Ballon d'Or shortlist

Gerrard and Rooney up for award

Last updated: 30th November 2009  

Ballon d'Or shortlist

Ronaldo: Last year's winner

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The final shortlist of 10 players for the Ballon d'Or, the European Footballer of the Year award, has been revealed.

England have two candidates, with Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney in the reckoning.

Last year's winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, now at Real Madrid, is again up for the honour, although Barcelona star Lionel Messi is considered favourite for probably the most prestigious individual prize in world football.

European champions Barcelona are well represented, with Xavi, Andres Iniesta and summer recruit Zlatan Ibrahimovic also named.

Samuel Eto'o, who moved to Inter Milan as part of the Ibrahimovic deal, is also in the running, but he is the only Italian-based player named.

Former AC Milan star Kaka, now at Real Madrid, is also up for the award, while the list is made up by Chelsea star Didier Drogba, the third representative from the Premier League.

The winner is revealed by France Football next Tuesday.

Ten finalists:

Didier Drogba

Samuel Eto'o

Steven Gerrard

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Andres Iniesta

Kaka

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Wayne Rooney

Xavi

Who should win? Let skysports.com have your view via the form below

Comments (59)

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Martin Gregory says...

I wish people would stop going on a bout Ryan Giggs, he did absolutely nothing for three seasons then pulled of two tricks last season and the F.A felt sorry for him so gave him player of the year. No way is he anywhere near a European award.

Posted 08:12 30th November 2009

Kim Mbewe (Manchester United fan) says...

In my opinion,Messi deserves the award.he was outstanding in all competitions last season and won alot of silverware plus scoring crucial goals.more like the 2008/09 season,Ronaldo won it based on what the team he was playing for achieved.I just fell Goalkeeprs should get their own category because we see alot of outfield players in action and 'keepers are not involved enough so they need their own category amongst themselves

Posted 06:38 30th November 2009

Homzie D (Manchester United fan) says...

I'd give the Ballon d'Or to Andreas Iniesta. He and Xavi have been the main reason why Barca won the treble. Messi is the star man at Barca but, without the aforementioned 2 players, would he be this good? However, I think Messi will win it.

Posted 06:13 30th November 2009

Gustavo Martinez (Barcelona fan) says...

As a Barca supporter, Im delighted to know that there are 4 Barca players in the list as well as well as Eto'o, whom is still loved by Barca supporters. But I think Fernando Torres should be in the list, even if he is injured. I mean Cristiano Ronaldo was injured for a while and just started playing again this week, so why is he in the list and not Torres as well? Both have played well for their clubs while healthy so i dont get it. El Nino is clearly, one of the best strikers in the world. no doubt!

Posted 22:00 29th November 2009

Harry Smith (Manchester United fan) says...

...Whatever the comments or opinions, goals win games and the ones who put them away are the ones getting the glory. Any team is supreme because of the number of wins and wins are accomplished by scoring goals. Defenders and goal keepers will only emerged as heroes when no goals were conceded. Unfortunately, the award is who made their teams look great and the ones who scores the goals and are on the winning side majority of the times are the ones most talked about. Messi was by far the most effective player infront of goal last season as well as assisting in most cases with his attacking runs at defenders. Iniesta and Xavi were great but in my honest opinion, they did not stand out like Ronaldo and Messi. I am sure what Drogba is doing on the list but Gerard was suppose to win this award when they beat Milan in the final. Only fair I think, but last season Liverpool did not have that spark in Europe and neither did Chelsea. Manchester United (I am a supporter) did not turn up for the final although they had a great first 10 minutes. Ronaldo and Rooney had a nightmare final but I don't think that disqualify them from being nominated for the top 10. They are both impact players and has the ability to change games.

Posted 21:39 29th November 2009

Ian Swinton (Manchester United fan) says...

I think Ronaldo is a far better player than the rest on the list, he is completely different to every other player and has bags of class. However, Lionel Messi has had a better season; winning the treble and scoring vital and simply amazing goals. So I would have to say the 2009 player of the year is Messi. Expect 2010 to be different with the likes of Torres, Fabregas, and Villa breaking through the ranks, and Ronaldo fore filling his dream at Madrid

Posted 21:17 29th November 2009

Jamie Smart (Manchester United fan) says...

I think the Ballon d'or should go to Messi,he's a top class player who virtually covers every aspect that a manager would want in his team such as pure skill,vision,stamina,speed stunning agility and an amazing team player.If theres one player who can win the Ballon d'or it's Messi but even though Cristiano Ronaldo has previously won the award i believe that since leaving United,Ronaldo hasn't been at his best but he will a strong contender.The ten finalists are 100% all among the best in the world and any of them would deserve the award but for me it's Lionel Messi.

Posted 20:56 29th November 2009

David Panter says...

Got to be Iniesta, mercurial, mesmerising, an absolute magician. I wish we could bring him to England. It will be a travesty if he did not win. Along with Xavi, he tore us apart in the CL final. Awesome. Close run with Xvai though.

Posted 20:46 29th November 2009

Ithrees Hussain (Liverpool fan) says...

I'm sure it'll probably be given to Messi but Xavi and especially Iniesta are as good as any1 and have been for a long time now. They've been producing world-class performances for both Barca and Spain for the last 5 to 6 years and only really have been given the recognition this year.

Posted 20:41 29th November 2009

Jordan Thompson says...

Messi is the one for me he is a great footballing talent and at such a young age he has skill pace and what ever you want from an attacking midfielder or a winger he will produce, everyone talks about ronaldo being better that messi but if you watch one of them then the next you'll find out who is better. Why is there no defenders on the list. I might be an arsenal fan but Vermaelean should be on there instead of drogba he has played quality this season and scored goals aswell i dont think you'll find a defender scoring that many goals that quickly into a season.Well looking at the list i dont think that drogba should be named on there because he is a cheating diving scum even if he does sometimes produce good football.

Posted 20:39 29th November 2009

Tess Simmons says...

Well after seeing the votes already done, i see that some individuals are still in the land of hope. Why put Rooney and Drodgba second and third, when u have Iniesta and xavi who are better individual players and HAVE, again i say HAVE within 12 months won Champions League besides La Liga. And still yet some of you have chosen to put Rooney and Drodgba before them. Do u all know about football or just because they play in the premier league and am sure its more british based voting here right? its really amusing. Wake up, there not that Good.

Posted 20:18 29th November 2009

Jason Torrance says...

Erm why is Gerrard up for this award!!?? What has he done for club or country!!?? And the reason that there are only attackers up for the award is because there are forever more goals being scored (and thus clearly defenders are not doing their jobs) and because it is far easier to destroy then it is to create!!

Posted 19:31 29th November 2009

Scott Munton says...

Cesc Fabregas - surely he is the best mid fielder in the world, and one of the most consistant players in the world but never seems to get a mention... Do the people who pick the top ten actually watch football??

Posted 18:48 29th November 2009

Joe Gaut says...

I think Xavi or Iniesta should win it, they were both absolutely fabulous for barca last year. Suprised that fabregas and arshavin aren't there but not really torres because hes always injured, you can moan and groan all about why he isnt in or he isnt in but every one of them is pure class at what they do, except for drogba!:D

Posted 18:34 29th November 2009

James Lindley (Manchester United fan) says...

it must be Iniesta. as a man utd fan he is the closest thing I have ever seen to Paul Scholes. without his brilliant playmaker brain barca wouldn't of done the treble last year and I look forward to watching a brilliant young manager build a team around an excellent young midfield genius!

Posted 16:37 29th November 2009

Steve Bruce (Manchester United fan) says...

why is gerrard up there? giggs has outplayed him every which way

Posted 16:27 29th November 2009

Adrian Critchley (Manchester United fan) says...

For me it has to be Iniesta. Along with Xavi he absolutely ran the Champions League final. United's players couldn't get anywhere near them. As good as Messi is with his amazing trickery, Barca just wouldn't be the same without their central midfield pairing.

Posted 15:57 29th November 2009

Neil Conlon says...

Absence of David Villa? First & foremost,I don't feel the ballon d'or should be awarded at this time of the year but instead, at the end of the european domestic season.i don't feel every player on that shortlist has performed consistently throughout the 2009 calendar year.I don't believe Eto'o,Ibrahimovic or Kaka warrant it as much as the likes of David Villa(who i was shocked not to see on it with his goals to games ratio for Valencia & Spain) ,I feel eto'o who i also have tremendous respect for is on it for his goal in rome against united.Zlatan has flourished since his move to camp nou but he didn't do anything worthy of note from january to may in Serie A of my recollection & i watch it every week.Kaka has been one of the greatest players in the last 5 years(especially 2007 when he won this award),he looked unstoppable at times but again,it's taken him time to settle into life at real & he didn't do anything of note last season.mainly what i'm trying to to highlight is the omission of in my opinion, europe's best striker,David Villa.

Posted 15:53 29th November 2009

Alex Lopez says...

I think you can't really look past Messi this year.Last season he went out and proved every doubter wrong. And I hate to admit it, but Cesc should have been on that list. But anyways, I say Messi for first and Xavi and Iniesta for 2nd and 3rd.

Posted 15:53 29th November 2009

Jordan Goodfellow says...

I cannot see any player other than Messi winning from the list. There are a few players on the list that are unmerited in my opinion and seem to get on lists for awards because of their name and not how they have performed recently, I am not surprised about the lack of defenders or goalkeepers, typically since it is the forwards who steal the headlines despite great defensive performances across the world. I am surprised however at the exclusion of 3 or 4 of the top players in England, Torres, Fabregas, Arsharvin & Giggs, all of whom should be ahead of Drogba, Eto, Kaka possibly even Ronaldo if the award is going off performances since January.

Posted 15:13 29th November 2009
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