FIFA Ballon d'Or. Echoes and opinion.

   Once again, the FIFA ballon d'or have come and gone. Ending months of speculations on who takes what home. The media and football community had been in a frenzy in the last couple of months over the awards. FIFA,one of the largest generators of available funds once again rolled out a legendary ceremony.
   The arguments had been rife. It was really an enjoyable period for football lovers. Arguments and banter over the print and electronic media. Street corners were not spared of the unending arguments. It raged on and on. But all that was laid to rest when FIFA crowned the Real Madrid and Portugal talismanic player,Cristiano Ronaldo, the best player on the planet for 2013. He beat of competition from Barcelona's greatest, Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery.
   Under the original Ballon d'Or which was determined by journalists, Franck Ribery would have won the title as he polled 80 of the journalist votes. Miles ahead of what Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi came up with. But that wasn't to be as there had been a marriage of convenience in 2009 where the organisers of the award agreed to a merger with FIFA to align the award into a single one. A merger someone like me loathes with a passion. I have in recent times, ceased to be a fan of the award. This is because I believe it has become more of a popularity contest than what it should be. I believe the criteria for the award is wrong. I believe that since football is a team sport,the award should be made to be based on that singular factor and not the popularity contest it has since become. Topic for another day though. In 2010, Wesley Sneijder had a fantastic season with Inter Milan,horning a treble. While the journalist section voted him the best,the FIFA criteria ensured Lionel Messi won it. I have no confidence in the Sepp Blatter led FIFA. Same confidence I don't have in the present Alhaji Issa Hayatou led CAF. Or even worse. Their inconsistencies, horrible decisions and sit - tight attitude being hugely responsible. But because of the love for the game,we can never abandon football.
  Zlatan Ibrahimovic deservedly won the Puskas award for his goal against England. That goal still spreads a smile on the faces of those that saw it real time. A stunning beauty of a goal!
To the mother of them. FIFPRO eleven. I know it is voted for by footballers themselves. But we all remember vividly when Mario Balotelli claimed he hadn't heard of Jack Wilshere and Nicklas Bendtner claimed he didn't know Andre Arshavin until he signed for Arsenal. Does that mean we know footballers more than the footballers themselves? Because that is what it seems like,based on this FIFPRO crap. One may want to ask what Dani Alves is doing on the list? Alves? Lahm should have easily been slotted into the right full back position and David Alaba into the left full back. And Alves duly returned to Barcelona. Yaya Toure is my first pick for any midfield. Beast of a player! He commands the midfield with ease. Also, Ilkay Gundogan ran the Dortmund midfield very effectively while Schweinsteiger ran the Bayern midfield like a General. These are worthy mentions. Xavi and Iniesta,fantastic players any day,made the list on reputation. Also,Sergio Ramos was not even Real Madrid's best defender last term. Dortmund's Subotic or Bayern's Dante should have had that spot. My opinion.
   That said,apart from the outlined decisions, the ceremony itself was a beauty. The general organisation is laudable. The organisers deserve an award themselves. The gala makes a huge mockery of what is obtainable in Africa where the CAF organised Glo CAF awards is more of a comedy.
   We continue into the year with the belief of a beautiful season. Football leagues beckon and somewhere in the year, the always magnificent FIFA World Cup is lurking! Orgasmic!!