FIFA THE BEST 2017 AWARDS CANDIDATES

FIFA has published this afternoon the three finalists from the 25 candidates for the "FIFA THE BEST" Award for 2017. The finalists are:

• Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/POR)
• Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona /ARG)
• Neymar JR (PSG/ BRA).

This Award was won by Cristiano Ronaldo last year as the Best Player in World Soccer according to FIFA in 2016. The Real Madrid forward Ronaldo is currently favourite to repeat for a second time barring surprise.

In the Best Goalkeeper 2017 category the three finalists are:

• Keylor Navas (Real Madrid / COS-RICA)
• Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus FC /ITA)
• Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich / GER).

In the Best Coach 2017 category the three candidates are:

• Zidane (Real Madrid/FR)
• Antonio Conte (Chelsea FC/ITA)
• Allegri (Juevntus FC / ITA) 

FIFA will announce the winners in London on the 23rd of October in a special ceremony. Stay tuned!

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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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FIFA - FRANCE FOOTBALL 2014 GOLDEN BALL AWARD LIST 23 CANDIDATES

FIFA & France Football published this morning the list of 23 candidates up for the "2014 FIFA Golden Ball Award". As expected Spanish Football is represented well with Real Madrid having 6 players: Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos & Cristiano Ronaldo , while FC Barcelona has 4 players: Neymar, Iniesta, Mascherano & Messi.

It is now up to the National Teams Selectors & Captains, along with the designated World Football journalists to place their votes. The final 3 candidates will then be announced on the 1st of December to then have to wait until the 12th of January 2015 when the winner will be announced at the FIFA Gala in Zurich.

Full list (in alphabetical order) of the FIFA 2014 Golden Ball candidates :

Gareth Bale – Real Madrid

Karim Benzema – Real Madrid

Diego Costa – Atletico de Madrid / Chelsea

Thibaut Courtois – Atletico de Madrid / Chelsea

Cristiano Ronaldo – Real Madrid

Ángel Di María – Real Madrid / Manchester United

Mario Götze – Bayern Munich

Hazard – Chelsea

Ibrahimovic – PSG

Andres Iniesta – FC Barcelona

Toni Kroos – Bayern Munich – Real Madrid

Lahm – Bayern Munich

Javier Mascherano – FC Barcelona

Leo Messi – FC Barcelona

Thomas Müller – Bayern Munich

Neuer – Bayern Munich

Neymar – FC Barcelona

Paul Pogba – Juventus

Sergio Ramos – Real Madrid

Arjen Robben – Bayern Munich

James Rodriguez – Monaco / Real Madrid

Schweinsteiger – Bayern Munich

Yaya Toure – Manchester City

FIFA also published the list of "Best Coaches":

List of 10 candidates for "2014 FIFA Best Coach Award":

Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid CF)

Antonio Conte (Italy/Juventus), 

Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern de Múnich), 

Juergen Klinsmann (Germany/USA), 

Joachim Loew (Germany), 

Manuel Pellegrini (Chile/Manchester City FC), J

Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea FC), 

Alejandro Sabella (Argentina), 

Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico de Madrid), 

Louis Van Gaal (Holland/Manchester United FC).

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FIFPRO - FIFA LIST OF FORWARD CANDIDATES | 4 SPANISH LIGA PLAYERS

After releasing the list of candidates for the Goalkeeper, Defenders & Midfield positions for the "FIFPRO-FIFA Best XI Team", today it was the turn of the 15 candidates for the forward positions. Aparte from the regulars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ibrahimovic, Lewandowski etc , Atletico de Madrid player Diego Costa makes his first appearance. This is a quantitative lift from past seasons & his career which parallels his top season reaching the World Football elite. There are 4 Spanish Liga players on todays list.

Remember more than 50.000 Professional Football Players from around the World have voted in the mentioned categories that will give the final "Best XI World Team" which will be presented at the FIFA-Golden Ball ceremony on the 13th of January 2014 in Zurich. The highest voted Football Player also receives 100.000€ which will be donated to Charity, in this case the International Red Cross. 

Full list of 15 forward candidates :

Sergio Agüero (Argentina / Manchester City FC), Mario Balotelli (Italy / AC Milan), Edison Cavani (Uruguay / AS Napoli - Paris Saint-Germain FC), Diego Costa (Spain / Atlético de Madrid), Neymar da Silva (Brazil / FC Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos (Portugal / Real Madrid CF), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast / Galatasary SK), Radamel Falcao (Colombia / Atlético de Madrid - AS Monaco FC), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden / Paris Saint-Germain FC), Robert Lewandowski (Poland / Borussia Dortmund), Mario Mandzukic (Croatia / FC Bayern Munich), Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona), Robin van Persie (Holland / Manchester United FC), Wayne Rooney (England/ Manchester United FC), Luis Suárez (Uruguay / Liverpool FC).

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SEVEN SPANISH FOOTBALL PLAYERS | FIFA GOLDEN BALL CANDIDATES

FIFA - FRANCE FOOTBALL have handed in their list of 23 candidates that will opt for the 2012 GOLDEN BALL AWARD. Seven Spanish Football players are on the list with
a handful of Internationals working in Spain, like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Falcao, Ozil etc.

The list gets shortened to three names on the 29th of November. While the winner is announced at an "over the top"ceremony in Zurich on the 7th of January 2013.

List of players-candidates for the FIFA FRANCE FOOTBALL Golden Ball Award 2012

Sergio Agüero (ARG/Manchester City)
Mario Balotelli (ITA/Manchester City)
Karim Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid)
Gianluigi Buffon (ITA/Juventus Turin)
Sergio Busquets (SP/FC Barcelona)
Iker Casillas (SP/Real Madrid)
Didier Drogba (IVC/Chelsea, puis Shanghai Shenhua)
Radamel Falcao (COL/Atletico Madrid)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE/Milan AC, puis Paris-SG)
Andrés Iniesta (SP/FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (ARG/ FC Barcelona)
Manuel Neuer (GER/Bayern Munich)
Neymar (BRA/Santos)
Mesut Özil (GER/Real Madrid)
Gerard Piqué (SP/FC Barcelona)
Andrea Pirlo (ITA/Juventus Turin)
Sergio Ramos (SP/Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid)
Wayne Rooney (ENG/Manchester United)
Yaya Touré (IVC/Manchester City)
Robin van Persie (HOL/Arsenal, puis Manchester United)
Xabi Alonso (SP/Real Madrid)
Xavi Hernandez (SP/FC Barcelona)

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SPANISH FOOTBALL CANDIDATES | GOLDEN BOY AWARD

Plenty of Spanish U-21 Internationals & Spanish Football based youngsters are on the list of candidates for this years "Golden Boy Award". The title is handed in by Italian paper "Tuttosport" with the votes of 30 journalists that will claim the "Best U-21 player in European Football". The winner will be announce December at the city of Turin ( Italy ) HQ of the Sports paper.

Muniain, Koke & Isco

List of final caniddates:

Alaba (Bayern Munich); Ananidze (Spartak de Moscú); Atsu (Porto); Bahebeck (Troyes); Campell (Betis); Castaignos (Twente); Courtois (Atlético de Madrid); Coutinho (Inter de Milán); Deulofeu (FC Barcelona B); Draxler (Schalke 04); Dudu (Dinamo de Kiev); El Shaarawy (Milan); Eriksen (Ajax); Gotze (Borussia Dortmund); Guidetti (Manchester City); Isco (Málaga CF); Jesé (Real Madrid Castilla); John (Benfica); Kadlec (Sparta de Praga); Koke (Atlético de Madrid); Kovacic (Dinamo de Zagreb); Lalkovic (Victoria Guimaraes); Lamela (AS Roma); Longo (RCD Espanyol); Markovic (Partizan de Belgrado); Martins Indi (Feyenord); Muniain (Athletic Club); Musa (CSKA Moscú); Obiang (Sampdoria); Oxlade Chamberlain (Arsenal); Ozdoev (Lokomotiv de Moscú); Pogba (Juventus); Salah (Basilea); Shelvey (Liverpool); Sterling (Liverpool); Varane (Real Madrid); Verratti (Paris Saint Germain) & Xhaka (Borussia M'Gladbach).

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LIST OF 23 CANDIDATES | FRANCE FOOTBALL - FIFA GOLDEN BALL AWARD 2011

As advanced yesterday, the full list of the 23 player candidates for the upcoming FIFA GOLDEN BALL AWARD is now officially known after coming down from the initial 50 names. France Football has made it official today,  with 3 finalists to be named on the 5th of December. The winner will be named on the 9th of January 2012 in Zurich (Switzerland).

FIFA Golden Ball Award

Here is the full list of 23 players candidates:


Eric Abidal (France, FC Barcelona)
Sergio Agüero (Argentina, Manchester City)
Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid)
Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
Daniel Alves (Brazil, FC Barcelona)
Samuel Eto'o (CAM, Anji Makachkala)
Cesc Fábregas (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Diego Forlán (Uruguay, Inter de Milán)
Andres Iniesta (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona)
Thomas Müller (Germany, Bayern de Múnich)
Nani (Portugal, Manchester United)
Neymar (Brazil, Sntos)
Mesut Özil (Germany, Real Madrid)
Gerard Piqué (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, Bayern de Múnich)
Wesley Sneijder (Holland, Inter de Milán)
Luis Suárez (Uruguay, Liverpool)
David Villa (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid)
Xavi Hernandez (Spain, FC Barcelona)

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SPAIN -PORTUGAL - IBERIAN FIFA WORLD CUP 2018 BID

SPANISH FOOTBALL SPORTS BLOG supports the
IBERIAN 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP BID

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FIFA GOLDEN BALL 2010 | XAVI HERNNADEZ VOTED WINNERS BY SPANISH INTERNET READERS

It is still three months away before this years FIFA GOLDEN BALL winner is decided & announced. The Marketing Machine has its motor running with full gas as a string of comments have been made public by Football personalities & media with their opinions on who deserves the prize. Real Madrid Coach José Mourinho gave his opinion that the winner should be Wesley Sneijder, Manchester United Coach Alex Ferguson supports Diego Milito, FC Barcelona player & candidate Xavi supports Lionel Messi while sources inside UEFA & FIFA are said to like Diego Forlan.

Spanish Sporting paper "Marca" didn´t want to miss the predicting party & did an online survey which managed a participation rate of 23.000 readers during the 12 hours that the voting was open. The final results are as seen below:

Who do you think should be this years FIFA Golden Ball winner?

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