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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Category: Europe

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Al

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

1º Thierry Henry

2º David Villa

3º Didier Drogba

4º Samuel Eto'o
bolaji

who eventually won Europe's best player award.Kindly send me the answer. My bet is on Eto'o
perci

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.
HighFlyer-Brian

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

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
Brian

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!
HighFlyer-Brian

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!
byron

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
luv for the game

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.
perci

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

Noticable absenties from nominations list for Ballon d'or = Simao,jaquin,Rodreguese,Nesta,Nakumara,Rivaldo,Larson,
Given,Taccinardi,Gilberto
perci

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

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

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

PROPER TOP 5 = Henry
Ronaldinhio
Cannavaro
Zidane
Eto
Ps. Adriano played terrible last sesson yanky
abane

eto o is simply the best in europe
stef

yes kaka
Daniel

yea i agree Kaka and And Especially Adriano
Dante

wat about kaka da guy is grt where was kaka in da list dis is wrong i tell u wrong
Daniel

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.
ACHU COLLINS

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 .
Guillaume

fight racism!!! ETOO FILS IS THE BEST
francesco 10

oh my god, just can't believe the narrowmindedness of the people on this website, not one person has stuck up for cannavaro, yet he's won it...call yourselves football conoisseurs!!best defender at the world cup, led like a true captain...henry 3rd due to inability in too many big games (and plentiful diving at the world cup), eto'o not even top five cos he's not even the best striker in the world let alone best player for the last 12 months. open your eyes people...
marcos

andrea pirlo must win the ballon d'or.. he has proven himself as the best midfielder with accurate shots and passes especially in the world cup... vote for pirlo
van

Go Tim Cahill!!! Although I don't know how he got nominated
Thierry

it should be either samuel e'too or didier drogba because they are simply the best.
Logan

Ur all wrong no1 should have it i should be me
Ngaben Edmond

Infact it is something to be asking who is the best.We all know SAMUEL ETO'O is the best.Imagine the disaster that his absence is causing in barcelone.please sammy, get well soon.
penn ernest

to me eto'o is the world best player for 2006
Jay Jay

This white folk will vote the italian Fabio Cannavaro just because they do not want a black man to win. I think Samuel eto'o is the best. If he can 't win it the only guy closer to him is Thiery hanry. what so evr all this does not matter those racist white folk will vote for a white guy or look for a brizilain who looks white
CY WANKI

Eto'o has worked so hard for the past 3 seasons and actually deserves this award.............If anyone doubted, the hole his absence has created in Barca speaks for itself.
Suhnforchu WANKI

Hail to Eto'o cuz i deserves this prestigious award...........No racism, nofeelings
Ahmed iman

I Say Henry shud win it ona real cuz think of it ronaldinho won all the mother awards wen he played great for one season :S:S henry has been the best in the world for the past 3-4 seasons and everyone knows thats true but still everyone is like yeahh ronaldinho is the best blah blah .... he was the best when he first went 2 barca i tihn keven Eto'o comes before ronni
sosse paul

samuel eto'o is certainly the best player of the year
SAMUEL ETO'O I

it's undoubtably the best between best players
Davidinho

Ronaldinho est celui qui le merite. il a fait un match incroyable contre zaragoza il est le maitre de maitre .

eu te amo Ronnie
moungnutou Ismael

Dans ma manière de panser,je sais le ballon 2006 mériterait à Samuel Eto'o vue le niveau du football du barça aujourd'hui et je panse qu'à l'heure actuel,il n'y a pas deux jours comme lui car VOYONS LA RIALITE EN FACE
yengwia

Samuel Eto'o deserves the golden ball
Jacques

Henry should be named the Ballon d'or. What he achieved last season was outstanding, not just helping his team reach the final of the Champions League, but also helping his team reach the final of the world cup. You all should also remember the fantastic goals he scored in the run up to the Champions League final, but also the assist. Look at what happened to him in the Final, he was kicked, and even the president of Fifa supported his view. From God sake, please people, come to your senses, and stop living in the clouds, he is a model Football Star, with natural talent! All Rise for Henry, the King of Europe
Flauribert

Some say cannavaro has been declared the winner.If that is true,then I just don't know where we are heading to.If there is justice then we shouldn't stand on its path.SAMUEL ETO'O deserves to be crowned with the Ballon d'Or 2006.Am not going to list what he did,check that out for yourselves.Sempre Su Eto'o
Andrew Afuba

Samuel Eto'o is the greatest,what with all the trouble Barca(the best team in the world) are having since his injury.He may have a big mouth but he's the best player in the world!
AGAHA TATA OLIVER

when we look at a player who has stood the test of recent times,playing good and objective football,scoring nice and important goals for his club and country despite severe racist attacks then ,SAMUEL ETO’O should be given the golden ball.The members of the voting commettee should not rely on the statement that ‘the short dance and sweat but only the tall are seen’

Infact the ETO’O FILS what belongs to him without strings.Why should there be doubts as to who should have the golden ball when it has to do with a black.Even the big names in football have said it all ,SAMUEL ETO’O FILS has been the best sofar on the football picth,so let him be voted,,,,,,,
Scott

although there are many players who deserve this award, Henry made it to the Champions League final, and the World Cup Final. He lost the CL final down a man for the majority of the game and the World Cup in penalties. A massive year for any player. Give the man his due.....
Rob

i'll stck two fingers up 2 anyone who says steven gerrard does not deserve this award. he played a whole season out of position for liverpool was still the best player. a footballing genius
not italy

i hope that the winner will be not italian.....because italy had too much lucky to win the title...for me, this year the bests are ....1.henry...2zidane...3eto'o...4klose...5juninho pernambucano...it's no possible that an italian player has chanse to win the ballon d'or. i have fear that will happen...it's the die of football...
matt

pirlo was the heart and soul of the italian side in the world cup, kaka was the best brazilian player in the wc...but it really should be essien, he's what holds chelsea's entire midfield together...and he was the main reason ghana got out of their group. he's never flashy, so he'll never win but he meant the most to the teams he was on the pitch with. he rules.
karl

Eto'o is undoubtably the best.He deserves the the ballon d'or
lara

the only one who deserves this award is FABIO CANNAVARO
he was the best player in the WC & in Juve.
esoh etebe elah

there is no need beating around the bush.lets face reality and come out with the truth he deserves it 100 percent he was excellent last year and now because his absence is a great blow to barcelona.PAPA ETO'O go for it IT IS YOURS.
Timothy W.Kum

Samual Eto'o has many chances to carry the day. His presence on the field always makes a big impact. He should be judged fairly. Does his absence mean anything to the European champion FC Barcelone?
coolio

eto eto eto, the world is behind u. without u, there's no barca, without u, no goals for barca, papa ,u merit this award. keep doin what ur doin. no matter what people say, ur the best.
SAKEH QUI ELVIS

when we look at a player who has stood the test of recent times,playing good and objective football,scoring nice and important goals for his club and country despite severe racist attacks then ,SAMUEL ETO'O should be given the golden ball.The members of the voting commettee should not rely on the statement that 'the short dance and sweat but only the tall are seen'

Infact the ETO'O FILS what belongs to him without strings.Why should there be doubts as to who should have the golden ball when it has to do with a black.Even the big names in football have said it all ,SAMUEL ETO'O FILS has been the best sofar on the football picth,so let him be voted,,,,,,,
Dennis T.

why look for gold in the bush when you have it right under your nose.Eto'o is the best and he has proven to be.Barca is facing difficulties in their attack line because of his absence.what else do people want?played just four matches and has already four goals whilst other attackers that have played about nine matches can boast just of eight goals.no other person merits the ballon d'or than eto'o.give him and forget about racial diferrence
Caleb Mudenyo

For God's we should be realistic Titi (Thierry Henry) deserves this award.He has always been among the top 5 in the last three previous awards.He led arsenal young squad to the first ever Champions Leaugue final.He also scored the goal against Brazil.
sakeh qui elvis

samuel eto'o is undoubtedbly the best player in the just ended football season,being the pichichi,best afircan player,cl player,highest goal scorer at the can just to name a few ,makes him fit and proper to get the ballon d'or.My fear is that racism should not take the lead in the votings.Reason should be used in voting and sentiments.My question is would it be fare that a player is refused the price of ballon d'or simply beacause he was not for the world cup?,does eto'os injury cancele his past brillant perfomance?
This is for those inchage of the final votings to punder on .

SAKEH QUI ELVIS FROM CAMEROON.
tunde

my God bless ETOO for all he has done for barca without him they his no barca so i will like to tell you that he merit it
Clovis

Oh yes just read above, Papa eto'o is the best, we do not care wether they will make him the best. Barca is developping an eto'o addiction hope he will not come back too late for barca. it is eto's time men.
Cedrick OBIANG

I think that ETO'O is the best player of the year. At looking FC Barça without ETO'O we can say that he represents 50%
Sam

Andrea PIRLO!!! The man is a GENIUS with the ball. If Italy had not of had Pirlo in their lineup, they would have fallen apart. You just cannot replace Pirlo at all. He is BY FAR THE BEST!
michel bidias

I transmet my greetings in entirely world.Asfor me ETO'O nowaday is the best player,it's him gave barcelona uefa cup.his absence today inside to his club prove without him there is nothing.TO FINITE ETO'O MERITE THIS TROPHY.
Chidi

Eto'o deserve the Ballon D'or stop trying to hide from the truth . No matter what he has made up to that point .
Eto'o u are the best in Barca where is Barca with out U
L

Zidane should get it. Even if he is retired he was the best player in the world cup and lets not even talk about Real Madrid (look where they are without him now). This award is about this year...and this year Zidane was the best!!!!
Abonge Eugene

Eto'o is simply the best. keep colour out of this. best player campions league and champions league finals , higest goal scorer 26goals spanish league,6goals champions league,5goals African Nations Cup., 4 goals in four games before injury spanish league. Everything has gone well for Barca because of him. where is Barca today, uncertain about champions league second round. Try to be objective. Eto'o is world's number one.
pixelis

ETO'O is the golden ball of this year!!!!!!!!!!!!
el pichichi, el magnifico,
Edwin Ntainjua

Pichichi (spanish leaque), scored the determining goal for his spanish side at the CL finals against Asernal,African footballer of the year. I believe if you ask all those great players in the list of nominees, they will all confirm Samuel Eto`o fils had a best season. So what more of french journalists. The verdict is obvious. On the 27th of Nov. Eto`o shall be announced the winner of the Ballon D`or 2006.
john

tim cahill definitely deserves to be up there! whether you think so or not, all the nominees deserve to be up there. they've all proved they can play extremely well.
dodo

without doubts, ballon d'or to Fabio Cannavaro: impossible imagine victory of Italy in world Championship 2006 without him. and Fabio is really a good person, intelligent, clean, always smiling and the best friend of Lilian Thuram, then a good spot against racism. good luck Fabio!!!
nsongka

Let's be honest and give to Ceaser what is Ceasars'.ETO IS THE BEST!! TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT !!
darren

steven gerrard kead liverpool to 3rd place in premiership and wqon the FA Cup himself
Math

from my point of view, ETO'O are the best soccer player this year, even if he is black!
tom

I am a Everton fan and Tim Cahill is great. He definately deserves to be in there. And what a lot of rubbish that is, Cannavaro. Yes, he was class in he world cup but for his club he was voted in the flops of the season. Get your facts right mate.
Saco

ETOOOOO,
This young man has proven his worth beyond doubt.No beating about the bush! He has won pichichi,was best CL forward, highest goal scorer at the African nations cup and three times african player of the year. He has not simply been scoring goals but scoring them with style and rafinesse. We have seen this in the spanish league against santander and in the CL against Levski sofia as he broke his way through in the midst of five opponent players. please guys be fare and judge this talented chap from his performance and not from his colour and origin. He is simply the best player on earth now.Acknowledge it at least once!!!
Saco in Germany
nsongka

ETO'O,
NO DOUBT HE IS THE BEST. THE MERE FACT THAT WE FIND HIS NAME IN THIS DEBATE, EVEN WITHOUT BEING PRESENT AT THE WORLD CUP PLAYS TO HIS FAVOUR. EVEN WHEN WE MATCH HIM WITH THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE WORLD CUP HE IS STILL FAVORITE. DO WE GO TO THE WORLD CUP JUST TO PARTICIPATE OR TO CONFIRM OUR WORTH. NO RIVAL OF ETO'O CONFIRMED... THEY WERE THERE TO PARTICIPATE WHICH IS NOT NECESSARY.
" GOD SAVE ETO'O"!!
RICO

ETO’O.
Please people stop to destroy this gentleman, he is the best, he is the best, please may you give to cesar what he owes and to god what he owes, give ballon d'or to ETOO'O. He is the best. We have to see the reality in front, we have not to be ashame to give what he merits to that black boy, to that african boy, what do we want again, best player of champion's league, best scorer of CAN, best score of spanish soccer league (pichichi), can we realise that his abscent now cause trouble to barcelona ? PLEASE GIVE HIM HIS BALLON D'OR. GOD WILL PLEASE YOU TO HAVE BEEN CORRECT.
edwin

i think lets keep racism away and judge correctly.because i knw the ballon d'or is mostly voted by french journalist and what i knw is that they hv not been in good terms with eto'o.but let them forget about that and face reality.there is none to compare with him since from january 2006.
tnjulius

Eto'oooo, where is barca without him??? give him that, stop racism please
esa

Eto
It doesnt take all of us to note that though canavaro was good, he was only outstanding at world cup, but take club and country together, and you cannot go past eto'o...be honest!!
hermann

ETO'O.
BEST CL FORWARD, AFRICAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR,PICHICHI,HIGHEST GOAL SCORER IN AFRICAN NATIONS CUP 2006. WHATELSE COULD WE DEMAND FROM A PLAYER. EXCEPT HE IS AFRICAN.STOP RACISM.
tash 03

per my own point of view i think that samuel eto'o merits the award
australian david

Can't really see how Cahill is going to win, but other than him that list shows very little imagination.

Besides Cahill not one of those player plays for a club outside the established elite of the G14.

Sometimes its possible for a great player to join a lesser team and drag them up far beyond anyones previous expectaion. eg Everton, Cahill 2005... not so sure 2006, and yes I am biased, pascal Chimbonda with Wigan.

I suppose the league table never lies, but it would be nice to see people passing an eye over some of the less fashionable teams.
Steven Gerrards Double

Cahill isn't even hard! no one is scared of him, he's just plain old crap, playing for a crap team with a crap Scottish manager.
Louise

Cannavaro. End of conversation.

His team won the Scudetto (and don't start with the Scandal, they still won it). He was captain of the World Cup winning side, as well as being the team's best player and unquestioned leader during a very tough time for the team. He was the best player in the World Cup. If he doesn't get it, it's only because defenders don't get the individual respect they deserve.
insearchoffootball

and i am australian, but yea tim cahill really should not be there, lik come on, all he ever does is try and pick fights with others on the pitch ... he is the Leyton Hewit of football, prob the most hater player in the game haha
insearchoffootball

the ballon d'or is more prestigious than fifa player of the yr, but its still completely crap ... i mean there are 11 french players in the team, like seriously, the fact that Gregory Coupet is there and he didnt even play a game at the WC just says it all ... and lets not forget that Platini won this award three yrs straight, i mean he was one of the greatest ever players, but dont you think Maradona deserved the award just once???
john

I was rethinking my previous post about this topic when I agreed with Bob that Cannavaro is deserving of the award.

It's been a few day's and after further thought and analysis I still believe Cannavaro is the most deserving of this award.
Steven Gerrards Double

Thierry Henry without a doubt......... what I want to know is how Tim Cahill got in there?
Sipe

Thierry Henry deserves it. He played in both the Champions League final and the world Cup final. He is a class player and he has had an outstanding year.
Trent

Look, I love Ecuadorian midfielder Edison Mendez, but how did he get nominated after playing 8 matches in Europe (for PSV)--ever?

Three goals so far is nice, but that resume's a leeeetle light.
Allen

It is a tough call this year because there wasn't one really dominate player. Ronaldinho did lead Barcelona to a double and he is the reigning player of the year. I imagine he will get the award because the other top contenders will likely cancel each other out.