Messi wins 4thBallon d'OR

[From the Bunker]

Surely that FifPro team is a bit controversial being solely comprised of one league?!...I would have Yaya Toure (African player of year and pivotal force behind winning premier league) in for Xabi Alonso. Ashley Cole/Didier Drogba for their performances in Champions league ahead of Marcelo and Falcao (who admittedly is banging them in but not at the very top level).

Would also question the Goal of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkWJfqD_UQ

Good strike but fairly common to see those types sail in. Would have thought something a bit more special such as Mexes/Ibrahimovic bicycle kicks? 

fenerbahce vs genclerbirligi ? from my limited research! 

[wildrover]

Surely that FifPro team is a bit controversial being solely comprised of one league?!...I would have Yaya Toure (African player of year and pivotal force behind winning premier league) in for Xabi Alonso. Ashley Cole/Didier Drogba for their performances in Champions league ahead of Marcelo and Falcao (who admittedly is banging them in but not at the very top level).

Would also question the Goal of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkWJfqD_UQ

Good strike but fairly common to see those types sail in. Would have thought something a bit more special such as Mexes/Ibrahimovic bicycle kicks? 

Were there any international competitions that they might have looked at?

Yes Muppet Like the African Cup of Nations perhaps where a Yaya Toure inspired Ivory Coast cruised to the final without conceding a goal, before getting beaten on penaties?!....

[gallsman]

Surely that FifPro team is a bit controversial being solely comprised of one league?!...I would have Yaya Toure (African player of year and pivotal force behind winning premier league) in for Xabi Alonso. Ashley Cole/Didier Drogba for their performances in Champions league ahead of Marcelo and Falcao (who admittedly is banging them in but not at the very top level).

Would also question the Goal of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkWJfqD_UQ

Good strike but fairly common to see those types sail in. Would have thought something a bit more special such as Mexes/Ibrahimovic bicycle kicks? 

What nonsense are you talking?

[The Worker]

Thought pirlo would have even in with a shout for the team.

[muppet]

Surely that FifPro team is a bit controversial being solely comprised of one league?!...I would have Yaya Toure (African player of year and pivotal force behind winning premier league) in for Xabi Alonso. Ashley Cole/Didier Drogba for their performances in Champions league ahead of Marcelo and Falcao (who admittedly is banging them in but not at the very top level).

Would also question the Goal of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkWJfqD_UQ

Good strike but fairly common to see those types sail in. Would have thought something a bit more special such as Mexes/Ibrahimovic bicycle kicks? 

Were there any international competitions that they might have looked at?

Yes Muppet Like the African Cup of Nations perhaps where a Yaya Toure inspired Ivory Coast cruised to the final without conceding a goal, before getting beaten on penaties?!....

Ahead of World Cup/European Champion double winners? And he didn't even win BBC Player of the Tournament.

[thewobbler]

Casillas is the Cluxton of the soccer world.

Undoubtedly a top class keeper, but seems to get awards for doing very little.

[Tony Baloney]

Not sure about Messi's rig tonight 

[EC Unique]

If RVP keeps up his current form he won't be far away next year.

[muppet]

If RVP keeps up his current form he won't be far away next year.

Madrid?

[wildrover]

Surely that FifPro team is a bit controversial being solely comprised of one league?!...I would have Yaya Toure (African player of year and pivotal force behind winning premier league) in for Xabi Alonso. Ashley Cole/Didier Drogba for their performances in Champions league ahead of Marcelo and Falcao (who admittedly is banging them in but not at the very top level).

Would also question the Goal of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkWJfqD_UQ

Good strike but fairly common to see those types sail in. Would have thought something a bit more special such as Mexes/Ibrahimovic bicycle kicks? 

What nonsense are you talking?

The 'Very Top Level'  ie. The Champions League or the finals of a major international tournament. That not a fair enough barometer of the worlds greatest players?

[From the Bunker]

Surely that FifPro team is a bit controversial being solely comprised of one league?!...I would have Yaya Toure (African player of year and pivotal force behind winning premier league) in for Xabi Alonso. Ashley Cole/Didier Drogba for their performances in Champions league ahead of Marcelo and Falcao (who admittedly is banging them in but not at the very top level).

Would also question the Goal of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkWJfqD_UQ

Good strike but fairly common to see those types sail in. Would have thought something a bit more special such as Mexes/Ibrahimovic bicycle kicks? 

What nonsense are you talking?

The 'Very Top Level'  ie. The Champions League or the finals of a major international tournament. That not a fair enough barometer of the worlds greatest players?

Why not? IF you can do it at the top, then you are the Top!

[wildrover]

Surely that FifPro team is a bit controversial being solely comprised of one league?!...I would have Yaya Toure (African player of year and pivotal force behind winning premier league) in for Xabi Alonso. Ashley Cole/Didier Drogba for their performances in Champions league ahead of Marcelo and Falcao (who admittedly is banging them in but not at the very top level).

Would also question the Goal of the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkWJfqD_UQ

Good strike but fairly common to see those types sail in. Would have thought something a bit more special such as Mexes/Ibrahimovic bicycle kicks? 

Were there any international competitions that they might have looked at?

Yes Muppet Like the African Cup of Nations perhaps where a Yaya Toure inspired Ivory Coast cruised to the final without conceding a goal, before getting beaten on penaties?!....

Ahead of World Cup/European Champion double winners? And he didn't even win BBC Player of the Tournament.

Wasnt aware that the form of players at the world cup 3 years ago would be taken into consideration when picking the team of 2012. 'Didnt even' win player of the tournament for African Cup of Nations...surely thats a bit patronising on the old Africans!...'he couldnt even win that'!ha Just making the point that in my humble opinion Toure should have been in with a big shout. Big fan of Alonso's too though.

[rodney trotter]

Andre Pirlo was possibly unlucky to miss out. Chelsea were very average in the CL last season and had no outstanding players, maybe Drogba being an exception. Bayern should have had 1 or 2.

Can't believe James McGlean didn't make the team

Ah well maybe next year eh.

[From the Bunker]

From 77 to 84. English clubs won 7 out of 8 European Cup titles. Impressive for the era? Only one English based player made the top three in this period for Ballon d'Or, Kenny Dalglish 2nd in 1983. 24 places and only one filled during this period! Mad!

1977
1st Allan Simonsen (Danish, Borussia Monchengladbach)
2nd Kevin Keegan (English, Hamburg)
3rd Michel Platini (French, Nancy)

1978
1st Kevin Keegan (English, Hamburg)
2nd Hans Krankl (Austrian, Barcelona)
3rd Rob Rensenbrink (Dutch, Anderlecht)

1979
1st Kevin Keegan (English, Hamburg)
2nd Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West German, Bayern Munich)
3rd Ruud Krol (Dutch, Ajax)

1980
1st Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West German, Bayern Munich)
2nd Bernd Schuster (West German, Real Madrid)
3rd Michel Platini (French, Saint-Etienne)

1981
1st Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West German, Bayern Munich)
2nd Paul Breitner (West German, Bayern Munich)
3rd Bernd Schuster (West German, Barcelona)

1982
1st Paolo Rossi (Italian, Juventus)
2nd Alain Giresse (French, Bordeaux)
3rd Zbigniew Boniek (Polish, Juventus)

1983
1st Michel Platini (French, Juventus)
2nd Kenny Dalglish (Scottish, Liverpool)
3rd Allan Simonsen (Danish, Vejle)

1984
1st Michel Platini (French, Juventus)
2nd Jean Tigana (French, Bordeaux)
3rd Preben Elkjær (Danish, Verona)

[rodney trotter]

 Michel Platini , Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten were all tied with Messi until he won his 4th tonight.

Can't imagine Messi being a gobsheen like Planini and Cruyff in 20 years time.