Ronaldo, Messi on FIFA player of the year list

Oct 30, 7:08 am EDT

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ZURICH (AP)—Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi are on a 23-player shortlist for this year’s FIFA player of the year award.

Other contenders include Barcelona teammates Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Carlos Puyol and Thierry Henry. Samuel Eto’o, who won the Champions League title with Barcelona before moving to Inter Milan, is also on the list.

Champions League runner-up Manchester United is represented by Wayne Rooney. Ronaldo, last year’s winner, left United in the offseason and is joined by Madrid teammates Iker Casillas and Kaka.

Brazil forward Marta won the last women’s awards and has been nominated again.

The award ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 21 in Zurich.

Updated Oct 30, 7:08 am EDT
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World Soccer

64 Comments

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  1. Dabali
    64. Posted by Dabali Tue Nov 3 1:34am EST

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    ronaldo c is a very good player but messi is the best for this years world footballer of the year
  2. Yo que tú
    63. Posted by Yo que tú Mon Nov 2 7:27pm EST

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    Good point Ken. Messi's amazing instant acceleration with the ball glued to his boots is what sets him apart from everybody else.
  3. ken
    62. Posted by ken Mon Nov 2 5:16pm EST

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    Hi CD, you missed one----quickness
    -Speed the same
    - Drible Messi
    - Air Game CR9
    - Freekicks CR9
    - Penalty Shots the same
    - Tracking back to defend Messi
    - Passing Messi
    -Quickness Messi
    Messi is the winner
  4. Top Dog
    61. Posted by Top Dog Mon Nov 2 4:24pm EST

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    Messi is the very best....by a mile!!
  5. <i>iumanzor</i>
    60. Posted by iumanzor Mon Nov 2 4:13pm EST

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    Who is the looser that is saying Messi is a complete player? because that is the main difference between Messi and CR9. CR9 is a far more complete player than Messi. Messi is slightly a better dribbler than Ronaldo I will give you that, but CR9 is better in the air, free kicks, speed, scorer and he is stil an awesome dribbler.
  6. CD
    59. Posted by CD Mon Nov 2 3:53pm EST

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    By the the way, Argie,

    People in charge of watching for new talent are not skalppers. (that't even a word).
    They are called scouts.
  7. CD
    58. Posted by CD Mon Nov 2 3:39pm EST

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    @Argie62.

    You keep saying that Messi is a complete player......Let's do this....i want you to rate from 1 - 5 both CR9 and Messi in the following categories:

    - Speed
    - Drible
    - Air Game
    - Freekicks
    - Penalti Shots
    - Tracking back to defend
    - Passing

    Tell me your ratings on both of them on these. Thanks
  8. azizisco
    57. Posted by azizisco Mon Nov 2 1:52pm EST

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    Why Michael Essien not in the list. The guy has really done well both in this and last season. So i think FIFA should look up adding the guys name.
  9. Argie62
    56. Posted by Argie62 Mon Nov 2 9:13am EST

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    The Golden Ball award is given yearly to players because of their overall performance on the football field by the International Sport Press and not by GQ magazine or the overall "good looks" of the selected players. Ladies and ..."others", with all my respect, stay away from the "looks" and base your comment on the performance of these great players.
  10. Autumn
    55. Posted by Autumn Mon Nov 2 7:47am EST

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    ronaldo will win this year but TORRES! will next year. they both are good with the ball and they are fast.
  11. Maton
    54. Posted by Maton Mon Nov 2 6:35am EST

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    i recommend messi he is strong when moving with the ball, he dosen dive, selfless with teammate,fantastic passes, scoring hardtrick goals.
  12. <i>eagermorris</i>
    53. Posted by eagermorris Mon Nov 2 1:04am EST

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    cr will win the award of the year cause his talented and skilled engouh.he can make scourse.
  13. <i>eagermorris</i>
    52. Posted by eagermorris Mon Nov 2 1:00am EST

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    cr will win the award of the year cause his talented and skilled engouh.he can make scourse.
  14. Kathy
    51. Posted by Kathy Sun Nov 1 7:57pm EST

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    Messi's gotta win.He creates plays,assists,and defines goals.
    I don't see the hoopla about Ronaldo.
  15. Marcy
    50. Posted by Marcy Sun Nov 1 7:04pm EST

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    steviegoh1 is obviously gay.
  16. Unicorn
    49. Posted by Unicorn Sun Nov 1 7:29am EST

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    Who's Fifa player of the yr? For my selection, 1 award goes to Messi for his skill, 1 award goes to CR for his good look, 1 award goes to Kaka for his skill & good look. Maradona gets 1 award for the best player of the yr 80's. Oh, the highest award goes to Pele, for being the best player of all time. Pele is still very active as an ambassador for the soccer world. Note: i am not brazilian.
  17. Argie62
    48. Posted by Argie62 Sun Nov 1 1:16am EDT

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    Hey, don’t blame Yahoo Sports. Nobody cares about the Sub-17 World Cup. Is just an entertaiment for Kids and a way for "skalppers" to look at young talent for the future. That’s all. But looks like for countries like mexico, the Sub-17 is the only hope they will ever have of winning any World Cup. Is not going to happen anyway, but is the closest they will ever be to a World Cup Championship. I don’t blame them, their first division national team never passes the first or second round when they play the Real World Cups with the Big Guys. Any age World Cup will do for them.
  18. Chavador
    47. Posted by Chavador Sat Oct 31 9:58pm EDT

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    The US is in the U-17. They lost to Spain and beat Malawi.. They play tomorrow.. I hope they lose and Mexico wins it all again like in '05.. :) lol
  19. angelica
    46. Posted by angelica Sat Oct 31 6:21pm EDT

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    So this has nothing to do with this article but i wanted to pick something in which is being commented...why doesnt yahoo talk about the u-17 world cup??? is it cuz the usa is not in it??? must be! lol...yahoo sucks!
  20. angelica
    45. Posted by angelica Sat Oct 31 6:20pm EDT

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    So this has nothing to do with this article but i wanted to pick something in which is being commented...why doesnt yahoo talk about the u-17 world cup??? is it cuz the usa is not in it??? must be! lol...yahoo sucks!
  21. Yo que tú
    44. Posted by Yo que tú Sat Oct 31 6:08pm EDT

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    England follows with 4 players and the Brazil with 3. The total list is 23 players.

    Add Henry, Ibrahimovic and Messi to Puyol, Xavi and Iniesta and Barcelona easily tops professional teams with a total of 6 players.
  22. Yo que tú
    43. Posted by Yo que tú Sat Oct 31 6:01pm EDT

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    Torres is on the list. Spain tops the list with 6 players: Casillas, Pyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Torres, and Villa.
  23. Aman
    42. Posted by Aman Sat Oct 31 5:26pm EDT

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    wheres torres on the list
  24. Aman
    41. Posted by Aman Sat Oct 31 5:26pm EDT

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    wheres torres on the list
  25. BarcaMANU
    40. Posted by BarcaMANU Sat Oct 31 1:53pm EDT

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    Denise S, Messi will win the award. and by the way Maradona is the best player who scored the all-time best world cup goal by skipping 7 defenders that eventually elimintaed England.
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