FILE: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Barcelona trio in running for FIFA Ballon D'Or

Record ID: 722272

  • Title: FILE: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Barcelona trio in running for FIFA Ballon D'Or
  • Date: 11th January 2011
  • Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (MARCH 2, 2010) (REUTERS) PAN OF STADIUM LIONEL MESSI TRAINING BARCELONA, SPAIN (MARCH 16, 2010) (REUTERS) MESSI AT TRAINING SESSION BARCELONA, SPAIN (SEPTEMBER 13, 2010) (REUTERS) PLAYERS AT TRAINING SESSION CLOSE UP OF MESSI MESSI AT TRAINING SESSION XAVI (SECOND FROM RIGHT) MADRID, SPAIN (AUGUST 31, 2010) (REUTERS) XAVI TRAINING WITH NATIONAL SIDE POTCHEFSTROOM, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 2, 2010) (REUTERS) XAVI TRAINING MADRID, SPAIN (AUGUST 31, 2010) (REUTERS) ANDRES INIESTA DURING PRACTICE MATCH CLOSE UP OF INIESTA FANS WATCHING MATCH POTCHEFSTROOM, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 2, 2010) (REUTERS) INIESTA MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 7, 2010) (REUTERS) INIESTA PLAYING IN PRACTICE MATCH
  • Embargoed: 26th January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain, Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany Spain
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABTH5MX5W0A3HP229FMXD7UWBI
  • Story Text: Barcelona's Xavi, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are on the shortlist for the first FIFA Ballon D'Or award for the best player in the world which will be presented on Monday (January 10) at a ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland.
    The award is a fusion of FIFA's Player of the Year gong, inaugurated in 1991, with France Football magazine's Ballon D'Or, which has been going since 1956.
    The merger of the two player of the year awards means an increased voting panel with selected journalists joining the coaches and captains of national teams, who chose FIFA's award.
    In a normal year, Messi's outstanding performances and stunning goals for Barca would be enough for him to win for the second year running.
    However, a disappointing World Cup with Argentina could cost the forward, who won the FIFA and France Football awards last year, his crown and leave the door open for midfielders Xavi and Iniesta, who inspired Spain's World Cup win.
    The World Cup may not be everything, though, as Uruguay's Diego Forlan, who was voted player of the tournament, has not made the final short list.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register