The three 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or nominees
Cristiano Ronaldo – He netted 46 goals in the Spanish La Liga and a total of 60 in all competitions. 10 of these strikes came in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League as he finished third in the goal scorers chart behind Messi and Mario Gomez.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the all-important match winner in El Clasico as Real Madrid virtually ended Barcelona’s Spanish La Liga contest on April 21. In August, the Portuguese winger enjoyed yet another triumph over Lionel Messi and the Catalans with Los Blancos lifting the 2012 Supercopa de Espana trophy.
In between his feats in La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, Ronaldo captained Portugal at the UEFA Euro 2012. Having fell in the Group of Death, pundits gave the Euro 2004 finalists practically no chance to shine. However, the real story was different as three goals from the skipper fired Portugal to the semi-final stage where they lost to Andres Iniesta's Spain.
Andres Iniesta – The 170cm-tall man is one of Spain and Barcelona’s core members. His contributions for club and country have led to the creation of many goals. Andres Iniesta is lauded for his agility on the ball, his speed, intuition and creative passing.
His latest success on the big international stage occurred last summer with La Furia Roja in Poland and Ukraine. The midfielder currently holds the prize of UEFA’s Best Player having beaten nominees Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Andres Iniesta was also voted as the UEFA Player of the Tournament at the end of the 2012 European Championship where Spain tasted glory.
Lionel Messi – He dazzled with 91 goals in the 2012 calendar year, breaking Pele and Gerd Mueller’s records. He finished as the top scorer in La Liga with an astronomical 50-goal tally and was also the king of strikes in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League with 14 goals despite crashing out with Barcelona in the semi-finals. Lionel Messi inspired his club to glory in the Copa del Rey, scoring thrice in the process.
Before the end of the year, La Pulga netted 7 competitive goals to fire Argentina to the top spot in the CONMEBOL 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification table. Heading into the winter break, Messi maintained his top scoring form by netting his 26th 2012/13 Spanish Primera Division goal against Real Valladolid.
In 2012, Lionel Messi truly established himself as one of the game’s greatest goal scorers of all time as statistics confirm. Now he is on his way to becoming the first player to win four Ballon d’Or awards.
Prediction
Opinions differ and messages of intense disappointment, pride or respect are sure to storm football forums right after the announcement of the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or winner come January 7.
LiveSoccerTV.com’s Prediction: Lionel Messi – Winner
Readers’ Prediction and Choice: Who will and should win? Share your thoughts.
Watch Live
Watch the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala live online on YOUTUBE or on Fox Soccer Channel from 12:30pm EST (17:30 GMT) on Monday, January 7, 2012.
