Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo finished the 2011/12 club football season scoring 133 goals between them. With half a century of goals, Lionel Messi grabbed the Pichichi award while Cristiano Ronaldo settled for the second spot in the chart.
Andres Iniesta came nowhere near matching Messi and Ronaldo’s goal stats last season. However, the Barcelona midfielder was at the heart of Spain’s UEFA Euro 2012 success. His inspirational performances won him the Best Player of the Tournament award, previously held by national team mate Xavi Hernandez.
The winner of the prize will be announced on August 30 during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco. Meanwhile, the fierce rivalry between La Liga and the EPL continues to divide millions of football followers around the globe.
The fact that Iniesta, Messi and Ronaldo all ply their trade in Spain may add fuel to the debate. Iniesta and Messi will help Barcelona confront Real Sociedad on August 19 whereas Ronaldo will attempt to steal the headlines in the match of the day, Real Madrid vs Valencia.
Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo topped UEFA’s 10-man shortlist which had the seven other players ranked as follows:
4. Andrea Pirlo (Italy) – Juventus (90 points)
5. Xavi Hernández (Spain) – FC Barcelona (57 points)
6. Iker Casillas (Spain) – Real Madrid CF (53 points)
7. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) – Chelsea FC* (31 points)
8= Petr Čech (Czech Republic) – Chelsea FC (14 points)
8= Falcao (Colombia) – Club Atlético de Madrid (14 points)
10. Mesut Özil (Germany) – Real Madrid CF (10 points)
* Now at Shanghai Shenhua FC in China.
