LIONEL MESSI WINS GOLDEN BALL 2015

As expected FC Barcelona Argentinian star Lionel Messi was awarded this evening his 5th FIFA Golden Ball Award (2015) ahead of Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo & FC Barcelona player Neymar. 

Little can be added to want is obvious, Lionel Messi enters the Olympia of World Soccer & Football History, perhaps as the "Greatest Player of all Time". Although debate will continue as everyone has their personal favourite from Pele, Di Stefano, Maradona, Zidane, Cruyff etc, but Messi has a firm & dominate place amongst them all. 

The FIFA Best XI was full of Spanish Liga players with 4 from Real Madrid & 4 from FC Barcelona. Spaniards included are Sergio Ramos & Andres Iniesta.

Full list of FIFA Best XI:
Neuer; Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Iniesta, Modric, Pogba; Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar

The Best Coach for 2015 went to Spaniard & FC Barcelona Coach Luis Enrique who did not attend the ceremony as he prefers a much lower profile. 

FIFA Female Golden Ball 2015 winner was Carli Lloyd.

Congratulations to all the winners & Messi!

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NOMINEES MESSI, RONALDO & ... NEYMAR??? FIFA GOLDEN BALL 2015

FIFA & France Football have released the three final nominees for the 2015 Golden Ball Award. Once again Spanish Football is well represented with all three names playing in Spanish Football Clubs : 2 in FC Barcelona & the other in Real Madrid.

That Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronalo appear on the final nominee list is no surprise, in fact I can guarantee that the 2015 Golden Ball winner will be Lionel Messi. But to see the name of Neymar is a real surprise. 

The Brazilian is playing at a high level the last month, back his overall year performance falls way short of being considered & less a deserving a final nominee place. It is obvious that Neymars Club team-mate Luis Suarez is still being punished & has been left out, Luis Suarez does deserve more to be included.

It has a bad smell of corporate & business interest including Neymar in this final list. The big Sportswear & sponsor companies need a "young" successor to Messi & Ronaldo who are themselves getting on a bit on & are tiring the market will their dominance year after year. A new face is needed & Neymar sells well with youth & the huge Brazil market.

Neymar still has a long way to go, needs to overcome his hype factor. Being included at this stage is ... shall we say, a surprise. 

Other FIFA nominees are Spanish & FC Barcelona Coach Luis Enrique, along with Spaniard & Bayern Munich Coach Guardiola & Chile Team Coach Sampoali. In the FIFA Female Best Player Award the nominees are Carli Lloyd (USA), Alia Miyama (Japan) & Celia Sasic (Germany).

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FIFA GOLDEN BALL 2015 LIST 23 PALYER CANDIDATES

FIFA with France Football has handed in the 23 players names that are candidates for the 2015 Golden Ball. Also handed in the list of 10 names for the FIFA Best Coach.  The list will be reduced at the end of the year to just three players with Lionel Messi the hot favourite to take his 5th Golden Ball. 

Below is the full list of both.

The 23 FIFA Golden Ball 2015 Candidates - (List in Spanish):

Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Gales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (Francia/Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Bélgica/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Bélgica/Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Suède/Paris Saint-Germain), Andrés Iniesta (España/FC Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Alemania/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Polonia/Bayern de Múnich), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Alemania/Bayern de Múnich), Manuel Neuer (Alemania/Bayern de Múnich), Neymar (Brasil/FC Barcelona), Paul Pogba (Francia/Juventus), Ivan Rakitić (Croacia/FC Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Países Bajos/Bayern de Múnich), James Rodríguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suárez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona), Yaya Touré (Costa de Marfil/Manchester City), Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/Bayern de Múnich).

The list of 10 Coaches for Best Trainer FIFA 2015 -(List in Spanish):

Massimiliano Allegri (Italia/Juventus), Carlo Ancelotti (Italia/Real Madrid), Laurent Blanc (Francia/Paris Saint-Germain), Unai Emery (España/Sevilla), Pep Guardiola (España/Bayern de Múnich), Luis Enrique (España/FC Barcelona), José Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea), Jorge Sampaoli (Argentina/Selección de Chile), Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atlético de Madrid), Arsène Wenger (Francia/Arsenal).

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59 CANDIDATES FOR FIFA GOLDEN BALL AWARD 2015

Spanish Football Clubs FC Barcelona & Real Madrid, with 7 players each, have the most candidates for this years FIFA-France Football Golden Ball Award. The winner will be announced the 11th of January 2016 in Zurich Switzerland. The current favourite is Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona. 

Can Messi win his 5th Golden Ball ?

The 59 Candidates for the FIFA Golden Ball 2015:

GERMANY: Kroos (Real Madrid), Müller (Bayern), Neuer (Bayern)
ARGENTINA: Agüero (Man. City), Mascherano (Barcelona), Messi (Barcelona), Otamendi (Valencia-Man. City) Pastore (PSG), Tévez (Juve-Boca)
AUSTRALIA: Luongo (QPR)
AUSTRIA: Alaba (Bayern)
BELGIUM: Courtois (Chelsea), De Bruyne (Wolfsburg-Man. City), Hazard (Chelsea)
BRAZIL: Coutinho (Liverpool), Neymar (Barcelona), Willian (Chelsea)
CHILE: Claudio Bravo (FC Barcelona), Medel (Inter), Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal), Vargas (QPR-Hoffenheim), Vidal (Juve-Bayern)
COLOMBIA: Bacca (Sevilla-Milan), Jackson Martínez (Oporto-Atletico Madrid), Ospina (Arsenal), James Rodriguez (Real Madrid)
SOUTH KOREA: Son (Leverkusen-Spurs)
IVORY COAST: Bony (Swansea-Man. City), Touré (Man. City)
CROATIA: Modric (Real Madrid), Rakitic (Barcelona)
SPAIN: Diego Costa (Chelsea), De Gea (Man. Utd.), Iniesta (Barcelona), Morata (Juve), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
FRANCE: Benzema (Real Madrid), Griezmann (Atletico de Madrid), Lacazette (Lyon), Pogba (Juve)
WALES: Bale (Real Madrid)
GHANA: Atsu (Everton-Bournemouth), Ayew (Marseile-Swansea)
HOLLAND: Depay (PSV-Man. United), Robben (Bayern)
ENGLAND: Harry Kane (Spurs), Rooney (Man Utd.)
ITALY: Chiellini (Juve), Pirlo (Juve-NYCFC)
JAPAN: Ozakazi (Leicester City)
MÉXICO: Dos Santos (Villarreal-LA Galaxy), Guardado (PSV)
PERU: Paolo Guerrero (Corinthians-Flamengo)
POLAND: Lewandowski (Bayern)
PORTUGAL: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
SWEDEN: Ibrahimovic (PSG)
URUGUAY: Cavani (PSG), Carlos Sanchez (River Plate), Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

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