Poll: Did A Spaniard Swoop The Ballon D’Or?

By: chris | July 9th, 2008

Reports from the Italian media are to be taken with a half of a half of a grain of salt…and reports from the Italian media state that the two new favorites for the Ballon D’Or are Fernando Torres and Iker Casillas of Spain. However, it can’t be a huge surprise because those who select the award do give more weight to those who perform well at international level. The last 3 World Cup winning teams have produced the Ballon D’Or winner, namely one who had zero chance without his 2006 performance, Fabio Cannavaro (along with Zidane and Ronaldo).

And because this is such a historic win, it adds to the aura of the Spanish players who helped their team along the way. Not only did they perform, but they did so under the weight of 44 years of failure. In comparison, giving the new Ronaldinho a piggy back ride would be a piece of cake. The Euros are difficult enough without that added nuisance. But was it enough?

Torres didn’t exactly light the world afire throughout the whole tournament, but he became Mr. Clutch in the final and showed up on a massive, massive stage with individual magic that eventually won Spain its first title in 44 years – and I think we all know that he put Liverpool on his back for much of this season. Casillas was great for Madrid, good in the group stages and turned in moments of brilliance when needed, even if those moments were few and far between outside of penalties. Ronaldo tore apart the EPL, but missed penalties in the Champions League semifinal and final before disappointing in Swissaustria, only adding fuel to the fire that he is simply not a big game player. The Ballon D’Or voters love big game players.

Going in you could consider Torres Ronaldo’s closest competitor. Luca Toni was mentioned in the event he continued his torrid form on the international level, but he put on a performance resembling Jan Koller as principal at the Bolshoi Theatre – just wretched and painful to the eye. So he’s quite clearly out of the picture. Now that’s Spain won with Torres’s decisive goal, does he leapfrog the walking, talking Vidal Sassoon ad? Or is Casillas, winner of both La Liga, the highest rated league, and immense presence between the sticks for the European champs the deserving one? Or is it still Ronaldo?

Chances are you can forget Casillas simply because a goalkeeper has only ever won the award once, and that was Lev Yashin in 1963, who many consider the greatest goalkeeper of all time. Spain broke 44 years of nothingness this year – not to mention the last Spaniard to win it was Luis Suarez in 1960 – asking for 45+ years of another kind is just probably too much to ask. (”Hey, heard you cured cancer. Cool. Wanna tackle AIDS before you head off on holiday?”) Not to mention having a stellar back line in front of him for the tournament. Which brings about Torres: Was one goal – one larger than life goal, that is – along with his amazing year for Liverpool enough to swing favor in his direction?

Who will take home the Ballon D’Or?
( surveys)

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Cesco

Ah ah ah ah...........
HOW FUNNY!!!
McTalian

I'm not a fan of eye-brow plucking and theatrical diving, but those traits aside, Ronaldo is a marvel of a footballer and his 40-plus goals don't even tell the whole story of the major role he played in Manchester United of America Inc.'s double this past year. He's the player of the year and it's utter horse shit if he doesn't win.
ursus arctos

Marca has been pushing Casillas all season, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the relatively new South American votes go to him in a bloc.

Unless CRonaldo comes out of the blocks very strong in the fall, this is going to be a lot closer than those most people who rely on only English-language media think. Performances in major international tournaments have had a massively disproportional effect on the voting for the Balon d'Or since the early days of the award.
Rob

I don't even think Torres was that good at the Euro's to be honest, and he wasn't player of the tournament or anything. He had a marvellous first season at Anfield, but I still think C-Ron will get it.
Yevy

...and if they had to pick an Italian in '06 it should have been Buffon.
Yevy

You can now make an argument for Torres because of the Euros, but not giving it to Ronaldo would be a travesty, a sham, and a mockery.
Tommy Wong

It still has to be Ronaldo, hate him or love him.
Jon

Having said that I expect Torres to win the award, if not Casillas.
Jon

How on earth can Ronaldo still not be considered a big game player? Goals against every club in England including scoring against all the other ´big four´ members this season, plus winning the Premier League and Champions League Golden Boot and scoring in the Champions League Final. He has also scored a winning penalty in a World Cup quarter-final, while still in his teens. Seems the Guardian is pretty good at this mind control lark.
moka

Of course, not to forget Torres's 30-something goals with Liverpool in his debut which lead to nothing.. Straight up..

I love Torres btw..
moka

I hate Ronaldo, but come on.. 42 goals and he's not an all out striker --> CL and EPL victories.. That's 2 big cups.. A whole season should be more important than 6 games.. And remember, it's a team game, so I can't blame Ronaldo for Portugal's loss to Germany.. Portugal were physically weaker, and so they conceded 2 from a set-piece.. So they should take that into consideration too..

I love Torres, but come on.. 1 amazing, important, huge, decisive goal --> Euro 2008.. That's 1 big cup..
Brian

I kind of think it's still Ronaldo, although God knows how these decisions are made (and may make them himself in the case of Kaka). However, on Torres's side, I didn't think he played anywhere near as badly in the Euro 2008 matches before the final as everyone keeps saying. He was actually pretty brilliant at times, made good runs, beat his defender, had some sharp passes, etc. He just had trouble scoring, and that was partly due to some unbelievably bad luck.

So if he does win it, I think there's a reasonable body-of-work argument that he deserves it outside the one great goal to win the tournament.

That said, I can't imagine that too many people would take him over Ronaldo as the first pick for a team. He seems more to me like a second choice you'd be very happy with.
Ak

Ronaldo will take all the hype awar...I mean World and (previously) European player's awards this year. If a player's ability was ever a serious criterion, then Peter Schmeichel should have won one...and Roberto Carlos should have been shot by the nominations committee.
yaph

The year is far form being over but I think Torres has the best chances because the Euro 2008.