Messi walks the Ballon d'Or

[Fez of Mahrez]

Although Xavi and Iniesta were both brilliant last year, particularly Xavi (Iniesta was injured for a fair bit of it), the thing that makes Messi and Ronaldo stand out is their versatility.

In the CL semi-final second leg last season, Ronaldo virtually destroyed Arsenal on his own at the Emirates playing as a central striker. He is a player that relies on his physical attributes though (strength, height, pace) and while he's obviously a great player, Messi is something else.

In the CL final last season, Guardiola dropped Messi into midfield and he looked every inch as comfortable as Xavi and Iniesta in there, on the world's biggest stage at club level. He's also played up front as the central striker at times over the past few months and looked okay, if not amazing. On the right, though, he's unplayable in 99% of his games.

Agree about the World Cup statements when you're making comparisons with the likes of Maradona but he's still young. I still think he needs to prove himself more clearly against a team like Chelsea too, who are probably the best defensive unit in the world. They did a job on him last season and hopefully he'll get a chance to put that right more convincingly this season.

And yes, Yaya Toure on last season's form should have been in the top 10 without doubt. How he's beneath Steven Gerrard is beyond me.

[Simi]

Congratulations to Messi, I don't see a lot of Spanish football, but whenever I watch him I am in awe.

Comparing Messi and Ronaldo is an interesting debate, most of the time. The build up to the Champions League final ended up saying they were both fairly even, apart from Ronaldo had Messi dominated in the air. The irony was Messi went onto to win the game for Barca with a spectacular header, whereas Ronaldo looked like he'd already packed for Madrid.

[Uncle Albert]

And yes, Yaya Toure on last season's form should have been in the top 10 without doubt. How he's beneath Steven Gerrard is beyond me.

Please tell me that is a joke?

Gerrard's form last season was probably up there with Ronaldo's and Messi's, he scored and created so many goals.

[AjcW]

Please tell me that is a joke?

Gerrard's form last season was probably up there with Ronaldo's and Messi's, he scored and created so many goals.

And yaya toure stopped the creation of so many goals.

[Uncle Albert]

And yaya toure stopped the creation of so many goals.

Hahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha.

To even say Yaya Toure should be higher on that list than Steven Gerrard show's how stupid some people are.

[eleven points]

These awards are a bit of a joke and blatently anti English players. Ok Messi clearly deserves to be numbers 1, but how on earth Lampard got 5 votes after a quality season in the best league in the world last year is ridiculous; Fabregas and Giggs both got more after playing 1900 and 1500 premiership minutes respectively

[Samilktray]

These awards are a bit of a joke and blatently anti English players. Ok Messi clearly deserves to be numbers 1, but how on earth Lampard got 5 votes after a quality season in the best league in the world last year is ridiculous; Fabregas and Giggs both got more after playing 1900 and 1500 premiership minutes respectively

Youll regret saying this when all the mongys who think there better for watching so much Spanish/Italian/Hungarian football get there teeth in you.

[Darkzzz_]

It's been emotional.

[Budweiser]

Hahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha.

To even say Yaya Toure should be higher on that list than Steven Gerrard show's how stupid some people are.

I don't normally argue with you, but your right

[Finnegan]

Hahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha.

To even say Yaya Toure should be higher on that list than Steven Gerrard show's how stupid some people are.

So scoring goals is all that matters in football? No player other than a striker or attacking midfielder should be given credit for a team's success? Gerrard was bit of a Liverpool side that huffed and puffed and did relatively little, last year. He and Torres may have had to work double shifts due to the average nature of the rest of the squad but that doesn't mean he deserves recognition more than Toure.

Toure was vital, an unsung, silent hero in Barcelona's double winning squad. Nobody's strictly saying he's a more valuable player, a more skillful player or a more potent player than Gerrard but last year he had a very, very good year.

And your opinion on the matter wouldn't be so laughable if you weren't arguing with the likes of Fez who watch both English and Spanish domestic football avidly, while you probably couldn't pick Yaya Toure out of an Ivorian team photo.

[AjcW]

And your opinion on the matter wouldn't be so laughable if you weren't arguing with the likes of Fez and ajcw who watch both English and Spanish domestic football avidly, while you probably couldn't pick Yaya Toure out of an Ivorian team photo.

[Tevez]

Yaya Toure, was NOT standout for Barcelona. The plaudits that got them to the CL Final was Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. No matter how much you watch La Liga, Yaya Toure should not of been above Gerrard. No way.

Darren Fletcher is head and shoulders than Yaya Toure.

[Finnegan]

Yeah but you're a tool.

[AjcW]

Yeah but you're a tool.

. Fair enough.

[Uncle Albert]

So scoring goals is all that matters in football? No player other than a striker or attacking midfielder should be given credit for a team's success? Gerrard was bit of a Liverpool side that huffed and puffed and did relatively little, last year. He and Torres may have had to work double shifts due to the average nature of the rest of the squad but that doesn't mean he deserves recognition more than Toure.

Toure was vital, an unsung, silent hero in Barcelona's double winning squad. Nobody's strictly saying he's a more valuable player, a more skillful player or a more potent player than Gerrard but last year he had a very, very good year.

And your opinion on the matter wouldn't be so laughable if you weren't arguing with the likes of Fez who watch both English and Spanish domestic football avidly, while you probably couldn't pick Yaya Toure out of an Ivorian team photo.

You mean the Liverpool side who finished second in the EPL with a record amout of points, the highest ever amount of points to finish second and not win a title? Achieved very little, ok.

Barca actually won the treble so get your facts right before banging on, only makes your post look even more invalid. To say Toure deserves to be higher on that list than Gerrard is laughable, Toure played with magicians in his team and played with Iniesta and Xavi, the best two at their jobs so Toure hardly featured and was hardly tested. Gerrard on the other hand only had Torres to help him in getting Liverpool so high up in the League and Torres only started like 15 games.

Why wouldnt I argue with Fez because he watches both English and Spanish football? Take your tongue out of his behind, haha that actually says it all 'wouldnt be able to pick him out' ok then.

[Lovejoy]

For a fine year and his team's outstanding achievements, Messi deserves this. However if you asked me who I'd rather have playing for my side, it'd be Ronaldo.

[Guest ttfn]

For a fine year and his team's outstanding achievements, Messi deserves this. However if you asked me who I'd rather have playing for my side, it'd be Ronaldo.

Couldn't have put it any better myself.

[purpleronnie]

I'd have messi every time, Ronaldo's class but Messi is classier.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Settle down, eh?

Yaya Toure played a bigger part in Barcelona's success last season than Iniesta did and his brilliant form was the reason why Xavi could get forward so much, score so many goals and generally be so effective in dangerous positions. One or two of the goals Toure himself scored were unbelievable.

Iniesta scored the goal against Chelsea and played well in the final. Suddenly the world and his wife were jumping on the bandwagon. I'd even say Gerrard had a more effective season than him to be honest.

The bit about Gerrard only having Torres to help while Toure had Xavi and Iniesta is a bit bizarre. Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano aren't exactly nobodies??

Anyway, just a bit of justification seeing as I'm getting called stupid.

God forbid anyone should say anything remotely negative about Steven Gerrard. :laugh:

PS - "so Toure hardly featured and was hardly tested" I enjoyed that one.

[Samilktray]

Lionel Messi won it, hes the best player in the world right now, he has a couple of other world class players around him, we fucking get it.

Give it a rest, the constant arse licking of Barca on here is tiresome and cringeworthy, I used to like them before people on here started going on and on and on and on and on about them like its some exclusive club that means your more knowledgeable or upper class.

Jesus christ.

[lavrentis]

Fuck Yaya Toure what about Kolo.

Machine.

[AjcW]

going on and on and on and on and on about them like its some exclusive club that means your more knowledgeable or upper class.

What?

[shen]

Settle down, eh?

Yaya Toure played a bigger part in Barcelona's success last season than Iniesta did and his brilliant form was the reason why Xavi could get forward so much, score so many goals and generally be so effective in dangerous positions. One or two of the goals Toure himself scored were unbelievable.

Iniesta scored the goal against Chelsea and played well in the final. Suddenly the world and his wife were jumping on the bandwagon. I'd even say Gerrard had a more effective season than him to be honest.

The bit about Gerrard only having Torres to help while Toure had Xavi and Iniesta is a bit bizarre. Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano aren't exactly nobodies??

Anyway, just a bit of justification seeing as I'm getting called stupid.

God forbid anyone should say anything remotely negative about Steven Gerrard. :laugh:

PS - "so Toure hardly featured and was hardly tested" I enjoyed that one.

Was it him or Keïta who scored a fantastic goal in last season's CL playing as makeshift centreback, dribbling a few and scoring with a long range cracker?

[The Doctor]

To say Toure deserves to be higher on that list than Gerrard is laughable, Toure played with magicians in his team and played with Iniesta and Xavi, the best two at their jobs so Toure hardly featured and was hardly tested. Gerrard on the other hand only had Torres to help him in getting Liverpool so high up in the League and Torres only started like 15 games.

toure is a lot better than gerrard.

gerrard may score a reasonable amount but he playspretty much between strikers and midfield meaning he's in the position to score goals but how often does he dig l'pool out of trouble defensively?

Meanwhile Toure pulls barca out of trouble defensively when ever nessecary while still getting foward and scoring occasionally meaning he does more for barca than gerrard does for l'pool.

[Uncle Albert]

Settle down, eh?

Yaya Toure played a bigger part in Barcelona's success last season than Iniesta did and his brilliant form was the reason why Xavi could get forward so much, score so many goals and generally be so effective in dangerous positions. One or two of the goals Toure himself scored were unbelievable.

Iniesta scored the goal against Chelsea and played well in the final. Suddenly the world and his wife were jumping on the bandwagon. I'd even say Gerrard had a more effective season than him to be honest.

The bit about Gerrard only having Torres to help while Toure had Xavi and Iniesta is a bit bizarre. Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano aren't exactly nobodies??

Anyway, just a bit of justification seeing as I'm getting called stupid.

God forbid anyone should say anything remotely negative about Steven Gerrard. :laugh:

PS - "so Toure hardly featured and was hardly tested" I enjoyed that one.

So now you are saying Yaya Toure should have been above Iniesta then in this list? Oh dear.

Well when you are saying such stupid things like Toure having a better year then Gerrard then I will comment back, if you base yourself on good footballing knowledge as you watch Spanish and English football then you shouldnt really say silly things like that.

Lionel Messi won it, hes the best player in the world right now, he has a couple of other world class players around him, we fucking get it.

Give it a rest, the constant arse licking of Barca on here is tiresome and cringeworthy, I used to like them before people on here started going on and on and on and on and on about them like its some exclusive club that means your more knowledgeable or upper class.

Jesus christ.

Amen.