Messi wins 4thBallon d'OR

[ONeill]

I best player I ever saw was Martin McGaughey of Linfield.

[rodney trotter]

Ronaldo wasn't happy to lose out again

https://twitter.com/Killeavy13/status/288366630831026179

[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 '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?

Falcao is the best out and out striker on the planet. He demolishes teams all over Europe, demolished the European Champions in the Super Cup, scored an absolute screamer against Barca in the Camp Nou. If you can't see how good he is I suggest you watch a bit more of La Liga. He is outstanding and he'll be worth every penny of the fifty odd million someone's going to fork out for him next summer.

[rodney trotter]

Falcao has been superb for a few seasons now. He was brillant for Athlico Madrid last season in the Europe league (scored 2 quality goals in the final) and in La Liga, destroyed Chelsea in August in the Super Cup final scoring a hat trick. Class act.

[Rossie11]

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?

Falcao is the best out and out striker on the planet. He demolishes teams all over Europe, demolished the European Champions in the Super Cup, scored an absolute screamer against Barca in the Camp Nou. If you can't see how good he is I suggest you watch a bit more of La Liga. He is outstanding and he'll be worth every penny of the fifty odd million someone's going to fork out for him next summer.

Totally agree. Easily the best #9 in the world. Aguero, RVP and Ibra would have been close to winning it other years but Falcao has been far better this year than them
As regards playing at a lower level. Michu has as many goals bagged in England by Xmas as he had in all of la Liga last year.
Enough said

As for the rest of the team of the year Casillas, Ramos and Marcelo are the only ones where you could have an argument over.
The rest were set in stone
The likes of Pirlo was never getting in the team as you would have to drop Iniesta or Xavi.
Its hard to pick an outstanding Chelsea player as it was more a combined team effort.
I would have had Neuer in goals and possibly Alba in for Marcelo due to his performances in Euros and start to 2012 season.

[Applesisapples]

Christ lads Chelsea rode a huge slice of luck to win the CL. That team reflects the best players from the best league in the world. The EPL is undoubtedly exiting but the level of skill and touch is no where near that in La Liga.

[magpie seanie]

It underscores the wrongs of professional sport without a salary cap when the world XI is basically two clubs plus one guy they haven't managed to buy yet.

[Applesisapples]

It underscores the wrongs of professional sport without a salary cap when the world XI is basically two clubs plus one guy they haven't managed to buy yet.

Shows how little you know about Barcelona. They buy strategically but most of their players come through their academy, including Messi. Alba and Fabregas also came throgh that system. Barca do not hold players back, they very often let them go to develop and return. Mes Que Un Club!

[nrico2006]

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?

Falcao is the best out and out striker on the planet. He demolishes teams all over Europe, demolished the European Champions in the Super Cup, scored an absolute screamer against Barca in the Camp Nou. If you can't see how good he is I suggest you watch a bit more of La Liga. He is outstanding and he'll be worth every penny of the fifty odd million someone's going to fork out for him next summer.

Totally agree. Easily the best #9 in the world. Aguero, RVP and Ibra would have been close to winning it other years but Falcao has been far better this year than them
As regards playing at a lower level. Michu has as many goals bagged in England by Xmas as he had in all of la Liga last year.
Enough said

As for the rest of the team of the year Casillas, Ramos and Marcelo are the only ones where you could have an argument over.
The rest were set in stone
The likes of Pirlo was never getting in the team as you would have to drop Iniesta or Xavi.
Its hard to pick an outstanding Chelsea player as it was more a combined team effort.
I would have had Neuer in goals and possibly Alba in for Marcelo due to his performances in Euros and start to 2012 season.

For every Michu you have a Forlan, Rossi, Morientes or Martins.

[Main Street]

The southern Irish media votes were done by Jimmy Magee and Paul Kelly,
Messi didn't even make it into their top 3   

There's a desperate bias involved in the overall voting,  it should be like the Eurovision, as in can't vote for your own country.

Who voted for who
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/ballond%27or/playeroftheyear%28men%29/01/98/07/84/fboawardmenplayer2012-bycountry.pdf

[gallsman]

Don't think Ramos can be questioned, particularly after the Euros and coming back from the CL penalty miss.

Neuer for Casillas, Pirlo for Alonso, Alba for Marcelo, Thiago Silva maybe for Pique who was injured quite a bit.

Saw some calls for Drogba - he's spent half the year playing football in China ffs.

[Billys Boots]

Thiago Silva maybe for Pique who was injured quite a bit.

I thought the outstanding centre-halves in 2012 were Hummels and Ramos - Piqué would have been fourth behind Thiago Silva, for me. 

[magpie seanie]

It underscores the wrongs of professional sport without a salary cap when the world XI is basically two clubs plus one guy they haven't managed to buy yet.

Shows how little you know about Barcelona. They buy strategically but most of their players come through their academy, including Messi. Alba and Fabregas also came throgh that system. Barca do not hold players back, they very often let them go to develop and return. Mes Que Un Club!

Don't talk shite. What about Alves who is on this world XI. They buy plenty of big money players. Ibrahimovic was a good one. Fabregas was at Arsenal since he was 16 and they paid big money to buy him back. While they are nothing like Real Madrid they are not the embodiment of the Corinthian spirit either. I have huge admiration for them but their golden generation of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi will never be repeated.

[Bord na Mona man]

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

Messi needs just 7 more to tie with Larry Reilly now.

[rodney trotter]

Don't think Ramos can be questioned, particularly after the Euros and coming back from the CL penalty miss.

Neuer for Casillas, Pirlo for Alonso, Alba for Marcelo, Thiago Silva maybe for Pique who was injured quite a bit.

Saw some calls for Drogba - he's spent half the year playing football in China ffs.

Eh no, I wasn't calling for him to be in the team, just he was probaly the only stand out player for Chelsea when they won the CL last season, he was good but was never going to be in the side. Plus as you said he has been playing in China since August.