I make a list of best defender and central midfielder of the year according to Ballon'Dor ranking. We know Ballon'Dor rating occasionally seems inaccurate but at least it is interesting to know its view. In this list, I comply player who at least got three votes. For central midfielder category, it is just base on my ranking in think link http://xtraimmortal.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-greatest-central-midfielders-of-all.html European Defender of The Year 1956 Wright 1957 Wright 1958 Wright 1959 None 1960 None 1961 Santamaria 1962 Schnellinger 1963 Schnellinger 1964 Schnellinger 1965 Facchetti 1966 Moore 1967 Gemmel 1968 Facchetti 1969 Shesternev 1970 Shesternev 1971 Beckenbauer 1972 Beckenbauer 1973 Beckenbauer 1974 Beckenbauer 1975 Beckenbauer 1976 Beckenbauer 1977 E.Hughes, Vogts 1978 Krol 1979 Krol 1980 Kaltz 1981 Chivadze 1982 None 1983 M.Olsen 1984 Bossis 1985 Briegel 1986 Amoros 1987 Hysen 1988 Koeman 1989 Baresi 1990 Brehme 1991 Belodedicci 1992 Koeman 1993 Baresi 1994 Maldini 1995 Maldini 1996 Sammer 1997 R.Carlos 1998 Thuram 1999 Stam 2000 Nesta 2001 Lizarazu 2002 R.Carlos 2003 Maldini 2004 Carvalho 2005 Maldini 2006 Cannavaro 2007 D.Alves 2008 Vidic, S.Ramos 2009 Vidic 2010 Puyol 2011 Abidal 2012 S.Ramos
European Central Midfielder of The Year 1956 Bozsik 1957 Edwards 1958 Szymaniak 1959 Szymaniak 1960 Szymaniak 1961 Hanappi, Masopust 1962 Masopust 1963 Trapattoni 1964 Voronin 1965 Voronin 1966 Beckenbauer 1967 Beckenbauer 1968 Beckenbauer 1969 Beckenbauer 1970 Beckenbauer 1971 Pirri 1972 None 1973 Bremner 1974 Neeskens 1975 Pirri 1976 Bonhof 1977 None 1978 Haan 1979 Breitner 1980 Van Moer 1981 Breitner 1982 None 1983 Robson 1984 Tigana 1985 Robson 1986 Lerby 1987 Robson 1988 Rijkaard 1989 Rijkaard 1990 Matthaus 1991 Matthaus 1992 Rijkaard 1993 None 1994 Desailly 1995 Desailly 1996 Desailly 1997 Deschamps 1998 Davids 1999 Keane 2000 Mendieta 2001 Effenberg 2002 Ballack 2003 None 2004 Zagorakis 2005 Lampard 2006 Gattuso 2007 Gerrard 2008 Xavi 2009 Xavi 2010 Xavi 2011 Xavi 2012 Xavi Note : Beckenbauer played as both DF and DM in the first half 1960s but kicker rate him in world-class as midfielder and international-class as central defedner in 1966 and 1967.
I'd add offensive lateral list. Its categorization is base on this link http://xtraimmortal.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-greatest-offensive-laterals-of-all.html Generally, I define offensive lateral as a sub-winger but they must perform his game in the side more often than centre. Therefore, some players may occasionally conform to this category just depend on their role in each season. European Offensive Lateral of The Year 1956 Matthews 1957 Gento 1958 Rahn 1959 Gento 1960 Gento 1961 Gento 1962 Jurion 1963 None 1964 Amancio 1965 Corso 1966 Bene 1967 Johnstone 1968 Dzajic 1969 Best 1970 Dzajic 1971 Best 1972 Keizer 1973 None 1974 Lato 1975 Lorimer 1976 Rensenbrink 1977 Rensenbrink 1978 Rensenbrink 1979 Boniek 1980 None 1981 Boniek 1982 Boniek 1983 J.Olsen 1984 Chalana 1985 Boniek 1986 Futre 1987 Futre 1988 Michel 1989 Michel 1990 None 1991 Waddle 1992 Haesler 1993 Kostadinov 1994 None 1995 Overmars 1996 Poborsky 1997 Figo 1998 R. De Boer 1999 Beckham 2000 Figo 2001 Figo 2002 Ronaldinho 2003 Beckham 2004 C.Ronaldo 2005 Juninho 2006 Ribery 2007 C.Ronaldo 2008 C.Ronaldo 2009 C.Ronaldo 2010 Robben 2011 None 2012 None
Where's Bernd Schuster???? http://politico.ie/index.php?option...-from-immortality&catid=214:sport&Itemid=1281
Good list in general However a few SPOTS checked: 1- why no one in 59-60? 2- since it's hard to go through all years from last few decades, I just gave some inputs on the years in bold (most recent) - 2005: Terry could have a shot behind Maldini (but Maldini is fine too) - 2008: This is EURO year, so neither Vidic nor Ramos deserved but PUYOL (best DF at euro08) -2010: Here Puyol was not the best, but MAICON - 2012: Must be Thiago Silva, but if you put Euro12 as weight, then PIQUE
Isnt it surprising that for a player of his reputation and considering his achievements that season/year Gaetano Scirea would not have gotten 3 votes in 1982?
because that season was DECIDED to give it to a player who only played <10games and scored 6goals in last 3games of WC82- WHOLE season 7goals/10games what a great achivement... so no wonder
I understand that the lists provide by Dearman (based on Ballon d'Or) is tentative, much more considering that most of the names got few votes in their respective year. In those (most) cases, is debatable why not another player who doesn't make the list could be better than the one who make it. For example, Scirea or Tresor could make a good case in some years.
I made a list from this link http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy82.html In 1982, Scirea, Gerets and Pezzey got twice votes. I believe Ballon'Dor's voting is the most inaccuracy for defenders, most obvious in Scirea's case.
There is obiviously a problem with this approach where votes beyond a certain place just become meaningless when everybody just names five players.
Oh so that's WHY ... (your list based on Ballon D'or rather than ... true situation, seasonal) I missed that condition!
Because defenders were usually gotten a few votes which is more difficult to make its accuracy. I see you may misunderstood that this list is belonged to me ? In 1994, Overmars was not nominated in Ballon'Dor.
I don't think so. You cannot just best at seeing voting lists and throw it into the garbage when you see nothing important in it but you can be better considering influential characteristic of voting in each period. Obviously, many players who was voted as the best player in their position are deserved that place likes Beckenbauer, Thuram, Krol and uncountable else.
I guess you didn't understand my post. That's what I'm saying. In 1981 for example Chivadze was mentioned by ~10% of the voters.
Oh, OK I see. It is much different to vote for best defender and voting for best player with some best defenders in the list.
Xavi is also a non-optional defensive player but he and Didi was based in central midfield area (Although Didi is considered as more AM in the mid-50s but his prime was performed as central midfielder in the late 1950s). I found that comparing between Xavi, Didi to Bozsik should be closer than comparing them to AM/Trequartista position likes Maradona, Zico, Francescoli, Zizinho, etc in the categorization of seven position since many central midfielders in the list also handle as a creative force. However, Didi is considered as playmaker in ten position categorization in this link http://xtraimmortal.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-100-greatest-positional-ranking.html.
It is your list but it seems to me that if someone like Schuster isn't an CM (but an AM in your list) that Didi is one too. I'd say that he was in the mid-50s a inside-forward. In comparison with Xavi (who had with his timing and pressing more defence btw) or Bozsik it seems to me that he was less of a CM. Just my 2c.
Schuster's case is similar to Pirlo anyway. They did create the game in central midfield area several times but they are also very good at more advanced role (AM). Additionally, both were not only not great in defensive but also not possesses high level of strength and stamina especially if compare to Didi. I understand Didi should be considered in the same category as Schuster and Pirlo would be the best alternative but I'd say categorization is needed to set a line to separate between position. That's mean players who are overlapped the line in different side of position would be seen as an inaccuracy of categorization and this is generally unavoidable problem for limiting category in just seven positions (I set only seven position in the main lists to standardize the group of lists)