Spanish Players Dominate Shortlist for World Player of the Year
October 26th, 2010
Cesc Fábregas is on of seven members of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad to have been included in the shortlist for the prestigious prize. Andrés Iniesta, who scored his country’s winning goal in the Johannesburg final against Holland in July, is among the contenders, along with his Barcelona team-mates Xavi, Carles Puyol and David Villa. Spain’s captain, Iker Casillas, and his Real Madrid team-mate, Xabi Alonso, also make the shortlist.
Barça’s Argentina forward, Lionel Messi, and Brazil’s right-back, Daniel Alves, the Atlético Madrid forward Diego Forlán – who scored five goals at the World Cup and won the Golden Ball award – and the Real Madrid pair of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil make up 11 players nominated from th top flight division in Spain, La Liga.
Internazionale’s quartet of Samuel Eto’o, Júlio César, Maicon and Wesley Sneijder are included after winning an unprecedented Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble last season, with their former manager José Mourinho heading the candidates for the inaugural World Coach of the Year award. Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti, Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal’s Arsène Wenger are also on the list.
Messi is the reigning Ballon d’Or winner and Fifa World Player of the Year. But the awards have merged so the best player in the world will now be recognised by a single accolade – the Fifa Ballon d’Or. The final decision will be made by the captains and head coaches of the national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football. The winners will be revealed in Zurich on the 10th of January.
World Player of the Year nominees: Xabi Alonso (Spain), Daniel Alves (Brazil), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Cesc Fábregas (Spain), Diego Forlán (Uruguay), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Júlio César (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Maicon (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Müller (Germany), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Carles Puyol (Spain), Arjen Robben (Holland), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Holland), David Villa (Spain), Xavi (Spain).
World Coach of the Year nominees: Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Vicente del Bosque (Spain), Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Pep Guardiola (Barcelona), Joachim Löw (Germany), José Mourinho (Internazionale/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay), Louis van Gaal (Bayern Munich), Bert van Marwijk (Holland), Arsène Wenger (Arsenal)www.guardian.co.uk
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Cristiano Rolando will be the best player of the world in 2010 (ballon d’or)
obviously messi is the best player on earth