Undoubtedly, 2011 was a year filled with excitement for followers of the game. Messi fans would generally not disagree, considering that the Barcelona playmaker also excelled for the Blaugrana.
Looking at the fact that he won La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, it is easy to conclude that he clearly deserves to be the Ballon d’Or 2011 winner. But fans interested in international football certainly have a different point of view.
The Copa America was a competition on which all eyes were set; and again, Messi was initially the main man behind the competition’s attraction. Unfortunately though, he was unable to prove himself for his country, leading many spectators to assume that he was simply a good player at club level.
Nonetheless, the FIFA Ballon d’Or award is supposed to be given to the overall best player of the year 2011. In short, all achievements, all competitions and all errors count.
Messi himself declared that “winning would give me the greatest pleasure,” but should he be crowned king of football on another occasion? We leave this with you, readers…
In the meantime though, while we await the results at the Ballon d’Or Gala on Monday night, we take a look at Messi’s statistics in the year 2011.
First quarter
Matches played: 19
Goal scored: 18
Assists: 7
Top achievements: In January, Messi snatched a hat-trick against Real Betis and two doubles against Almeria and Hercules. The following month, he was the scorer of another hat-trick, this time, against Atletico Madrid in a 3-0 win for Barcelona. In March, he made his presence felt against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League, as he bagged a valuable double.
Second quarter
Matches played: 14
Goals: 8
Assists: 3
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Top achievements: In April, Lionel Messi extended his tally against Real Madrid by scoring a brace at the Bernabeu in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. A month later, he placed his name on the scoring sheet against Manchester United in the Champions League final in England.
Third quarter
Matches played: 18
Goals: 16
Assists: 11
Top achievements: The Copa America 2011 did not go so well for Lionel Messi; but he maintained his authority at club level in mid-August when he scored three goals in two games in the Spanish Super Cup against arch-rivals Real Madrid. He was on the scoring sheet in the UEFA Super Cup; and in September, Messi scored a pair of hat-tricks in a space of seven days against Osasuna and Atletico Madrid respectively. Quickly after, he closed his month with a double against BATE Borisov in the UEFA Champions League.
Final Quarter
Matches played: 20
Goals: 17
Assists: 6
Top Achievements: Lionel Messi scored two hat-tricks in a row on October 29 and November 1st, against Mallorca in La Liga and against Plzen in the Champions League. He also played a great role in the year’s last Clasico, which ended in a 3-1 victory for Barcelona.
