the full list is below, i've highlighted those players who i think have the best shot at winning. European Footballer of the Year list in full Adriano (Brazil - Inter Milan, Italy) Ailton (Brazil - Schalke 04, Germany) Roberto Ayala (Argentina - Valencia, Spain) Ruben Baraja (Spain - Valencia, Spain) Milan Baros (Czech Republic - Liverpool, England) Fabien Barthez (France - Olympique Marseille, France) David Beckham (England - Real Madrid, Spain) Gianluigi Buffon (Italy - Juventus, Italy) Petr Cech (Czech Republic - Chelsea, England) Angelos Haristeas (Greece - Werder Bremen, Germany) Deco (Portugal - Barcelona, Spain) Traianos Dellas (Greece - AS Roma, Italy) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast - Chelsea, England) Emerson (Brazil - Juventus, Italy) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon - Barcelona, Spain) Luis Figo (Portugal - Real Madrid, Spain) Ludovic Giuly (France - Barcelona, Spain) Thierry Henry (France - Arsenal, England) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden - Juventus, Italy) Juninho Pernambucano (Brazil - Olympique Lyon, France) Kaka (Brazil - AC Milan, Italy) Michalis Kapsis (Greece - Girondins Bordeaux, France) Frank Lampard (England - Chelsea, England) Henrik Larsson (Sweden - Barcelona, Spain) Paolo Maldini (Italy - AC Milan, Italy) Maniche (Portugal - Porto, Portugal) Johan Micoud (France - Werder Bremen, Germany) Mista (Spain - Valencia, Spain) Fernando Morientes (Spain - Real Madrid, Spain) Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic - Juventus, Italy) Alessandro Nesta (Italy - AC Milan, Italy) Antonis Nikopolidis (Greece - Olympiakos Piraeus, Greece) Andrea Pirlo (Italy - AC Milan, Italy) Jose Antonio Reyes (Spain - Arsenal, England) Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal - Chelsea, England) Ronaldinho (Brazil - Barcelona, Spain) Ronaldo (Brazil - Real Madrid, Spain) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal - Manchester United, England) Wayne Rooney (England - Manchester United, England) Tomas Rosicky (Czech Republic - Borussia Dortmund, Germany) Paul Scholes (England - Manchester United, England) Clarence Seedorf (Netherlands - AC Milan, Italy) Yourkas Seitaridis (Greece - Porto, Portugal) Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine - AC Milan, Italy) Francesco Totti (Italy - AS Roma, Italy) Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands - Manchester United, England) Vicente (Spain - Valencia, Spain) Patrick Vieira (France - Arsenal, England) Thodoris Zagorakis (Greece - Bologna, Italy) Zinedine Zidane (France - Real Madrid, Spain) note: Raul did NOT make the list.
I see it as a duel between Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho, with the edge being given to Ronaldinho. Henry, despite standing out, was part of an incredible team and had a crap Euro 2004, while Ronaldinho singlehandedly brought Barcelona out of the wilderness.
I think these will be the top three when all the voting is in. If I had a vote I would probably give it to Ronaldinho. But I'm predicting Sheva will win with almost all the eastern european journalists voting for the Tsar.
Wow, it's difficult to tell which list is worse, this one or the FIFA world player of the year list. I see Deco winning this, he had a great year for both club and NT. Sheva, Ronaldinho and Henry also have a chance but, even though they're far better players than Deco, when I think about Sammer winning in 1996 (instead of Ronaldo) I have the feeling that the portuguese will win this year.
Why do people insist on putting that over rated ********** pretty boy posh in for player of the year. Besides bag a spice girl wtf has he done to warrant this. Anyway I say either Ronaldinho or Sheva with Henry as a possiblility.
it's a 50 person list. of course the're going to thicken it up with some "yeah, whatever" type players. It should really be cut down to 25 to start with. but hey, "it's an honor just to be nominated" right?
Not a chance. He scored a few goals in the Euro. So what, Baros was the high scorer. Should Baros be the Footballer of the year? Rooney hasn't done much on the club level to earn any award and shouldn't even be on the list.
So what are you saying Baros Does deserve to be on the list? BTW Rooney only scored a hat trick in the champions league and scored th killer against Arsenal. Whats Baros done? Neither will win but damn that post was ignorant.
henry has chocked in another big game since i argued why he shouldn't win it, but people still think he is a contender, i just dont get it.
One hattrick in a single CL game meant little. Both deserved to be on the list. I think Baros did more last year than Rooney. Shevchenko, Henry, and Ronaldinho are probably the leading candidates to win it. Adriano and Deco are drakhorses. Eto'o is a longshot, but it could happen.
how exactly you failed to highlight this man, baffles me: Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic - Juventus, Italy)
Nedved won it last year. Unbaffled yet? (considering those i highlighted are in the running, i think it quite unlikely that PN would win it two years in a row.)
Neither do I. If Henry did win, it would only highlight how ridiculous and insignificant this award is. It should be between Deco, Ronaldinho and Shevchenko (or possibly Totti).
I was just kinda reacting to him being stupid as i said neither one deserves it. I have to agree with you though it is gonna be down to Sheva, Ronaldinho and Henry(unfortunately) a case could be made for Nedved though.
Nedved was the best player at Euro 2004, imo. But he had a lackluster year for Juve. He won't win it this year. By the way, find out who Nedved is endorsing for the Balon d'Or here: http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/nov9k.html
Thanks for making my case, fool. I don't think Baros deserves a place on the list either. Reread my post and this time try to apply some reading comprehension skills to the task, ok? Rooney's hat trick came against Fenerbahçe which sports a horrible defense. They have the worst goals against record of any team in the CL. Plus that was just one match. Compare Rooney's club record with some of the other players on the list such as Sheva or Henry. It is a joke for him to be listed in their company.
Fool did you think of that complex word to call me aall on your own or did your second grade teacher type it for you? Now you contradict yourself because you said that they both deserve to be on the list but now you're saying that Rooney being in the company of Sheva and Henry is a joke. Make up your mind or at least ask mommy to make it up for you.
You didn't follow my advice and reread my post did you? Here it is: Show me where I said that either of them belong on the list. You simply can not read. Somebody here looks stupid.