2012 - Ballon d'Or

Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been named on the three-man shortlist for the UEFA Best Player in Europe award.

The prize will be awarded in Monaco on August 30 when the Champions League group stage draw is made. The 53 journalists will conduct a live vote and decide between the three Liga stars.

edit*
Thank you RWA

Messi.

It's so boring lately, isn't it?

Messi of course but Iniesta deserve it more in my opinion/.

Messi of course but Iniesta deserve it more in my opinion/.

You serious? Messi just played the best season I can remember any footballer playing.

73 goals and 29 assists. Absolutely ******* ridiculous

Is this question even worth asking?

Mourinho thinks it should be Ronaldo as he won something, while Ronny himself says he just wants ''justice'', its got very political this year.

I would go with Messi. I would have Iker Casillas in the top 3 ahead of Iniesta too - key player and captain for club and country during Reals title win and Spain's European Championship success.

Agree on Casillas, but Messi all day every day. 102 goals/assists in one season, simply incredible.

Clearly Messi.

Actually didn't think Iniesta(or Xavi) were as good as usual last season, Euro's obviously helps Iniesta's cause but Messi is just too good and too consistent.

Messi of course but Iniesta deserve it more in my opinion/.

You serious? Messi just played the best season I can remember any footballer playing.

73 goals and 29 assists. Absolutely ******* ridiculous :lol:

Yeah of course messi deserve it ronaldo also scored too many goals last season he deserve it too.

Messi of course but Iniesta deserve it more in my opinion/.

You serious? Messi just played the best season I can remember any footballer playing.

73 goals and 29 assists. Absolutely ******* ridiculous

Yeah of course messi deserve it ronaldo also scored too many goals last season he deserve it too.

The best player deserves it, at that's Messi. None of the others even come close to what Messi did last season.

They were great, obviously, absolute world class. But Messi is simply on a level of his own.

The greatest of all time will win again. That's all there is to say.

The greatest of all time will win again. That's all there is to say.

Cruyff retired 28 years ago, he hasn't been nominated.

Messi will win this award every year unless he is injured. No debate

Messi. Messi. Messi. He makes Barca worth watching every 3-7 days.

Iniesta was outstanding last season. IMO, he produced a season's high that Xavi hasn't reached at Barca (Controversial, I don't care). He was a phenomenon. Just realised I haven't even considered his Euro12 performances in the equation.

Hmmmmmm......think Ronaldo is much closer this year than in past years because of Madrid winning La Liga.

Take either Messi or Ronaldo out of their respective team, and clearly their team wouldn't have a chance at the La Liga title. So, regardless of Messi having slight better stats (+4 goas/+3 assists) I think its fair to say Ronaldo had a better season in La Liga.

Hard to judge Messi on an international stage as there was only Euro's. To have really stood out I think Ronaldo needed to have done more vs Spain - be it scoring a goal in the game or nailing a penalty.

Ultimately I don't Ronaldo will win it this year, and I think for him to win it next year Madrid will have to complete the Double (Liga & CL).

Iniesta

Top player, no drugs.

Think Ronaldo will actually get it, unfair maybe, but Barca had a disappointing season by their standards.

The greatest of all time will win again. That's all there is to say.

I don't think they'll give it to a guy playing in the MLS.

messi just turned 25 six weeks ago. he could win this year and then 3 or 4 more times. just lucky to have been able to watch his career week in and week out. as scummy as barca is, hes one of the best to ever play the game.

So Iniesta it is. Messi is obviously the best there is, but I guess Iniesta deserved to win it also. This picture just has to be shared. Messi making fun of Ronaldo:

That's not the Ballon D'Or

It is the UEFA Ballon d'Or.

The UEFA Best Player in Europe Award is an association football award given to the footballer playing for a football club in Europe that is considered the best in the previous season. The award, created in 2011 by UEFA, is aimed at reviving the European Footballer of the Year Award (Ballon d'Or), which was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 2010 to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Best_ ... rope_Award" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballon_d%27Or" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2013??

Messi or ronaldo deserved it tbh, hipster pundits wanting to be original.

Messi > Iniesta > Ronaldo

Ronaldo had a great season obviously, but he hasn't been as influential as Iniesta for both club and country, nor did he reach the plain unrealistic figures that Messi got.

This wasn't the Ballon d'Or.

That's not the Ballon D'Or

It's a headless piece of metal....what an awful looking award.

I thought for sure Ronaldo would win it. Iniesta is a wicked footballer though. Ronaldo & Messi really don't seem to like each other.

As much as I'd prefer to have these awards spread around, scoring/assisting in 100 goals in a single season is plain ridiculous. Has to be Messi for me.

Still amazed Henry never got one. Just silly.

The greatest of all time will win again. That's all there is to say.

John Barnes isn't eligible to win it, sadly.

So Iniesta won the new Ballon d'Or.

How so? Over Lionel? Mad.