Ballon D'or 2021: Who wins it?

[luiginb]

Everyone knows how good Rodri is. I have no problem with Rodri winning. I just think if anyone should have been higher it’s Lautaro. I also don’t think the BDO voters are looking at FBRef

They're journalists, as long as they don't watch every single game the 30 nominees play, they should, it's one of many statistical sources they can use.

 

[Savant]

They're journalists, as long as they don't watch every single game the 30 nominees play, they should, it's one of many statistical sources they can use.

They should. But there is no way that they do

 

[les Habs]

The funny thing about Madrid here is that it isn’t really about poor Vinicius Junior not winning when he (according to them) was the rightful winner. It’s about the Ballon d Or winner, whomever that might be, not being in their team. That’s the issue for them. It’s all about perpetuating their phony image.

And if you really want to put Perez into context, their training ground is laughably called Florentino Perez Real Madrid City.

 

[les Habs]

Just to bust the revisionist myth that Carvajal had the best ever season for a RB, I’ll provide two clear examples to the contrary.

First is Dani Alves in 2010-11. On the way to winning both the league and CL with Barca, he had 2 goals and 15 assists (yes, 15) in the league and added another 2 goals and 3 assist in the CL.

Second is Philip Lahm in 2012-13. On his way to winning a Treble with Bayern as the team’s captain he had 11 assists in the league and another 4 assists in the CL.

Two obvious examples. Dani Alves’ 2006-07 season with Sevilla is up there to name just one more that is likely forgotten.

 

[Evilo]

Absolutely, but I find it hard to call 34 goals in 37 NT matches underperformance.

You should take a look at who he scores against.

 

[Corto]

Has it been, though? Sneijder finished 4th as the best player on a treble. Ribery finished 3rd as the best player on a treble. It’s generally been a loose “who is the best player in the world right now” award

And trophy counting does not a best season make. Carvajal finishing 4th is already insane, take the W.

TBF, Sneijder just had a monster season in a peak Messi era.
Messi (and peak Cristiano) was so much above anyone else that I think Sneijder maaaaybe would've won if he won the WC final to add to his treble. And maybe not.
This was peak Messi. There was no better player in the history.
It's not like they gave it to 2021 or 2023 Messi. 2010 Messi was not from this planet.

Most French fans have a great memory of OM's win.
And yet it doesn't compare. Entire nation is different from a single fan base.
And even for neutrals (Maradona 86 is just wow for everyone).

I remember the OM final, I watched it as Boksic was playing for OM.
And I agree about the whole nation thing, but me having great memories of 2018 doesn't mean that Croatia beating England will resonate better in history for some random Spanish or Dutch dude, who remember Madrid or Barca winning, or Ajax. Or hey, just a neutral will likely remember the Bayern-ManUtd better than 99% of WC games.

Anyway...

From my side, to sum up:
Rodri is a worthy winner.
Vinicius would've been a worthy winner, and he's the one I thought would win.
My vote would've gone to Carvajal.
(this isn't just trophy counting for him, he was an utter beast in winning all those trophies, fullbacks like him, so balanced and well-round and very few and far between in football history)

And lastly, as annoyed and frustrated as Madrid must've been when they found out Vini wasn't winning it, they shouldn't have pulled out of the thing.
He's not the first guy to not winning something they felt was deserved.

If they meet in the KO rounds this season, City v Madrid could be a proper grudge match.
Especially after Rodri and his boys singing "Vincius ciao, ciao" last night.

 

[cgf]

To think, if only we hadn’t been cheated by the refs against Spain…again…then they could’ve just given Wirtz the BdO and there would be zero controversy.

 

[Corto]

To think, if only we hadn’t been cheated by the refs against Spain…again…then they could’ve just given Wirtz the BdO and there would be zero controversy.

Who knows what happens then... Maybe England wins in the final and Jude wins the Ballon...

 

[cgf]

Who knows what happens then... Maybe England wins in the final and Jude wins the Ballon...

Let's try to be realistic.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

To think, if only we hadn’t been cheated by the refs against Spain…again…then they could’ve just given Wirtz the BdO and there would be zero controversy.

You take that and in return you give us what was deservedly ours in 2014?

 

[cgf]

You take that and in return you give us what was deservedly ours in 2014?

When you get an official apology for an officiating mistake that cost you that match, we can talk about 2014...and 2010 ...until then all there is to talk about is how godly Neuer was, and how much cooler than Higuain, Götze was when he got the chance to decide the match.

My tongue is firmly in my cheek, Spain totally deserved their title and the match was at best a toss up...but there's a difference between playing well enough to win, and UEFA later acknowledging that the pivotal refereeing decision in the match was an error.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

The red card and penalty plz

 

[cgf]

The red card and penalty plz

Oh s***, my bad. I missed when FIFA publically said that those were missed calls that should have been given. Link me?

 

[luiginb]

I gotta say I believed more in Carvajal than Real supporters on this forum, y'all wanted him out prior to 2024

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Oh s***, my bad. I missed when FIFA publically said that those were missed calls that should have been given. Link me?

Oh I got you.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1849199105932722600

 

[Corto]

The red card and penalty plz

in 2014? Probably never happens if Garay gets a red card and Germany gets a penalty for the blindside shoulder-to-the-head hit on Kramer.
See now, that is illegal in ice hockey, let alone football. Soccer.
That was like minute 15. Pen down, goal down.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

in 2014? Probably never happens if Garay gets a red card and Germany gets a penalty for the blindside shoulder-to-the-head hit on Kramer.
See now, that is illegal in ice hockey, let alone football. Soccer.
That was like minute 15. Pen down, goal down.

As usual you’re wrong. Tbh I’m not even sure if you’re talking about the same sport sometimes. Just ramblings of a madman

 

[Corto]

As usual you’re wrong. Tbh I’m not even sure if you’re talking about the same sport sometimes. Just ramblings of a madman

Ah yes. "The ramblings of a madman".
Because I think a blindside hit to the head is not allowed in football?
I guess so then.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Ah yes. "The ramblings of a madman".
Because I think a blindside hit to the head is not allowed in football?
I guess so then.

You could show your work.

 

[Corto]

You could show your work.

What's that mean?

You're the one who started whinging how 2014 final was stolen from Argentina.
Cause of (I assume) Neuer's start on Higuain?
Which is a fair case of a potential red card tbf - getting to the ball first doesn't mean you can blow another player up to do so.

EXACTLY like Garay did with Kramer.
Only that happened much ealier in the game.

But whatever floats your boat, man.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I gotta say I believed more in Carvajal than Real supporters on this forum, y'all wanted him out prior to 2024

Well, he was clearly on the decline and had a renaissance season. Glad he did, but it was a long shot.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

What's that mean?

You're the one who started whinging how 2014 final was stolen from Argentina.
Cause of (I assume) Neuer's start on Higuain?
Which is a fair case of a potential red card tbf - getting to the ball first doesn't mean you can blow another player up to do so.

EXACTLY like Garay did with Kramer.
Only that happened much ealier in the game.

But whatever floats your boat, man.

Show me this Matt Cooke head shot by Garay.

The red card is for howedes not Neuer.

I wasn’t whining I was bantering. There has been enough whining from Madrid that should last us all a life time. I figure we can all take a break.

 

[Corto]

Show me this Matt Cooke head shot by Garay.

The red card is for howedes not Neuer.

I wasn’t whining I was bantering. There has been enough whining from Madrid that should last us all a life time. I figure we can all take a break.

As far as the Garay hit - anyone who watched the game surely knows it. Kramer was concussed on the play. Garay did get the ball (just like Neuer did on the Higuain hit) by going through Kramer - shoulder to head.

But here:

Also, banter is usually funny and without malice.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Ya that never a penalty let alone a red card lol

 

[Corto]

Ya that never a penalty let alone a red card lol

But Neuer's is, right? You da man.