Who else could it be for this week except for Cristiano Ronaldo?The World Player of the Year, and Ballon d'Or winner has been criticized for not playing defense, not always trying, and complaining for calls after every play, but you know what......when he scores goals like this nothing else matters..

Cristiano Ronaldo may have a Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball), but his boyfriend Kaka is the proud recipient of the Marca Golden Newspaper Boy award. Wonder how many newspapers he delivered to the many residents of Madrid to take home the prize? Fascinating.

No, wait. That's not factually correct.

The Ballon d'Or results have been announced today with Manchester United players ranking pretty well.

1. Messi
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (6 months with United, 5 months with Real Madrid)
3. Xavi
4. Iniesta
5. Eto'o
6. Kaka
7. Ibrahimovic
8.

Goal.com's Subhankar Mondal charts the fall from grace of Andriy Shevchenko and asks what next for the former Ballon d'Or winner...

The nominations are out for this year's Ballon d'Or, last years winner Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the favourites to win. The European champions Spain are the best represented nation with six players listed, whilst the La Liga boasts the most players from a single league with twelve. The Premier League is next best with ten [.

With the Ballon d'Or nominations finally releasing this weekend, the headlines have mostly been devoted to the fact that world champions Italy have no representation whatsoever. But why blame the press for paying excessive attention to an irrelevant detail? After all, the award itself is destined to be heading Lionel Messi's way, which means very little is there to be talked about in terms of debating the winner, right?

Vintage, in this context, means 1970s and brilliant. Borussia Mönchengladbach were the league's most dominant club during that decade and won a then record five Bundesliga titles. Moreover they were also the ambassadors of style, with inspirational midfield and attacking talent in players like Jupp Heynckes, Günter Netzer (Ballon d'Or runner up 1972) or Allan SImonsen (Ballon d'Or 1977).

Legendary French striker Jean-Pierre Papin has tipped Liverpool striker Fernando Torres to push Barcelona duo Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi as the race for the Ballon d'Or heats up.
The Spaniard has been in tremendous form at both domestic and international level since leaving Atletico Madrid, sealing himself a reputation as one of the world's most deadly strikers.

Lionel Messi has won the 2009 Ballon d'Or by a landslide on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. He's the first Argentinian to win the award and had 473 out of a possible 480 votes to win the award. The Ballon d'Or is given by the France Football Federation and is for the best player in the European leagues.

This had the potential to be one of those epic quotes shoved in the faces of Barcelona's most despised Clasico rivals for years and years on end. Joan Laporta so swiftly hurtling the gavel down and declaring his Cules the superior. "We make Ballon d'Or winners and others have to buy them." It even sounds sexier in [.

AC Milan boss Leonardo has admitted Brazilian Ronaldino is not the player he once was, but insists the former Barcelona man is still very much in his plans.

The 29-year-old won the Ballon d'Or back in 2005 but has yet to match the standards he set in his early years at the Nou Camp in his time in Milan.

At the Euro 2008 Semi Final, I love this picture! Thanks to whoever who took it.

Two of Arsenal's holy trinity have been nominated for this prestigious award. The third component of this trinity, Robin van Persie curiously has been ignored. Since November 2008, Robin has been the most consistent Gooner full stop.

Something to read while you enjoy the Top 30 A-League Goals of All Time (so far)... English football 1991-92 season in review (EPL Talk) FM2010: Digital Sunderland is the new digital Newcastle (Football Manager Offside) End of an era at Pro Vercelli (Run of Play) Ten players who played into their 40s (Podcast Offside) An alternative take on the Ballon [.

Something to read while you enjoy the Top 30 A-League Goals of All Time (so far)... English football 1991-92 season in review (EPL Talk) FM2010: Digital Sunderland is the new digital Newcastle (Football Manager Offside) End of an era at Pro Vercelli (Run of Play) Ten players who played into their 40s (Podcast Offside) An alternative take on the Ballon [.

Lionel Messi

So tired. ... I wonder if the Ballon d'Or is made out of Legos. ... I hope it is. ... The color of this kit feels like burning. ... Zlatan Ibrahimovic is so tall. He's even taller than when Iniesta sits on my shoulders and we wear a big raincoat. ... I really want them to give me a Ballon d'Or made out of Legos.

Milan star player Kaka has recently returned from an injury and is hoping to be a major player for his side in the final stages of the season as they look to secure Champions League qualification.
The Rossoneri have struggled to find consistency over the past two seasons and the former Ballon d'Or winner has suggested it is the end of an era at the club.

Spain and Liverpool star Fernando Torres is considered one of the best strikers in the world as he finished third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the battle for last year's Ballon d'Or.
He has also been a dream target for many top-drawer Italian clubs, with Milan in particular being hot on his heels before he joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid.

Firstly, let me make one thing clear. Ryan Giggs is a fantastic player. He's a credit to his club and to the game. If anyone deserves a player of the year award, it's the Welshman. You could definitely argue that there were other nominees that have played much better this season. However, as I suggested on the Onion Bag this week, you get the feeling that, like John Wayne in True Grit and Paul Newman in The Colour Of Money, it was quite simply Giggs' turn and that is good enough for me.

These are the two arguably most exciting players of football at the moment and they have a lot in common. Both are very young and exciting to watch, while at the same time they have quickly become key players in their respective teams. They will meet in Champions League final this season but these meetings could become more frequent if Ronaldo leaves Manchester United for Real Madrid at the end of the season.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims he is ready to walk away from his summer-long pursuit of Xabi Alonso – because Liverpool won't play ball!
Reds boss Rafa Benitez has refused to budge from his £30million valuation of the Spanish international.
But that is way above Real's estimation and Perez insists that despite his club's massive outlay on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka this summer, they will not pay over the odds for any remaining targets.

These transfers are becoming complicated!!! All of a sudden, Eto'o is a Nerazzurra and rather ironically, has assumed Ibrahimovic's number in the team. Talk about a swap!

"I want to write history with Inter," he said. "I won almost everything with Barça, I hope to do so also here.

Will be awarded to the player who scores the best goal off a balloon lying on the pitch.A lot of painstaking research on the net over a period of five whole minutes has turned up two candidates.One is Darren Bent.His sublime effort is on view in the last post.This second candidate is a player from Sheffield United who also used a balloon to good effect.

So who's going to win it? Lionel Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? Or a dark horse like, say, Edin Dzeko of VfL Wolfsburg? The short list for the 2009 Player of the Year (aka the Ballon d'Or) is in, and it contains all the usual suspects: Messi, Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres, [...]

You heard it here first! Unless you have been on the dailymail site prior to this which would make us second. But a worthy second I reckon.

And I hear you saying HOW? How could Ronaldo, the current World player of the year, be retiring in four months time. Well apparently a witch has placed a hex on the former Man Utd man after a former girlfriend hired him (lol, a man witch, gay).

Cristiano Ronaldo may have a Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball), but his boyfriend Kaka is the proud recipient of the Marca Golden Newspaper Boy award. Wonder how many newspapers he delivered to the many residents of Madrid to take home the prize? Fascinating.

No, wait. That's not factually correct.

The 23 member shortlist for the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year award has been announced. The winner will be announced on December 21, 2009. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Fernando Torres, who finished first, second and third respectively last year, are also in the running for this year's award.

I understand that FIFA have other priorities, you know, the small matter of the World Cup in June next year. Surely though, they have a dedicated team that watch as many as matches of clubs from around the globe. Looking at the current list of nominees however, leads me to question whether FIFA has actually watched domestic football since 2006.

Seven stories from The Offside and World Cup Blog this week: Nominate your player/manager football ubermen Gigi's Buffon's incredible Champions League save Ballon d'Or or FIFA World Player of the Year: Which is shinier? Norwegian homage to Brazilian airport ad The return of Johan Cruyff. To Catalonia.

The full list of nominations for the 2009 Ballon d'Or has now been shortlisted down to ten and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 1st December. The Ballon d'Or is voted for by journalists and organised by France Football magazine. It's gotta be Messi's this year though right? The final ten are: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Didier Drogba [.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi became the first Ballon D'Or winner from Argentina last night, eclipsing runner up Cristiano Ronaldo (last year's winner) by a 240 - point margin.
Of the 10 finalists, 7 players ply their trade outside of the English Premier League - which got me thinking, who would you love to see come over from the continent to join arguably the greatest league in the world?

As expected Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or 2009 by a substantial margin. The Barcelona and Argentina star succeeds Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the trophy last year after helping Manchester United to glory in the 2008 Champions League. Ronaldo finished runner-up this time around. Messi won an unprecedented treble last season as the Catalan side [.

While Lionel Messi captured the Ballon d'Or as expected, France Football also named its Ballon d'Or Best XI, a collection of the best talent in the world and a team that would be a fun one to watch.

Here is the team chosen as Europe's Best XI:

---------------------Samuel Eto'o-----------------------

Cristiano Ronaldo------------------------Lionel Messi

-----------Kaka------------------Steven Gerrard-------

----------------------Xavi------Iniesta--------------------

Nemanja Vidic--------John Terry----------------Maicon

-------------------------Iker Casillas----------------------

Obviously it isn't a practical lineup, what with no defensive midfielder and a set of defenders that wouldn't quite work as a unit.

While Lionel Messi captured the Ballon d'Or as expected, France Football also named its Ballon d'Or Best XI, a collection of the best talent in the world and a team that would be a fun one to watch.

Here is the team chosen as Europe's Best XI:

---------------------Samuel Eto'o-----------------------

Cristiano Ronaldo------------------------Lionel Messi

-----------Kaka------------------Steven Gerrard-------

----------------------Xavi------Iniesta--------------------

Nemanja Vidic--------John Terry----------------Maicon

-------------------------Iker Casillas----------------------

Obviously it isn't a practical lineup, what with no defensive midfielder and a set of defenders that wouldn't quite work as a unit.

For our SoundOff today, now that the WC draw is over, we'd like your thoughts on how you think the 2010 World Cup is going to pan out. Specifically, who do you think will...

1. ...be the two teams to make it out of the group stage in each group, A-H? (Groups listed at the bottom)

2.

Is it just me, or is Little Lionel wearing make-up? Either that or its a Messi waxwork posing with the Ballon d'Or.

Whatever, congrats to the Argentine for winning Europe's top award he deserves it.

Fletch says:

"I once ate Messi for breakfast.

Ok, so it isn't just Bobojan Babe who is making up that sullen face for the cameras. The Barca boys who must be exhausted have arrived in Abu Dhabi to compete in the World Club Championships. La Liga's Christmas break has officially commenced which means that Gonzalo Higuain has already started his shopping for The Dona but unfortunately, all that will have to wait for the likes of the Messiah.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a great club player. He has garnered every accolade including FIFA world player of the year and Man U's first Ballon d'Or winner in 40 years. In comparison, his national duty so far has been pedestrian by his own standards.

There appears to be a pattern. Very good performances into the lead up to the tournament where he tends to then play with a very marked "carry the team on the shoulders" quality that proves detrimental.

Languagecaster's season may have come to an end but football continues and this week has been a busy one with lots of World Cup Qualifiers, the Confederations Cup in South Africa and Real Madrid signing Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. The fact that these two players have won the last two Ballon d'Or awards means that on this week's featured podcast from our back catalogue, we take a look at the European Player of the Year Award.

A few weeks ago I posted a tribute to former Lazio and Juventus ace Pavel Nedved who had announced his retirement from the game. Nedved has always been an exciting talent even at the grand old age of 36 and his performances for Juve last season were still top class, indeed he often covered more ground than players well over five years his junior.

The clock is ticking down to the start of the most talked about Manchester derby in years.

A resurgent city have emerged like a phoenix from the flames when compared to the club of five years ago that looked as if fate would retire the blue half of Manchester to a Leeds like spiralling demise into the lower divisions.