World Player Of The Year

[Gary]

Ronaldinho was named the worlds no 1 player this evening.

Thierry Henry was a close second, with European Player Of The Year, Andrei Shevchenko third.

Having seen the three of them play, Im not surprised with the choice, as for me, there is no-one even close to Ronaldinho at the moment. Everytime he gets the ball there is danger for the opposing team. He can tackle, pass, and score great goals. The guy is a pleasure to watch play.

[gustavo]

the other two arent bad either!

[Karlos]

agreed, Ronaldinho is without doubt something very special and deserving of his award.

Henry can take consolation in the fact that he is the most consistant performer in world football having been voted in the top 2 positions in consequtive years by every national team manager & captain. I look foward to 30 years time when I can tell the kids I saw him play on a regular basis :D

Nice touch with the wristbands and Che Guverra t-shirt too Titi, eat sh*t Arragones!!

[barglee]

interesting who people voted for:

WHO VOTED FOR WHO
ERIKSSON: Henry, Deco, Nedved
BECKHAM: Henry, Ronaldo, Zidane
SANCHEZ: Henry, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo
A HUGHES: Ronaldinho, Henry, Deco
VOGTS: Henry, Deco, Zagorakis
FERGUSON: Rooney, Henry, Gerrard
M HUGHES: Nedved, Makaay, Larsson
SPEED: Nedved, Eto'o, Figo
KERR: Ronaldinho, Henry, Deco

(from BBC Website)

This year international captains as well as managers voted
wonder who cunningham voted for....

[tetsujin1979]

Cunningham didn't vote apparently, in today's independent it just says No Captain's Vote. Interesting to see Beckham voted for 2 of his Real buddies

[joeSoap]

Apparently the reason Ronaldinho won it instead of Henry was to do with the fact that while Henry and France struggled in Euro 2004, Ronaldinho was winning the Copa America for Brazil. International performances must have something to do with the points scoring?? :confused:

[tetsujin1979]

Ronaldinho didn't play in the copa america, none of the big stars did, and they still won it at a canter with the majority of the team made up of their U-21 squad

[barglee]

International performances must have something to do with the points scoring?? :confused:

dont think there is any points scoring, solely based on international managers and captains votes with each voting for first second and thrid.
Five points were awarded for a first place nomination, three for second and one for third.......

wonder why cunnnighham didnt vote, or maybe the ballot card was sent out to Roy Keane instead!

[eoinh]

THe sad fact is that all three are strikers.


Ronaldinho won the World Soccer footballer of the year as well.

[Dublin12]

Why is it sad that they are all strikers?

[Kingdom]

It's sad because defenders rarely get a mention , never mind being in the running.

[Colm55]

It's sad because defenders rarely get a mention , never mind being in the running.

I argee with you, but people prefer to see players beating three or four lads and lashing it in from thirty yards and of course they get the gravy. Ronaldinho is a fabulous player and it is well deserved. A defender will never get the award because he cannot delight the crowd in the same way a front runner can even if he never misses a tackle or never sends a pass astray. its sad but what can you do ? :(

[DolansWaistcoat]

Ronaldinho deserves it for being one of those players that make you want to watch a game of soccer just to see the man in action.Unbelievably skillfull and he always plays with a nice big grin on his face and enjoys every minute of every game.

Henry should smile every now and then after scoring a goal instead of standing there and staring at everyone and and he might win it next year. ;) :D

[Éanna]

he always plays with a nice big grin on his face
thats cos the ugly catalan git can't help it :D

in fairness, ronaldinho deserves it, because he plays against top class defenders all the time- there aren't really any top class defenders in england so henry has it a lot easier.

[Karlos]

Henry should smile every now and then after scoring a goal instead of standing there and staring at everyone and and he might win it next year. ;) :D

I actually think the secret is for him is to win nothing next year with Arsenal and he might win it! Both Ronaldinho and Zidane won nothing domestically or internationally at the time they won the award! In which case I hope he doesn't get it next year either!! :D

[joeSoap]

in fairness, ronaldinho deserves it, because he plays against top class defenders all the time- there aren't really any top class defenders in england so henry has it a lot easier.
That, and the fact that Thierry seldom if ever performs against big sides in big games, internationally or in Premiership.

[Karlos]

there aren't really any top class defenders in england so henry has it a lot easier.

two words spring to mind - IAN HARTE!! :D

I think if you look at the stats aswell, Henry has more European goals and assists then Ronaldinho too.

Not that I'm arguing, I think Ronaldinho deserves the award, he's an amazing player to watch - just don't buy the rationale you put forward.

Name the top class defenders at Sevilla, Betis, Bilbao, Athlietico, Levante, Sociedad etc etc......

Are Walter Samuel, Raul Bravo, Ivan Helguera better than Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Sol Campbell - I have my doubts. :eek:

[Karlos]

That, and the fact that Thierry seldom if ever performs against big sides in big games, internationally or in Premiership.

500 hundred and something international coaches and captains vote for the man but are blind to the fact that he's a player who 'seldom if ever' performs in big games. Not only that they never learned after voting for him last year too!!! Football is in a dreadful state if the most educated people in the game domestically (2 years running) and internationally (2 years running) vote for a player who isn't up for the BIG games!

Don't make me do out my goals against big teams in big games list again!!! :D

And if i really wanted, his assist statistics in the big games could hammer the point well home! :D

[Éanna]

Are Walter Samuel, Raul Bravo, Ivan Helguera better than Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Sol Campbell - I have my doubts. :eek:
I didn't mean just Real's defence. helguera is a midfielder and raul barvo is a full back, so they're hardly gonna be the best central defenders around. Samuel was a class act at roma, and will be again when he settles in at Real, Also, the likes of puyol at barca, or ayala at valencia spring to mind. and look at italy- cannavaro, thuram, nesta, maldini, costacurta, mexes, chivu- all better than anything in the premiership. terry is a very good player, but has a long way to go to be considered world class- i.e. winning things and being a regular for england. ferdinand is totally overrated, and campbell is solid, but nothing special. henry definitely has it easier. he might score in big games in the premiership- I don't know or care, but in big european/international games he disappears. and it shouldn't be counted on goals scored anyway, not like ronaldinho is there for the tap ins :D

[eoinh]

Name the top class defenders at Sevilla, Betis, Bilbao, Athlietico, Levante, Sociedad etc etc......


Sevilla - Alves, Redondo, Pablo Ruiz

Betis - Lembo (maybe been the top defender in the south american qualifiers?), TAIS, Lis Fernandez Gutierrez

Bilbao - Casas, Santi (getting old now but still majestic), Valasco

Atletico- Edmilson, Marquez, Puyol, Silvinho

Levante -Jesule

Sociedad -Lopez rekarte, Jauregi, Rossato, Liiz Alberto.

I noticed that you tried to compare the best defenders in England with teams in Spain from mostly the relegation or lower middle areas of the table. Lowers your argument slightly personally I would say.

[eoinh]

500 hundred and something international coaches and captains vote for the man but are blind to the fact that he's a player who 'seldom if ever' performs in big games. Not only that they never learned after voting for him last year too!!! Football is in a dreadful state if the most educated people in the game domestically (2 years running) and internationally (2 years running) vote for a player who isn't up for the BIG games!

Don't make me do out my goals against big teams in big games list again!!! :D

And if i really wanted, his assist statistics in the big games could hammer the point well home! :D

Actually i saw the full list last year and it was very wierd. This was especially true in some regions of the world for instance where the concntration on football matters was on a regional basis. I remember the coach of somewhere like Vanuatu gave his top three votes to players from Vanuatu!

[Karlos]

I noticed that you tried to compare the best defenders in England with teams in Spain from mostly the relegation or lower middle areas of the table. Lowers your argument slightly personally I would say.

If you look back you'll actually see I compared the best English Players with players from Real Madrid. I merely asked for the top class players at the other clubs that are so-much better than in England. It lowers your argument when you misquote. Intesting to see you include Slyvinho who is struggling to get in ahead of a midfielder in Gio Van B. and had to leave Arsenal due to the emergence of Ashly Cole - the mind boggles how you consider that better than Cole or Bridge at Chelsea!! :confused:

I just can't believe that you rate the likes of Edmilson, Puyol, Syvinho, Ayala etc higher than Terry, Gallas, Ferriera, Bridge, Carvalho,Ferdinand, Cole,Campbell,Hypia etc - that AMAZES me! :D

[Karlos]

KERR: Ronaldinho, Henry, Deco


Good to see our own International Manager knows nothing about Football too! :D

HOw can we trust Kerr to pick a team when he votes for Henry! :eek:

[eoinh]

i didnt rate the as being better, worse or the same as the players you mentioned. All id was respond to


Name the top class defenders at Sevilla, Betis, Bilbao, Athlietico, Levante, Sociedad etc etc......

I mean who are the world class defenders at West Brom, Norwich or Southampton for instance.

[Karlos]

I mean who are the world class defenders at West Brom, Norwich or Southampton for instance.

There are no world class defenders at those clubs and likewise there are no world class players in the list you gave with the possible exception of Puyol at Barcelona not at Atlectico.

I was responding to the argument that's it's harder for Ronaldinho to score in the spanish league becuase the defensive players are better which was given as a reason why Henry didn't deserve the award, goals scored where mentioned not by me.

curiously the same people making that argument have ignored Ronaldinho strike rate in the European Cup which flaters significantly against Henry's 28 and his assist levels not to mention having scored more goals at world cup level also.

The argument was centred around GOALS....any intelligent person knows that both players games are not centred around goal scoring which is why Henry is seen as so special as his goal contibution are nothing short of amazing considering he will smash Ian Wright's league goal scoring record with his next two goals in a shorter space of time.

Least we not forget that a winger has in effect finished top of the european boot chart last year ahead of out and out stikers and european player of the year Shevchenko.

[Karlos]

Ronaldinho at FIFA Press Conference - 'Unlike both my rivals, I've never been a great goalscorer, so it's already a victory just to be here'

source: fifa.com

MMMM, maybe it REALLY has nothing to do with Spain having MUCH better defences after all - not according to the GREATEST player in the world anyway. :D

[Éanna]

I just can't believe that you rate the likes of Edmilson, Puyol, Syvinho, Ayala etc higher than Terry, Gallas, Ferriera, Bridge, Carvalho,Ferdinand, Cole,Campbell,Hypia etc - that AMAZES me! :D
only the most moronic disciple of the Murdoch/Sky Hypership could write that. And FYI, Carvalho and Ferreira 9both class players) weren't around until very recently, so hardly had an impact on henry's game! Puyol is possibly the most under-rated player in the primera liga, much as I hate praising any barca player.

[Karlos]

only the most moronic disciple of the Murdoch/Sky Hypership could write that. And FYI, Carvalho and Ferreira 9both class players) weren't around until very recently, so hardly had an impact on henry's game! Puyol is possibly the most under-rated player in the primera liga, much as I hate praising any barca player.

Moronic Disciple. Nothing like an educated rebuttal.... :mad:

The reason I mentioned both Carvalho & Ferreira was that both played in that 'small' game that Arsenal played Vs Chelsea in which Theirry Henry scored twice, it was in retaliation to the fact that Henry doesn't score in big games against high profile players! It's morons who have to make personal attacks and remarks who show their real true colours in a debate.

At least you got one thing right, Puyol is class (just like Carvalho, Terry, Campbell etc) as I have previously said but then again I probably only know that from watching SKY!!! The fact that we are even discussing Puyol as possibly the best defender supports my argument, he plays for the same team as Ronaldinho so it is someone he never has to face. I would rather be up against Ayala, Helgura, Raul Bravo, et al any day than have to play against Campbell, Cole, Terry, Ferdinand, Gallas.

[Éanna]

yes, "moronic disciple" they are those people who believe what sky tells them and are so deluded its impossible to have a decent discussion with them. they're brainwashed by sky. And your post could have come straight from Andy Gray's personal manual on "bigging up crap football cos its british."

henry scored twice (one cracker, one lucky/quick thinking) in ONE game. What about all the games for France, or for Arsenal in Europe that he has totally vanished? My point was, a "big" game in Spain is tougher than a "big" game in England, and a "big" game in europe or internationally is tougher again. And henry might well perform in big games in england (like I said, I don't really know or care) but not in the real testers. the other two players in the top 3 do- all the time. but anyway, every game is a big game according to sky and their disciples- even if its aldershot v accrington stanley in the over-99 reserves 5th division.

[Gary]

LADS, THIS IS A GOOD TOPIC, BUT IS GETTING DESTROYED BY THE PETTY NAME-CALLING.

Please tone it down, or itll be split, and rubbished.

[Karlos]

yes, "moronic disciple" they are those people who believe what sky tells them and are so deluded its impossible to have a decent discussion with them. they're brainwashed by sky. And your post could have come straight from Andy Gray's personal manual on "bigging up crap football cos its british."

henry scored twice (one cracker, one lucky/quick thinking) in ONE game. What about all the games for France, or for Arsenal in Europe that he has totally vanished? My point was, a "big" game in Spain is tougher than a "big" game in England, and a "big" game in europe or internationally is tougher again. And henry might well perform in big games in england (like I said, I don't really know or care) but not in the real testers. the other two players in the top 3 do- all the time. but anyway, every game is a big game according to sky and their disciples- even if its aldershot v accrington stanley in the over-99 reserves 5th division.

You are seriously mistaken if you think the extent of my football knowledge has come from Sky Sports. Since you seem intent on avoiding the hype of Sky - you may want to toddle off there and have a look at the champions league, international & world cup performance statistics provided by fifa and opta. Have a particular look at goals scored & assists for all three and then make a comparison. For one who wants to avoid hype you seem to have a sincere fear of facts.

Put the stats up and we'll all have a look

let's look at Ronaldinho strike rate in europe for Barca, PSG & in international competition Brasil - let's look at his goals per game ratio in the major competitions i.e. world cup & champions league, let's look at his goal assists in the european cup - hey let's do it with Shevchenko too.

Let's look at the facts and then leave all subjective opinion behind and tell me what the facts say.

I accept that at the moment Ronaldinho is the most exciting player in the world to watch right now and truely deserving of his reward but the drivel that has been written here has come not from Sky but from the bar stools of Ireland and back pages of the sun and the mirror - i don't know what is worse. :mad:

[Éanna]

I accept that at the moment Ronaldinho is the most exciting player in the world to watch right now and truely deserving of his reward
which is exactly what I was saying. Look, many other years I would have gone for Henry, he IS a class player. But he isn't in the same league as Shevchenko or Ronaldinho.

[Éanna]

You are seriously mistaken if you think the extent of my football knowledge has come from Sky Sports. Since you seem intent on avoiding the hype of Sky - you may want to toddle off there and have a look at the champions league, international & world cup performance statistics provided by fifa and opta. Have a particular look at goals scored & assists for all three and then make a comparison. For one who wants to avoid hype you seem to have a sincere fear of facts.

Put the stats up and we'll all have a look

let's look at Ronaldinho strike rate in europe for Barca, PSG & in international competition Brasil - let's look at his goals per game ratio in the major competitions i.e. world cup & champions league, let's look at his goal assists in the european cup - hey let's do it with Shevchenko too.

Let's look at the facts and then leave all subjective opinion behind and tell me what the facts say.

I just can't see how else you would call some of those guys class players? Because they aren't. Terry WILL be, but he has only just started getting in the England team ahead of a cráp player like Ferdinand. hardly proof of brilliance. I'm not talking about facts, facts can only prove so much- facts will tell you what a great passer roy keane is, because of his pas completion rate- doesn't tell you they're all two yard passes back or sideways. And i'm not getting into debates about goalscoring ratios cos they mean nothing. IMPACT on big games is what matters. And Ronaldinho has done more in tha regard than Henry. simple.

[Karlos]

But he isn't in the same league as Shevchenko or Ronaldinho.

The fact that he finishes second in consequtive years I think proves he is very much in the same league and i note he is the only player this year to have been in the top 3 two years running. He finished over 300 votes ahead of Shevchenko - certainly there are international captains and managers (including our own) who disagrees with you. :D

:D

[Karlos]

IMPACT on big games is what matters. And Ronaldinho has done more in tha regard than Henry. simple.

To be honest you could go through them all and document the impact of both players good and bad

Ronaldinho getting sent off in the world cup, henry doing the same

Henry scoring in the Euro Chamionships semi final & 4 times in France '98, Ronaldinho scoring in world cup quarter final, shevchenko in champions league semi-final etc

Ronaldinho scoring vs AC Milan, Henry scoring twice and running the show away at Inter at the same stage....

Ronaldinho playing well vs Madrid, Valencia , Henry doing the same Vs Chelsea, utd, Sheva doing the same Vs Juventus

3 World Class Players with very little between them all - and certainly none have achieved more than to be classed as a league above any of them. I think Ronaldinho is probably more entertaining in the tricks department than both if anything but certainly hasn't achieved anywhere near the silverware of Henry and Shevchenko.

He is right to be named world palyer of the year and probably lucky it was based on a calender year and not a season as he only came into form after Barca's signing of Edgar Davids in the january window after some inconsistant form in the early part of the season by both his club and the player himself.

[Éanna]

I think Ronaldinho is probably more entertaining in the tricks department than both if anything but certainly hasn't achieved anywhere near the silverware of Henry and Shevchenko.
don't agree. ronaldinho and henry have both won the world cup- henry was a sub with minimal impact, ronaldinho was a star in that brazil side. shev has won leagues in italy and the champs league. henry has won leagues in england, which is a lot easier than to do it in italy, and ronaldinho has hardly had a chance to win much. as you say, very little to chose between them

[Karlos]

henry was a sub with minimal impact, ronaldinho was a star in that brazil side.

The world has gone mad when 4 goals in a world cup finals is minimal impact,

- Ronaldinho the star who was excellent in the groups stages against the powers of world football China & Turkey and who got him self sent off Vs the Average English Team and then missed the big semi-final and in the really big final it was his mate the REAL RONALDO who was the star! but that's just given the facts which of course mean nothing! :eek:

3 great players, we'll agree to disagree! :D

[Slash/ED]

who got him self sent off Vs the Average English Team

Would that be the game he set up the fist goal and scored the winner in then? :)

[oconghc2]

always get the feeling when Henry plays/celebrates that it's him against the world

difference is when Ronaldinho does his stuff he's really enjoying it/hardly ever see him moan - or get into the petty side of things (Henry has this tendancy). In my opinion Ronaldinho is one of the best team players around - even when his team mates are **** poor he shines (see performances 4 PSG).

Henry one of the best, but still behind Ronaldinho in most aspects of game.

[gustavo]

Sevilla - Alves, Redondo, Pablo Ruiz

Betis - Lembo (maybe been the top defender in the south american qualifiers?), TAIS, Lis Fernandez Gutierrez

Bilbao - Casas, Santi (getting old now but still majestic), Valasco

Atletico- Edmilson, Marquez, Puyol, Silvinho

Levante -Jesule

Sociedad -Lopez rekarte, Jauregi, Rossato, Liiz Alberto.

I noticed that you tried to compare the best defenders in England with teams in Spain from mostly the relegation or lower middle areas of the table. Lowers your argument slightly personally I would say.

seeing as you said previously that you have never watched a premiership match how can you judge these premiership players. thats like all the barstoolers who dont watch the eL but still say its crap :rolleyes:

[Karlos]

Would that be the game he set up the fist goal and scored the winner in then? :)

Lads I'm kinda playing a bit of devil's advocate here as I've the upmost respect for Ronaldinho - it's just the one rule for one, one rule for another vibe I don't get. Maybe you just don't like the man, I dunno, but I can't see how so may respected people in world football rate Henry and yet he get's rubbished here. :confused:

I have heard many people critisise Henry for his sending off agianst Uraquay in 2002 and rightly so but now we seem to be saying here that because Ronaldinho scored a goal the act of pure petulance he committed on the sending off can be over looked. It's possible that against a better team he could have cost his country the game. He missed the sem-final. He got lucky becuase his actions could have had as bad reprecusions as Beckham's infamous kick with Simone and we all know what the media did with that.

Had that been Henry I get the feeling it would be off to Spike Island as opposed to well what about the goal, maybe I'm wrong. It seems we can tolerate negativity in people we like in this country (me included when it comes to Vieria & co) & like Roy Keane for example in some people's eyes.

People here are talking about Brazilans been role models & by far the best team and playing with a smile etc.... yet two of their players in Ronaldinho and Rivaldo(for the worst acting ever against Turkey) in that particular tournament displayed characteristics of unsporting behaviour of the highest order. That wasn't forgotten by me in the hype of winning - brazilian footballers possibly come with more hype than even sky sports could produce and people often overlook the reality of the situation! :D

[Slash/ED]

Sendings off don't effect his ability as a footballer, I don't hold any of Henrys red cards against him. Just as a footballer, Ronnie is better and is better than anyone, not that Henry isn't a great player, he is, he's just no Ronaldinho.

[gustavo]

by that logic then zidane should win it every year .

[Slash/ED]

by that logic then zidane should win it every year .

How so? Zidane was not the best player over the past 12 months so how by that logic should he win it?

[gustavo]

well u said henry is no ronaldinho so by that i thought you were speaking about their relative skills as a player not about the football they have played over the last 12 months.

[Slash/ED]

well u said henry is no ronaldinho so by that i thought you were speaking about their relative skills as a player not about the football they have played over the last 12 months.

Well, going by what they've shown over the past 12 months Henry is no Ronaldinho imo anyway, and that's what the award is based on. Though speaking about their relative skills as a player it'd still be true imo.

[eoinh]

seeing as you said previously that you have never watched a premiership match how can you judge these premiership players. thats like all the barstoolers who dont watch the eL but still say its crap :rolleyes:


Because ive seen the players hes mentioned playing in european competition and at international level. Havent seen a premiership match on TV but ive been to one (Aston villa v Tottenham Hotspur) as i used to travel to the midlands of england fairly often. Have to say it was a crap match with a crap atmosphere.

Maybe seeing these players playing against teams other than West Brom and the likes and not listening to Sky schmultz gives me a better perspective.

[Éanna]

Lads I'm kinda playing a bit of devil's advocate here as I've the upmost respect for Ronaldinho - it's just the one rule for one, one rule for another vibe I don't get. Maybe you just don't like the man, I dunno, but I can't see how so may respected people in world football rate Henry and yet he get's rubbished here. :confused:
if anything its ronaldinho I don't like seeing as he plays for that shower of shít from catalunya. Henry is a superb player- one of the best. Just not better than Ronaldinho

[oconghc2]

if anything its ronaldinho I don't like seeing as he plays for that shower of shít from catalunya. Henry is a superb player- one of the best. Just not better than Ronaldinho


just a quick question - away from the whole ronnie V henry debate

why do you hate catlan so much?

[oconghc2]

i see you hate Shels as well !! :D