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How many Potential ballon d’or winners are there in the PL?
- Thread starter Fortitude
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
probably not a popular opinion but I’d say Salah
Haaland and KDB. I don't see any others strictly because you'll have Mbappe in the farmers league putting up ridiculous numbers every year and it's going to be difficult for any PL player to get close to that without having a huge world cup as well like Modric did his year (and even he probably shouldn't have won).
Salah would have had one by now if he was going to get one. I also think it'll have to come during a EURO's or WC year so the player can have international success as well.
Salah would have had one by now if he was going to get one. I also think it'll have to come during a EURO's or WC year so the player can have international success as well.
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What did Kevin accept?
Accepted?
Why is KDB excluded? I don’t think he’s done anything particularly jaw dropping over a full calendar year that say, a Salah or Mane haven’t equalled at any point during their time at ‘Pool. The latter two actually having won a CL in their best year too
Fixed.
Salah by a mile after KDB.
Son.
Kane.
I don't see anyone else in the prem capable of winning it. Cancelo might be an outside shot but it's never going to a defender.
Son.
Kane.
I don't see anyone else in the prem capable of winning it. Cancelo might be an outside shot but it's never going to a defender.
KDB
Salah
Haaland (in a few years)
That's it. To win the Balon Dor you need the CL and the other PL teams aren't good enough (and Chelsea don't have a standout individual).
Salah
Haaland (in a few years)
That's it. To win the Balon Dor you need the CL and the other PL teams aren't good enough (and Chelsea don't have a standout individual).
Salah
Foden
Haaland
Kane
Son
Foden
Haaland
Kane
Son
or a world cup/euros
Salah or de Bruyne if they win the CL
Don't see any player outside those 2 winning it
Don't see any player outside those 2 winning it
1 - Haaland.
Salah's best chance was last year and he tailed off too much. Son would be the worst ballon d'or in history
Salah's best chance was last year and he tailed off too much. Son would be the worst ballon d'or in history
Kdb
Haaland
Foden
Salah
Haaland
Foden
Salah
All that's mentioned I would add Harry Kane to the list - on a dominant side per se Real or Bayern he would have won it already. Imo he outgrew Spurs 3 years ago and should have moved.
That's a bold statement.
Who would of named Jorginho in this kind of thread a year ago.... now we're moving towards systems systems everywhere, it's wide open.
I just cant see Kane winning.
BUT, if he played for teams like that, in those leagues he would be scoring insane amounts of goals.
Goal scorers almost always win the awards so:
Salah
Haaland
Jesus (if he keeps up his form)
Son
Kane
If midfielders are also considered:
De Bruyne
Kante
But the bias towards goalscorers is nonsensical unless they are also truly the best players in the world outside of just poaching their goals.
Salah
Haaland
Jesus (if he keeps up his form)
Son
Kane
If midfielders are also considered:
De Bruyne
Kante
But the bias towards goalscorers is nonsensical unless they are also truly the best players in the world outside of just poaching their goals.
Haaland
Salah
Salah
Well, who are the overall likely candidates? Benzema at Real, hardly anyone else there at the moment, maybe Courtois. Lewa at Barca, they've got some outstanding youngsters but it's too early for them. Mbappe and Neymar at PSG. Kimmich and Mane at Bayern. All of these of course depending on how each does at the World Cup.
In the Prem it's Salah, De Bruyne, Kane, Haaland, maybe Jesus or Son. Other leagues aren't really packed with potential winners.
In the Prem it's Salah, De Bruyne, Kane, Haaland, maybe Jesus or Son. Other leagues aren't really packed with potential winners.
Haaland
Sancho
Sancho
Kdb
Current players while playing for their PL team: Haaland and KdB if City do a double/treble. I think Salah's window has passed, and Spurs duo won't be in the discussion either.
Jesus would have to explode and score a lot more goals + Brazil to win the WC to be possible.
Jesus would have to explode and score a lot more goals + Brazil to win the WC to be possible.
The last 5 times, the Ballon D'or was won by a player over 30. Almost certainly it will happen this year too. Should be renamed Vieux D'Or which translates to Golden Oldies.
Erm… really!?
Casemiro
Zero
Foden will find himself on the bench if he doesnt start passing to:
1. Haaland - Potential PL and CL top scorer in the same campaign. If City go on to win both contests, its between him and
2. KDB - For same reason as 1.
3. Salah - Consistent performer, one of the PL greats. But Liverpool is off to a rocky start and cant afford a lengthy spell out of form before he is entirely out of the discussion.
We will see, If PSG wins the CL Messi, Mbappe or Neymar will probably take the title anyway. But out of the entire PL, KDB seem the most obvious choice.
Right now salah and at a push kdb if strikers have a bad year.
In the future haaland if he keeps improving.
That's the lot of potential winners.
In the future haaland if he keeps improving.
That's the lot of potential winners.
Well the odd voting year aside, (Modric, Virgil) it's massively biased towards attacking players especially those who have mass market appeal. So for example even if a player likes Declan Rice can get to Roy Keane standard (which is a very big if) he would still have a huge, uphill battle to even break the top ten. That leaves your fancy wingers and mass goalscoring threats unless like Modric you are the best player on a nation that has a deep and preferably unexpected world cup run.
Assuming you mean in the next 2-3 years ...
To win the BdO you have to stand out in your team. Salah/KdB/Kane are outstanding but play for coaches who are too system-oriented. Salah lost his chance last year, KdB doesnt pull off enough Hollywood passes or goals and Kane's team doesn't win enough. I think their age and gradual decline will make it harder for them to win. TAA hasn't had seasons like Maicon for Inter 2009 & 2010, which in any case are an outlier. VvD, Dias, Cancelo and Romero are DFs so overcoming bias is also difficult. Jesus plays for a team that may not win many big trophies for a while.
Once Guardiola leaves and is replaced by another good manager, it should be between Foden and Haaland. Foden has all the characteristics to become a more physical version of Modric - two-footed, doesn't shy from a tackle, can play in 4 positions in the front 6 (5 if you count false 9), good passer, good dribbler and great ball control. Now needs to just add assists to his goals (19g in his last 59 PL).
To win the BdO you have to stand out in your team. Salah/KdB/Kane are outstanding but play for coaches who are too system-oriented. Salah lost his chance last year, KdB doesnt pull off enough Hollywood passes or goals and Kane's team doesn't win enough. I think their age and gradual decline will make it harder for them to win. TAA hasn't had seasons like Maicon for Inter 2009 & 2010, which in any case are an outlier. VvD, Dias, Cancelo and Romero are DFs so overcoming bias is also difficult. Jesus plays for a team that may not win many big trophies for a while.
Once Guardiola leaves and is replaced by another good manager, it should be between Foden and Haaland. Foden has all the characteristics to become a more physical version of Modric - two-footed, doesn't shy from a tackle, can play in 4 positions in the front 6 (5 if you count false 9), good passer, good dribbler and great ball control. Now needs to just add assists to his goals (19g in his last 59 PL).
Malacia
Nobody playing in France has ever won the Ballon D'Or (if you don't count Messi) except Papin in 1991.
Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne seems the players with more possibilities granted City wins the Premier and Champions League. Last season Son and Kane were doing pretty good and are some of the best players in the league.
As good as they are, I don't think Kane or Son have quite what it takes to win a Ballon d'Or. Kane would surely get more recognition in a better side, but I reckon still wouldn't win one, while I'm not sure Son would necessarily look much better in a more dominant side. He's a great player, but maybe not in the very top bracket of players.
Only KDB & Haaland have the potential.
The likes of Salah, Kane have no chance.
The likes of Salah, Kane have no chance.
Haaland and tbh I find that doubtful as well but if City win the league and the UCL in the same season and he's scored 40+ goals then he'd have to be in with a shout
Who was the last Premier League player who won the Golden ball? Michael Owen?
If Liverpool had won the Champions League with Hat trick from Salah im confident he would have gotten it.
Next one is going to be heavily influenced by the world cup. Unless Messi wins the Champions League with PSG I think somebody who excells in Qatar will get it.
If Liverpool had won the Champions League with Hat trick from Salah im confident he would have gotten it.
Next one is going to be heavily influenced by the world cup. Unless Messi wins the Champions League with PSG I think somebody who excells in Qatar will get it.
Other than Haaland i don't see any other potential winner.
There is a massive bias towards goalscoring in this award since Cristiano and Messi appeared in the scene.
Kevin De Bruyne is a better player than Haaland, but he will never win it cause cause he doesn't score enough, he would need to win the World Cup or reach the final with Belgium in order to win the award.
I don't even think winning the CL with City would be enough for De Bruyne, because if Haaland scores in the CL winning run he is winning the Balloon not De Bruyne, even if Kevin puts insane performances and Haaland scores mostly tap-ins.
There is a massive bias towards goalscoring in this award since Cristiano and Messi appeared in the scene.
Kevin De Bruyne is a better player than Haaland, but he will never win it cause cause he doesn't score enough, he would need to win the World Cup or reach the final with Belgium in order to win the award.
I don't even think winning the CL with City would be enough for De Bruyne, because if Haaland scores in the CL winning run he is winning the Balloon not De Bruyne, even if Kevin puts insane performances and Haaland scores mostly tap-ins.