2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or: It’s Messi, Marta, Mourinho
Barcelona star Lionel Messi, was last night, crowned winner of the inaugural Fifa Ballon d’Or award ahead of Barcelona team-mates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.
Marta and Messi
But as Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola handed the trophy to his best player at the awards ceremony held in Zurich, there were hush tones in the audience about Messi’s suitability for the title, his major achievement last year was helping Barcelona to retaining the Spanish league title. Messi did not have a splendid World Cup or champions league just Wesley Sneidjer of Holland.
Coach Jose Mourinho was named coach of 2010 for leading Inter Milan to a treble including the Champions League.
Mourinho beat Spain’s World Cup_winning coach Vicente del Bosque and Pep Guardiola of Spanish champion Barcelona.
The Portuguese coach also guided Inter to the Italian league and cup double before leaving to join Real Madrid.
Marta of Brazil won the woman player of the year. She beat Germans Fatmire Bajramaj and Birgit Prinz to the prize. FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football went to Silvia Neid, who saw off the challenge of Maren Meinert (GER) and Pia Sundhage (SWE).
The award was voted for by national team coaches and captains plus invited international journalists.
Meanwhile Sneijder has been included in the FIFPro World XI 2010 despite not being nominated as one of the three finalists for the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
The Dutch international made the cut along with Inter team_mates Lucio and Maicon, all of whom were vital in the Nerazzurri’s treble winning success of last season.
Sneijder was also crucial for the Netherlands as the Oranje marched to the final of the World Cup in South Africa.
Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Iker Casillas were also included in the line_up as were Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or trio Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta along with defenders Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique.
David Villa, who joined Barcelona from Valencia in the summer, found a place in the elite unit after his brilliant performance for Spain in their World Cup triumph in the summer.
