2009 FIFA World Player of the Year

[Saskibaloia2]

SBS The World Game:

Ronaldo in running to defend title
30 October 2009 | 20:42 - PA Sport

Reigning FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo is in the running to retain his title after being named on a 23-man shortlist for this season's award.

The Real Madrid and Portugal star heads a familiar cast of the world's leading talent as voting commences ahead of the annual gala in Zurich on December 21, which also includes Barcelona's Lionel Messi as a strong candidate.

Spain provide six nominees - goalkeeper Iker Casillas, defender Carles Puyol, midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi and strikers Fernando Torres and David Villa.

England, with four - Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and John Terry - are next, while Brazil (three) and France (two) are the only other countries with more than one player nominated.

Brazilian Marta, who has won the women's award for the last three years, is once again included on a shortlist of 10 names.

FIFA World Player 2009 shortlist:

Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Diego (Brazil), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Steven Gerrard (England), Thierry Henry (France), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Carles Puyol (Spain), Franck Ribery (France), Wayne Rooney (England), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), David Villa (Spain), Xavi (Spain).

FIFA Women's World Player 2009 shortlist:

Nadine Angerer (Germany), Sonia Bompastor (France), Cristiane (Brazil), Inka Grings (Germany), Mana Iwabuchi (Japan), Simone Laudehr (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Kelly Smith (England), Abby Wambach (USA).

 

[Mindozas6]

This year it's totally no brainer - Messi

 

[daniab2]

Messi with no doubt

 

[PRSURF2]

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite

 

[eliooo932]

Leo Messi, no doubt.

 

[Buzissa2]

Cristiano Ronaldo!!!
Not because he is portuguese, but CR9 is better than Messi...

 

[donmar2]

Eventhough, I'm no Messi fan... I voted for him.. there's no way Cristiano Ronaldo will win that one back to back just because he join the Merengues...

 

[SunOverHStreet]

I think that we have a little injustice here... How come that they didn't include some more of ManU players, Vidić, Evra and VDS all had a tremendous season last year... I know they fucked up in CL finals, but that's life... You can't erase all of previous achievements just because of one game. What about their record in the Premier league, 12 game goalless streak. They've won the league and the Curling cup, also...
I see there are some players in the poll which I think didn't deserve to be in it and I really don't understand how they fail to include the likes of Vidić, VDS or Evra(just any one of them...).

BTW, I voted for Messi, no doubt about that...

 

[bobo812]

As much as I dig Ronaldo's game this should go to Messi hands down. The guy brought the UEFA CL champs to Barca and was astounding that tourny.

 

[Wu-Tang]

Stankevicius™.