old was a cornerstone of the team. Angerer saved two penalties in the final against Norway, ensuring Germany defended their title with a narrow 1-0 victory. It was a memorable individual display that was a key factor in her scooping the Best Women's Player in Europe Award.

BRA - MARTA

The fact that Marta Vieira da Silva was named FIFA Women’s Player of the Year five times in a row between 2006 and 2010 is an indication of her high standing in the game. During her richly successful career the Brazilian star has also helped take her national team further in international competition than ever before, but without yet going on to claim either Olympic gold or the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. She nevertheless continues to delight fans with her skills, both in her country’s famous yellow jersey and for her Swedish club Tyreso FF.

USA - Abby WAMBACH

Reigning FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Abby Wambach showed no signs of letting up during 2013. The Rochester, New York native enjoyed a year closer to home playing for Western New York Flash in the inaugural National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season. Wambach led Flash to the NWSL final where they were ultimately bested by Portland Thorns 2-0, but the prolific scorer struck for 11 goals in 19 games, taking second place in the NWSL scoring charts. On the international level, Wambach reached a massive milestone on 20 June when she struck four times against Korea Republic to surpass Mia Hamm’s all-time scoring record in women’s international football of 158 goals. With Wambach still scoring at will for USA, it seems her recently reached record is likely to stand for some time to come.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Messi had a horrible calender 2013. He really has no business even being a finalist.

 

[Back Door Skip]

You mean to tell me that there's a woman's version of Ballon d'Or?

 

[Filipower]

You mean to tell me that there's a woman's version of Ballon d'Or?

Dude Messi has 4!

 

[WinCool]

Then who won the Men's for the 4 year.

 

[Mus]

Marta

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Eh, this thread is good enough. Here's Gazzetta Dello Sport's team of the year. No Serie A players and only one (unwarranted) player from the Premier League.

Think they did a good job. The only inclusion I would argue with is Hazard.

 

[Mandieta6]

Hazard over Messi is undisputable.

 

[Xifio]

looks like the folks at Gazzetta stopped watching football after the Champions League final, but threw in Cristiano just to make that fact not obvious ...

 

[Mandieta6]

What would you change?

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Well, Subotic and Gundogan have had some pretty major injuries, so I could see them being taken off, and I wouldn't be offended if Suarez was in for Lewandowski. However I think it's hard to have qualms with the stars of the 2013 Champions League when it had the most important games of the year by far.

 

[Xifio]

What would you change?

I'm basically getting at this:

Well, Subotic and Gundogan have had some pretty major injuries, so I could see them being taken off, and I wouldn't be offended if Suarez was in for Lewandowski.

I'd obviously also throw in another Ajacied's name along with Luisito for the striker's spot ... and yes, Hazard included ahead of the Prem POTY also raises questions as to the criteria used for this team ...

However I think it's hard to have qualms with the stars of the 2013 Champions League when it had the most important games of the year by far.

team of the season for major trophy-winning contributions; team of the year for individual consistency throughout the calendar year ...

 

[ShiftyPowers]

raises questions as to the criteria used for this team ...

I think you're mad that an Italian publication just sucked some major Bundesliga dong.

Zlatan plays in a joke league, it would have been a farce to include him over Ronaldo, Ribery, or Suarez, not to mention Robben for that matter who in Calendar 2013 has probably been the #2 player in the world behind Ronaldo.

 

[Xifio]

haha, if I'm mad at anything, it'd be at the Italian teams for not delivering ... I'm not a hater of German football; they've only been an enemy due to the coefficients BS ...

actually, if Serie A's greater presence in the Europa gets the Italian teams (in general) to understand its importance in terms of coefficients, it'd be worth it ... acknowledging that Germany's success in the Champions League was preceded by taking the UEFA Cup seriously, and remembering that the 90s saw the Serie A do well not only in the Champions League, but the Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup too ...

as for Zlatan: you're right ... sh!t player, sh!t league, etc. ...

 

[ShiftyPowers]

He's not a shit player, but he is no longer a great player. He's a great player in a very poor French league, not in the world as a whole.

 

[Xifio]

you're right, of course ...

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Well this should cheer you up. The Guardian's top 100 players of 2013.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2013/dec/100-greatest-footballers-2013

Really don't think it's a great list (Xavi at #8 are you serious?), but it does have some good things, like for example 11 Bayern players in the top 53.

 

[Xifio]

come on, what an awful list, even without looking at Xavi ... including Zlatan, it has 4 players from that sh!tty French league in the top 20, AHEAD of some of the Dortmund and Bayern players ...

I mean, I guess we can excuse Thiago Silva since, based on the Gazzetta team, it obviously didn't matter that he plays in a sh!t league ... and I guess Falcao and Cavani can be pardoned, since they moved from a different league half way through the year ... but all the other players in the Top 20 from Ligue 1 teams don't merit a mention ... and it's not like those others play well for their star studded national teams either ... shameful from the Guardian ...