

2006 Ballon d’or Nominees
By: Bob | October 17th, 2006
The powers that be have been busy lately putting together shortlists that are anything but short. Last week we learned the 30 names of the finalists for FIFA’s Player of the Year Award. Today, we learned the 50 names (yes, 50) of the finalists for the Ballon d’or – the prize awarded to the top European Footballer of the Year.
A quick scan at the not so shortlist shows that the same players nominated for the FIFA award are also up for Ballon d’or. In addition to cutting and pasting from one list to another, the panel of European journalists has included additional players like Everton’s Tim Cahill. Yes, that Tim Cahill. What he is doing even sniffing a list of the top 50 footballers in Europe is a question I can’t answer, but I can answer the question as to who should win this award.
My choice is once again Fabio Cannavaro. He was the best player in the world last year in my view and since he plays in Europe he must have also been the best player there as well.
The Ballon d’or will be handed out on November 27. Go ahead and cast your vote now before an even longer list of players in unveiled for yet another award. The full list on nominees is below.
Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Tim Cahill (Everton), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Cristiano Cris (Lyon), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Deco (Barcelona), Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Michael Essien (Chelsea), Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), William Gallas (Arsenal), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona), Fabio Grosso (Inter Milan), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Juninho (Lyon), Kaka (AC Milan), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (Bayer Munich), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Florent Malouda (Lyon), Edison Mendez (PSV Eindhoven), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Marseille), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal), Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona), Tiago (Lyon), Luca Toni (Fiorentina), Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), David Villa (Valencia), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Zinedine Zidane (Retired).
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Comments
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fight racism!!! ETOO FILS IS THE BEST
Posted from
Israel

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This is really something that some one can not tell, because i really think samuel eto’o was the best or even thiery henry.
I think this is racism because Samuel eto’o really deverves this .Posted from
Israel

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wots colour got to do with it , if u actually watch football u should know that Fabio Cannavaro should have won it , if not him then Gianluigi buffon , if not them then i guess anyone was up for it.
Posted from
United Kingdom

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wat about kaka da guy is grt where was kaka in da list dis is wrong i tell u wrong
Posted from
United Kingdom

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yea i agree Kaka and And Especially Adriano
Posted from
United Kingdom

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yes kaka
Posted from
United Kingdom

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eto o is simply the best in europe
Posted from
Israel

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PROPER TOP 5 = Henry
Ronaldinhio
Cannavaro
Zidane
Eto
Ps. Adriano played terrible last sesson yankyPosted from
Ireland

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Most Undeserving Top 10 Nominies in Order = cris, mendez, cahill, rooney, tiago, sagnol, schienstagger,pirlo,malouda, essien.
Posted from
Ireland

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Top 10 strikers in order. (no discussion)= Henry, ronnie, Eto, van nistelroy, drogba, villa, Totti,Toni, saha, shevi(needs to pic up form)
Posted from
Ireland

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Most over rated players in world= Rooney, Del Piero, Mista, Adriano, Defoe, Ferdinand, Gilardino, Pirlo, Beckham, Essien
Posted from
Ireland

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Noticable absenties from nominations list for Ballon d’or = Simao,jaquin,Rodreguese,Nesta,Nakumara,Rivaldo,Larson,
Given,Taccinardi,GilbertoPosted from
Ireland

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Best YOUNG players YOP 10 (no discussion)= 1Messi, 2Ronaldo, 3Torres, 4Robinhio, 5Febergras,6Robben, 7Sissoko,8Rooney,9Poldolski,10Eboue
Posted from
Ireland

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what has skin color got to do with it??? Has ronaldo and ronaldhino not won the award recently??? Is it not time that defenders aswell as goalkeepers are recognised as important influential players and not just strikers. Cannavaro captained Italy to world cup glory in hard times and was a true leader not only that but his performances were exceptional, why should the award go to Eto, Ronaldhino, Henry?? Yes they all had good seasons with their clubs as did Cannavaro but when it came to the big stage where were they then??? A truely great player performs at the top level consistently, Cannavaro has done this for club and country for years now.
Posted from
United Kingdom

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WHAT PEOPLE DONT KNOW IS B4 THE WC ITALIAN FANS BOOED FABIO C IN TRAAINING.WHY? BECAUSE THEY CLAIMED HE WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH TO START GAMES -my point !he had a poor season good WC.based on world cup he was best player-THATS WHY THERES AN AWARD FOR BEST AT WORLD CUP - thing is wc is still fresh in journalists mined -anybody but cann -what is zidane doing there
Posted from
United Kingdom

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God help me please…Thierry Henry is the best. He played 2 Finals last season…if anyone of you know another do do that please tell me. He led Arsenal to the Champions League Final(wich they deserved to win) and had a better WC than Ronaldinho, Buffon or Cannavaro. ohh PS on that gh-Eto’o didn’t even quallify for the WC. cannavaro did nothin’ for italy on the Wc just whore the captain armband.Early elimination in the CL(by Arsenal and Thierry Henry)…weeeak! Thierry did everythingh for his team! if you do not agree with me on this one, then you guys don’t know what football/soccer is!
Posted from


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God help me please…Thierry Henry is the best. He played 2 Finals last season…if anyone of you know another do do that please tell me. He led Arsenal to the Champions League Final(wich they deserved to win) and had a better WC than Ronaldinho, Buffon or Cannavaro. ohh PS on that gh-Eto’o didn’t even quallify for the WC. cannavaro did nothin’ for italy on the Wc just whore the captain armband.Early elimination in the CL(by Arsenal and Thierry Henry)…weeeak! Thierry did everythingh for his team! if you do not agree with me on this one, then you guys don’t know what football/soccer is!
Posted from


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the best young Players: 1st fabulous Fabregas, 2nd…actually I don;t know the rest, and don’t like ‘em either, but Cesc is the best, and (l)essi or some know him as messi sucks
Posted from


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Best active players:
1st Thierry Henry
2nd Kolo Toure
3rd Francesc Fabregas
4th Steven Gerrard
5th Juninho(maybe)Posted from


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brian ur obviously flying with the birdies and a retard. Toure good defender, not second best player in world. i think ud struggle to find even another arsenal fan to think that. Messi class, Cesc class. Messi better. Fact.
Posted from
Ireland

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I belive it is Eto, seconded by thierry Henry
Posted from


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Eto is just that perfect striker with good pace, strength and skilled. He has keep a good sheet in Spain 2004/2005, 2005/2006 seansons, an excellent performance in the African nations cup, play a key role for Bacelona’s success in the UEFA Champions League. I believe his rival Thierry Henry deserves if participation in the World Cup really counts.
Posted from


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who eventually won Europe’s best player award.Kindly send me the answer. My bet is on Eto’o
Posted from
Ukraine

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1º Thierry Henry
2º David Villa
3º Didier Drogba
4º Samuel Eto’o
Posted from
Spain

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Tim Cahill, Cesc Fabregas, Patrik Vieira, Fernando Torres, Ronaldo, Rooney, Messi, Eto’o, Gerrard, Tevez, Riquelme, Ferdinand, Terry & Frank Lampard.
The rest are overated!Posted from
United Kingdom

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