One the most undeserved ever (should have been Matthaus'). AC Milan stars did really shine only in last two rounds of European Cup. In serie A they have been only good on average. Gullit could have done much more but was hampered by injuries.
Two Years Later, Revenge Quoted twenty-eight times in first place, Hristo Stoitchkov dominated the thirty-ninth edition of the Ballon d'Or with disconcerting ease and poise, leaving his runner-up, Roberto Baggio, a more than respectable distance away. Indeed, 74 points separated the two stars of the year! The man who had stumbled in the final stretch two years earlier to Marco van Basten, winner in 1992, finally got his revenge, something he had been seeking since the fateful evening when he learned the Dutchman had edged him out. A Spanish champion, fourth in the World Cup with six goals to his name, the Bulgarian striker this time had a response to a somewhat fragmented and ultimately very scattered opponent in the rankings. The American summer had allowed the Italians, the Swedes, the Germans and the Romanians to shine, but not enough to counter King Hristo Stoitchkov I, the first Ballon d'Or winner from Bulgaria and the fifth player from Eastern European countries to appear on the list of winners after Masopust (1962), Yachine (1963), Blokhin (1975) and Belanov (1986). A bit like Cruyff's Ballon d'Or Stoitchkov is the image of football today. Humanly, neither mad nor wise. Only the unique expression of the total spectacle in which the footballer holds more than his footballing side. His facial expressions, his real-fake aggression, his theatrical gestures, his haughty attitudes, before he reverts to being an emotional kid among kids, make him an extraordinary character that the magnifying glasses of television cameras have skillfully captured. Yet it's not him, the disturbing actor, who is being praised this year. It's the player. Complete, subtle or rugged, a low tackler or a bird of the box, an unrepentant dribbler and exasperating soloist, the other a brilliant passer, the exact opposite of the Brazilian Romario across the entire width of the FC Barcelona attack designed by Johan Cruyff. Cruyff's role in the transformation of the somewhat unsophisticated Bulgarian, who one day faced Olympique de Marseille in Europe wearing a CSKA Sofia jersey, can never be overstated. Cruyff knew how to position Stoitchkov on the pitch, neither a centre-forward nor a left winger, but a space-eater. Cruyff knew how to manage the man and his outbursts in an uncompromising manner, but without ever curbing his freedom. Better still, he included the most individualistic player in Europe in the most collective tactical and technical scheme of the Old Continent. That of Barça, which, despite not having won the Champions League this year (there was far too much oil in the Milanese cogs that evening), nonetheless remains a model to follow so that football survives the depravities committed on certain blackboards by sinister dream destroyers. Hristo Stoitchkov's Ballon d'Or is also a bit like Johan Cruyff's fourth Ballon d'Or. Classement Ballon d'Or 1994 1. Stoitchkov (Bulgarie, FC Barcelone), 210 points. 2. R. Baggio (Italie, Juventus Turin), 136 pts. 3. P. Maldini (Italie, Milan AC), 109 pts. 4. Brolin (Suède, Parme), Hagi (Roumanie, FC Barcelone), 68 pts. 6. Klinsmann (Allemagne, Tottenham), 43 pts.
By giving Argentina its first crown, Lionel Messi broke new ground, but his victory belonged to posterity in more ways than one. It was the most overwhelming ever recorded in the Ballon d'Or awards, which had nevertheless seen some great ones. He was indeed the highest-scoring winner, with 98.54% of the possible points (473 out of 480), ahead of Platini 1984 (98.46%, 128 out of 130) and... Platini 1985 (97.69%, 127 out of 130). His dazzling youth shook everything in its path, without paying the slightest attention to the living statues it was unseating! The gap separating the 2009 winner from Cristiano Ronaldo (240 points), himself the "defending champion," clearly suggested that there had hardly been a match between the two biggest stars in world football. As for the pack of pursuers, most of them dressed in the Blaugrana jersey (Xavi, Iniesta and Eto'o, the latter much more "Barça" than Inter Milan), they didn't really have a say in the matter, less so in any case than on the pitch where they so often flirted with excellence alongside Messi. We readily compare him to Maradona. But how can we appreciate, more than twenty years apart, two sublime monsters of the round ball, reinventing the game for their own pleasure and for ours? A deadly acceleration Raul once said of him: "He's the most unbalanced player in the world." And Ronaldinho, who was his partner at Barça until the summer of 2008, affirmed: "He's unstoppable. Unless you hit him..." Like the "Maradona-esque" goal he scored against Getafe in a Copa del Rey match two and a half years ago (13 touches, 5 opponents eliminated, and 58 meters covered, all in 11 seconds flat), his devastating starting speed, his ability to accelerate and, above all, re-accelerate at the same pace, and his ability to keep the ball close to his foot allow him to make incredible differences in one-on-ones. Maradona confesses: "The ball is glued to his foot, it's as if it were an extra organ for him." I've seen a lot of good players throughout my life, but I've never seen anyone like Messi. He's simply unique." (...) He uses his left foot and the extraordinary flexibility of his ankle to do everything else and make his best shots. With the outside, his favorite contact surface, to be able to play with one touch, put back, dribble inside, eliminate, drive the ball or change direction in a tenth of a second and then create the element of surprise. With the inside, to curl his shot, take set pieces, find solutions in the gaps and, above all, give his first deep pass a diabolical quality, speed and precision. Maradona said: "I don't want Messi to play without the ball. I want the ball at his feet, and that's it! He is someone who only knows how to decide with the ball at his feet." Le classement du Ballon d'Or France Football 2009 1. Lionel Messi (Pays : Argentine / Club : FC Barcelone) 2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Manchester United) 3. Xavi (Espagne / FC Barcelone) 4. Andres Iniesta (Espagne / FC Barcelone) 5. Samuel Eto'o (Cameroun / Inter Milan)
Roberto Carlos's year was just as good as Ronaldo's, or at least it could be considered a starting point in the race for the Ballon d'Or. The general style introduced into the game by the Brazilian defender was entirely in line with innovation, and the idea of promoting a rearguard player, in a list of achievements that gives pride of place to attackers, was not likely to displease. However, Ronaldo took full advantage of the World Cup effect and the consistently high coefficient attached to the reputation of its top scorer, especially when he strikes twice in the final. But it was just as much the miracle of the Republic of Football that the France Football jury sought to salute. And how could he be blamed? With its brilliance, Ronaldo's victory recalled that of the Italian Rossi in the 1982 edition. He sang for only one summer, certainly, but to what a score and with what a timbre of voice! Apart from Keegan in 1978, every four years the winner of the Ballon d'Or has been awarded a World Cup. The winner either won it or distinguished himself in some way. Kopa (1958), Masopust (1962), Charlton (1966), Müller (1970), Cruyff (1974), Rossi (1982), Belanov (1986), Matthäus (1990), Stoichkov (1994) and Zidane (1998) received, for example, the "bonus" of a successful World Cup. This was also the case for Ronaldo. A great all-around striker Luiz Nazario de Lima, known as "Ronaldo," has had an astonishing career. One might almost be tempted to use the plural form of the two words, given how this exceptional player gives the impression of having already lived several lives, even though he is only twenty-six years old. At twenty, he was the best player in the world, the designated successor to Pelé and Maradona. Three years later, he found himself with his career on hold, and everyone wondered if it would ever reopen. Virtually absent from the field for two seasons—an eternity in a hurried, idol-devouring era—he was perhaps the only one who believed in his resurrection. Twice struck down by a terrible knee injury, his footballing future hung by a tiny thread. This terrible ordeal allowed Ronaldo to demonstrate the extent of his gifts, which are not limited to a fantastic ability to accelerate and string together dribbles at full speed. Since his return, he has not scored one of those alien goals that zips like the wind through a frozen and helpless defense. But this dazzling, even blinding, talent was not the only one Ronaldo had received from the gods. Beneath the phenomenon lies a great international striker, capable of playing as a teammate and chasing goals, like Gerd Müller . Even before the 98 World Cup, the start of his long descent into hell, it had been noted that the irresistible player of PSV, then FC Barcelona and Inter, proved capable of changing his style when wearing the Seleçao jersey. With Romario, his friend and his master, he often played short and with one touch, and these two strikers knew how to share the successes equally. Almost always in control of the ball and fond of set-piece play, the Brazilian team lent itself less to long runs, but Ronaldo's performance was hardly affected. Stripped of his extraterrestrial panoply, he displayed in Asia the complete range of a great all-terrain striker. Not to mention his ability to adapt to all tactical schemes, he who played with Romario or Vieri on the same line as him, with Brazil 1998 or Inter, alone up front with the current world champions, or with Raul circling around him at Real. This latter quality is often the prerogative of the very great. With four players as important as Zidane, Figo, Raul, and Ronaldo, Real Madrid's attacking system needs some time to settle into place. The Brazilian must adapt his game to the team's. For at Real Madrid, as in the Seleçao, there is a philosophy that hardly varies, based on possession of the ball and work on the wings. Some ultra-fast one-touch sequences, like those on the latest PlayStation model, demonstrate that this trademark of the Madrid team will not be undermined. With him, Real Madrid will be able to take advantage of a cavalry the likes of which have not been seen in forty years, since Di Stefano, Kopa, Puskas, and Gento. Then, we will know more about the continuation of the extraordinary saga of Ronaldo, the most famous resurrected player in the history of football. Le classement du Ballon d'Or France Football 2002 1. Ronaldo (Pays : Brésil / Club : Real Madrid) 2. Roberto Carlos (Brésil / Real Madrid) 3. Oliver Kahn (Allemagne / Bayern Munich) 4. Zinédine Zidane (France / Real Madrid) 5. Michael Ballack (Allemagne / Bayern Munich)
"I want to be number one, number two, and number three in the world. I'm not satisfied with being the best player in Portugal, I want to be the best of all time, that's my goal." Ambition has words to which the ambitious respond with actions. By winning his third Ballon d'Or, the second in a row, at the end of a 2014 that saw him rack up goals and win four collective trophies including the tenth Champions League in Real Madrid's history, Cristiano Ronaldo (29 years old) struck hard before entering, chest out, into the private estate of legendary players who have won the most prestigious individual award three times (Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten) and sitting down at their table, comfortable. And now it is Lionel Messi, crowned four times but only second this time to the German world champion goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who can expect to see him arrive in his golden suite. Continuity in Excellence From January to December, CR7 enjoyed the Decima, while also allowing himself the luxury of setting a new record for goals in a single Champions League season (17), the Club World Cup, the European Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, but also a World Cup with Portugal played in a weakened position and leaving prematurely (elimination in the first round with a single goal scored by the Portuguese captain). CR7 also boasted 61 goals in 60 matches for the club Merengue (56) and the Selecçao (5), 19 assists, the 200-goal mark in La Liga reached in just 178 matches, a Pichichi award, a European Golden Shoe, and a new record for international goals (52). Cristiano Ronaldo is an exceptional player, a combination of power, speed, leap of movement, skill, and strength. But if he is above all an athlete, he is also an artist, and even an icon. The icon of a game, of a sport, which has become the greatest spectacle of modern times. And the mark he is leaving on the history of football is already considerable. For such a champion, that is the whole point. Today, more than ever, the echo of the words of his teammate in the Portuguese national team, Ricardo Quaresma, spoken just before facing For such a champion, that's the whole point. Today, more than ever, the echo of the words of his Portuguese national team teammate Ricardo Quaresma, spoken just before facing Messi's Argentina last November, resonates. "Cristiano is the best in the world," he proclaimed, "the other one is behind him." The others. All the others. Déjà sacré en 2008 et 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo a été désigné FIFA Ballon d'Or 2014 ce lundi à Zurich. L'attaquant portugais du Real Madrid, qui a récolté 37,66% des voix, a devancé l'Argentin Lionel Messi (FC Barcelone, 2e, 15,76%) et l'Allemand Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich, 3e, 15,72%).
One, two, three! The year 1992 was not a good one for the top three winners of the 1991 Ballon d'Or. Lothar Matthäus's serious injury, Gary Lineker's early retirement, and the difficult situation facing the former Yugoslavs created a completely new landscape at the top of the European football rankings. Among the top ten from the previous year, only Jean-Pierre Papin was ranked, albeit with just two points. The battle for the trophy was extremely fierce between Van Basten and Stoitchkov, and in this Milan-Barcelona contest, it was once again the Dutchman who emerged victorious for the third time in history (1988, 1989, and 1992). The man who joined Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini at the top of the list was cited in first place by eleven judges, against ten first places for the Bulgarian striker, the latter "victim" of a very split vote which also placed Hässler (three), Schmeichel (two), Brian Laudrup, Bergkamp and Ronald Koeman (one) in pole position. Finally, Denmark, winner of the Euro, found the reward for its coronation with the presence of seven of its champions in the ranking of the twenty-two best players of the year. Cruyff's son Marco van Basten hasn't changed much in the last year. At most, he cherishes the bitter memory of a Euro that was a rather poor performance for both himself and his team-mates. It's true that in Sweden, the 1992 Ballon d'Or winner didn't quite live up to his reputation, leaving the spotlight to his young compatriot (and perhaps successor) Bergkamp, who scored three goals. Marco van Basten, remaining silent in front of the opposing goal, even missed the penalty shootout that eliminated the Netherlands in the semi-finals against Denmark. Fortunately, the "Flying Dutchman" had performed very well in an Italian Championship dominated by his AC Milan (finishing undefeated with an eight-point lead over Juventus), with Marco taking his share of the cake by claiming the crown of goalscorer with 25 goals scored. Van Basten continues to wreak havoc this season. In the Champions League, he achieved another feat against Gothenburg, scoring four goals, each one more different than the last. This reflects the breadth and talent of a striker who combines all the physical, technical, and tactical qualities. Tall, slender, and very very elegant, he could be somewhat slowed down and hindered by his slender build, in his movements, his runs, and his starts. And yet, his quickness in acceleration and cutting, his leap of movement, and his running speed are those of a short-legged player. This allows him to attempt and complete the most varied, unexpected, and effective dribbles, kicks, and headers. But it is also and above all through his lucidity in the game, through his art of alternating judiciously between individual exploits (the scorer) and collective action (the passer) that he works wonders. With his head high on a long, straight torso, Van Basten possesses, like a marine periscope, a peripheral vision of the pitch, which makes him a a playmaker with no equal in making himself useful through his movements without the ball or by passing to a partner. Not to mention that he also knows how to adapt to defensive contingencies when necessary, as he demonstrated on several occasions, during the Euro where he was even seen returning to tackle in his own penalty area. Elegance, intelligence, team spirit, efficiency, defensive whole job, teamwork, workRate : isn't this the perfect portrait of the perfect exceptional striker? Classement Ballon d'Or 1992 1. Van Basten (Pays-Bas, Milan AC), 98 points. 2. Stoitchkov (Bulgarie, FC Barcelone), 80 pts. 3. Bergkamp (Pays-Bas, Ajax Amsterdam), 53 pts. 4. Hässler (Allemagne, AS Roma), 42 pts. 5. Schmeichel (Danemark, Manchester United), 41 pts.
well, is very very balanced this Year 1989 really i agree with you yes for sure ! "World Soccer" Football of the Year 1989 Every year the English magazine World Soccer has its readers select winners for its World Footballer of the Year award. The election is open to any player worldwide. Top 10 1. Ruud GULLIT 24 % Holland AC Milan (Ita) 2. Marco VAN BASTEN 18 % Holland AC Milan (Ita) 3. José Gama Oliveira BEBETO 10 % Brazil Vasco da Gama (Bra) 4. Diego MARADONA 7 % Argentina Napoli (Ita) 5. Franco BARESI 6 % Italy AC Milan (Ita) 6. Peter SHILTON 6 % England Derby County (Eng) 7. ROMÁRIO de Souza Faria 5 % Brazil PSV Eindhoven (Hol) 8. Michael LAUDRUP 4 % Denmark FC Barcelona (Spa) 9. Lothar MATTHÄUS 3 % West Germany Inter Milan (Ita) 10. Ruben SOSA 2 % Uruguay Lazio (Ita)
In 2022-2023, Messi has made 55 appearances, scoring 32 goals and 25 assists with Paris and Miami. Add to that 17 goals for the national team, including 7 at the World Cup in Qatar alone. Enough, according to the jury, to stand out from Haaland, the season's top scorer and author of a phenomenal hat-trick with City (Champions League, Premier League, Cup), and Mbappé, the fallen hero of the last World Cup, despite his hat-trick in the final and being awarded top scorer (8), ahead of... Messi. The two men arrived at the ceremony almost simultaneously, shortly before 8:30 p.m., Messi with his family and Mbappé alone. This one-night stop in Paris was special in more ways than one for Messi, who returned to the capital a few months after leaving PSG to the boos of the Parisian public, after two more than mixed seasons (2021-2023). Here he is, making a triumphant return. Ballon d'Or 2023: Lionel Messi crowned for the eighth time And eight! Already crowned in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021, Lionel Messi lifted his eighth France Football Ballon d'Or this Monday evening in the majestic setting of the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, breaking the all-time record (his runner-up and eternal rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, holds five). For this 2023 edition, Messi is ahead of Norwegian Erling Haaland (Manchester City) and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé (PSG). Also a Ligue 1 winner with the Parisian club, the Argentinian is most notable for his World Cup title, won in December 2022 with the Albiceleste against Mbappé's Les Bleus in the final. It's the only major trophy missing from the immense career of the "Pulga," who now plays for Inter Miami in the United States, with whom he already won the Leagues Cup in August.
France Football explained like this ...: about Ruud Gullit .. long time away or absent in the whole season 1988-1989 + 1989/1990 one part from this season .. like Ronaldinho 2003/2004 ..+ 2004 with the defeats of Deco and Henry to Greece in the Euro-cup 2004 and the injuries, oscillations of Ronaldinho paved the way for A. Schevchenko to win the Ballon d'Or in 2004 Gullit by injuries also and eternal absent !