Ronaldinho beats out Thierry

[oneforthemoney]

BARCELONA, Dec 10 (SW) - The magazine World Soccer has elected Ronaldinho as footballer of the year 2004. The Brazilian received 28,6 percent of the votes, six more than his main opponent.

http://www.soccerway.com/news/full/?page=details&area=1102678393

[Lanesra]

BARCELONA, Dec 10 (SW) - The magazine World Soccer has elected Ronaldinho as footballer of the year 2004. The Brazilian received 28,6 percent of the votes, six more than his main opponent.

http://www.soccerway.com/news/full/?page=details&area=1102678393



While I can understand Henry losing out to Ronaldo,(just) The greece one is ridiculous, they had to win what, 6 games,? we were unbeaten for a whole season in what is probabally the hardest league in the world, something that hasn't been done for a century, ARSES!!

[SLO-Gunner]

While I can understand Henry losing out to Ronaldo,(just) The greece one is ridiculous, they had to win what, 6 games,? we were unbeaten for a whole season in what is probabally the hardest league in the world, something that hasn't been done for a century, ARSES!!

But I think that's just it. Some, if not many, would argue that the Premiership isn't the most competitive league in the world.

[mad theory]

Greece did take trophy of best team, ahead of Arsenal, who won the English Premier League 2003-04 without suffering a single defeat.

It lost all credibility when I read this..

Greece did take trophy of best team, ahead of Arsenal, who won the English Premier League 2003-04 without suffering a single defeat.

[Bluto11]

It lost all credibility when I read this..
my guess it is supposed to be "Greece took the trophy for Best Team, ahead of Arsenal, yada yada yada

[Catfish]

Well, I guess I found a use for my subscription to World Soccer...tear out each page and wipe my backside with it. Obviously, I won't be renewing my subscription.

[comme]

Good to see there is no bias on the Arsenal boards.

Any of Henry, Tevez, Ronaldinho, Shevchenko, Kaka or Totti would have been worthy of the award. It would not be a shock to have seen anyone get it, especially given that no-one performed exceptionally in all competitions (bar Tevez but he plays in a weaker domestic league).

As for the team, one must appreciate Greece's mamoth achievement, especially given the resources at their disposal. Porto would have been the next candidate, a league and European Cup double is nothing to be sniffed at.

[fox point fury]

As for the team, one must appreciate Greece's mamoth achievement, especially given the resources at their disposal. Porto would have been the next candidate, a league and European Cup double is nothing to be sniffed at.

I agree 100%.

[goonerob]

'The final results of each poll will remain a closely guarded secret until the FIFA World Player Gala 2004 on 20 December'
from the official fifa site.

[sweet nick willy]

Well, I guess I found a use for my subscription to World Soccer...tear out each page and wipe my backside with it. Obviously, I won't be renewing my subscription.
It's the readers who vote for the awards, not the publishers, writers or anyone else. If you're mad at anyone, be mad at them.

[Lanesra]

As for the team, one must appreciate Greece's mamoth achievement, especially given the resources at their disposal. Porto would have been the next candidate, a league and European Cup double is nothing to be sniffed at.

Fair enough Greece done well, but this was one of the weakest European championships for years, and as I said it was six games.

As for Porto, the double is no mean feat, but lets face it, how many Portugeuse sides could most of us name without looking them up, it's not the strongest group in the world.

All The Arsenal managed, was to go 49 games unbeaten, in one , if not the,most demanding leagues in the world

[Davros]

In almost every European championships some side will go unbeaten in 6 games and win the trophy (ocassionally a team escapes with a round robin loss). Nothing unusual with the feat, just unusual that it was Greece.

How often does a team in the EPL go 49 games ubeaten including an entire season wothout defeat? I cheered on the underdog Greece in the Euro's, but whoever dreamt up this miscarriage of justice needs to get back to the Dick, Jane and Spot books and start his edumication again from scratch.

[comme]

Let look back at the history of the award though.

http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/wsoc-awards.html

In the history of the award, when it has been a WC or European Championship year, only one club team has ever won.

Milan went unbeaten for a whole season (and went on to set the European record which Arsenal didn't touch) in 1991/2 yet Denmark won team of the year.

Could anyone really begrudge Denmark their award? No, because they achieved against all odds.

Greece were the team of the year. They entered the tournaments as no-hopers and left as champions all the teamwork and discipline.

[Lanesra]

Let look back at the history of the award though.

http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/wsoc-awards.html

In the history of the award, when it has been a WC or European Championship year, only one club team has ever won.

Milan went unbeaten for a whole season (and went on to set the European record which Arsenal didn't touch) in 1991/2 yet Denmark won team of the year.

Could anyone really begrudge Denmark their award? No, because they achieved against all odds.

Greece were the team of the year. They entered the tournaments as no-hopers and left as champions all the teamwork and discipline.

6 games.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

To be perfectly honest, I would have went for Porto over both Greece and Arsenal. What both teams did was great, but it was only 1 competition. Porto had success in more.

[comme]

6 games.

So how can any international team ever win such a prize?

[tmaker]

Well, just perform as well as the England national team, of course!