Just my opinion of course, should I have added - I don't wanna go full Messi vs Ronaldo thread mode
Ballon d'or 2022 watch thread
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
You got your point across well its just has become such a contentious discourse that it always descends to anarchy whenever it gets brought upJust my opinion of course, should I have added - I don't wanna go full Messi vs Ronaldo thread mode
You chose the right word "eurocentrism" which is what I meant by bias.
I know but I completely disagree with their criteria of best winnerest player.
Oh, i am not arguing that there is no bias. There obviously is. If Mane were brazilian his global standing would be very different for example
Yes you can have Salah above Messi your choice, but stop making shit. When the hell did Liverpool win the league and CL in same season
. Also how has Salah been better than Messi in any season other than current one. Seriously man, stop clutching straws.Salah in 2018/19: 27 goals and 12 assists.
Messi in 2018/19: 51 goals and 19 assists.
But hey Messi won because he is white.
Messi in 2018/19: 51 goals and 19 assists.
But hey Messi won because he is white.
He was clearly better than Messi that season. Doesnt mean I think hes a better player. Messi has been on the decline for a few years and didnt make it past the UCL quaters for a few years too.Yes you can have Salah above Messi your choice, but stop making shit. When the hell did Liverpool win the league and CL in same season
How was he clearly better, Messi had scored the most goals plus assists, had created the most chances, won the Golden Shoe, was UCL Top Scorer, even scored twice against Liverpool only for Barcelona to crumble in the second leg, where Salah wasn't even present.
That's a firm argument against Messi winning it, so if you're arguing that way I'd really not mention the CL semis. He completely disappeared and bottled it alongside the rest of his team in the most important game of the season.
There's a massive push for Mane ballon d'or currently going on in French social media, wonder how this will affect the votes of French speaking journalists, I think Mane will probably score the most points in Africa overall
Benzema is leading the season quite clearly, but I have Mane as the Liverpool candidate over Salah. Mane was so much better in AFCON and again to qualify for the world cup so if Liverpool stack up the titles I would like Mane to win.
Mane is great don't get me wrong, but he isn't a stand out performer like Benzema is.
Plus Messi was the top goal scorer in the CL that season, won the IFFHS World's best playmaker award.. Salah does not even come close
That's not correct, he was the best player of Barca in the 2nd leg with an OK Barca without Xavi, Iniesta, Neymar.. Teams win things not individuals alone.
Barca won La Liga & Copa Del Rey. Messi as usual was the best player in La Liga and played CL semi-finals scoring most goals.. For many Barca fans, that was the most impressive CL run by a single player, he single-handedly took them to semis..
Salah was not even the best player in his team let alone PL or Europe, it was Virgil who won the POTY that year, that's why Salah was not even considered, it was al between Virgil & Messi until the last minute for Ballon D'or..
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I'm not saying Salah should've won it instead of Messi, or that Messi didn't deserve it - I'm merely pointing out that mentioning the Liverpool semi isn't doing a Messi argument any favours. Yes you win and lose collectively but he was not Barça's best player that night in Anfield, they literally had zero good players and he went into hiding with the rest of them while he should've been their leader and the one motivating the others.
So "he scored two goals in the first leg" becomes a bit of a moot point if you completely feck it up in the second leg. Benzema won't win the Ballon d'Or either if he's a non-factor in both of their legs against City and they go out.
And fair enough for that - he's been as good if not better than Salah this season, LFC looks on fire, he won AFCON and secured WC for his national team. I was quite perplexed why the odds on him winning it were so low. If he can win the CL / PL and score few more crucial goals, he can snatch it, and the fact he's African is not going to be a disadvantage here, on contrary - I'd hope they'll finally decorate a player from there
The first non European winner was from Africa, George weah.
They have already decorated someone from there.
I know I know, but I was just referring to some discussions here about potential racism and the fact Weah is the only African to have won it - I'm on a side that it will not be a disadvantage for Mane.
Oh I agree, I don't think he particularly deserves it not that being a pool player helps with that but him being African should not pose that much of a disadvantage.
Its bound to happen as were getting some cracking players from Africa these days .
I think Messi scoring 2 of barca's 3 goals is in his favour. He wasn't playing cb or keeper. It's nor on him mainly if Liverpool put 4 goals past them. But also you can't boil an entire season down one or a few matches which some people are overly keen on doing when it comes to the ballon dor.
It always depends on how the voters actually look at it.
Given the past record of BO votes I'm not sure they even care much about the criteria that France Football chooses but if they do I think he might hit a huge wall when it come to individual statistics, with 19 goals and 3 assists it's gonna be quite hard to compete with Salah (32 goals 13 assists), Benzema (39 goals 13 assists) or Lewandowski (47 goals 6 assists) who all boast incredible numbers
Imagine Benzema having a great game against City in Madrid with iconic moments but having an OK performance in Manchester against City, and Real getting eliminated due to terrible defending. All people here would say, it's not his fault, what more can he do? (including me)..
Would that kill Benzema's Ballon D'or chances? or his amazing displays in the CL will not be considered because his team collapsed especially the defense in that one-game? No way..
It was the same story with Messi in 2019, he was that amazing with an above average squad under Valverde in the CL.
It's over.
Congrats, Karim.
Congrats, Karim.
Karim with a great goal for France as well. Now 50 goals for the season.
Can't believe they argued for Mane to win it just because of penalty shoot outs.
Btw credit to Mane. He won 2 penalty shootout with Senegal and 2 with Liverpool this season.
Can't believe they argued for Mane to win it just because of penalty shoot outs.
Btw credit to Mane. He won 2 penalty shootout with Senegal and 2 with Liverpool this season.
Messi won it off winning Copa America, in a season in which Lewandowski broke Gerd Muller's single season goal record in the bundesliga. Mane won afcon and if he won CL too, that would made for a stronger case than Messi's to many voters, who tend to give a lot of weight to trophies won
This is probably the biggest landslide Ballon D'Or result for a long time for me. It's not even close between Benzema and whoever gets 2nd.
More-so than 2019 for me(I think it would have been a farce if Messi did not win - but I know Van Dijk was very close to winning).
He's going to run away with the reward in likely record margin.
More-so than 2019 for me(I think it would have been a farce if Messi did not win - but I know Van Dijk was very close to winning).
He's going to run away with the reward in likely record margin.
Madrid’s media offensive will make sure Benzema (deservedly) wins.
I kinda want Messi to win it again, just for shits and giggles.
Well if he doesn’t he can always blackmail someone into voting for him
Mane had very good season, couple of games could have really made difference, like City not making a come back against Villa and Liverpool winning vs Madrid. That means he won 4 trophies with Liverpool and AFCON, that would have been one of the greatest season by a player trophywise.
Last year was funny, there were few who were seriously arguing Kante for Balon d'or based on few knock out games.
Hopefully Benzema wins it, he was the best player this season.
Trophies should count for you if you are the main man in the team. And you decide games. What are Mane stats in Afcon? PL? And CL?
Besides you cannot compare AFCON to Copa America. So next a guy from Iran or Australia should win Balon D'or based on Asia cup?
^ Copa America was a monthly trophy at some point, no self-respecting person gave a shite about it. Who even knows the years of the last few editions, or the winners?
Ballon d'Or is a farce anyway.
Ballon d'Or is a farce anyway.
He was among top 3 in goals, he would have won if 2 games had gone his way.
It doesn't matter who the best player is, these awards are based on who won trophies and whether the player player big part in that. Mane was important player in all big competitions.
Benzema to win this. Does anyone think that we might see Courtois on the podium as 3rd maybe???
2020 was a massive landslide but they cancelled it because of some French league games cancelled.
It wasn’t Kareem who did the blackmailing … he knew some bad people, and when he heard of his colleague’s difficulties, he advised his colleague to pay them instead of going to the cops.
Between Benzema and Martial at this stage.
Benzema easily.
Salah was better than Messi only in 2021/22 season. You are delusional otherwise.
Totally agree.
And in the first leg Salah was terrible