2009 Golden Ball Award Nominees

Six Barcelona Stars Head European Footballer Of The Year Candidates

Oct 23, 2009

Six members of the 2008-09 Champions League winners Barcelona head the 30-man nominee list for the Ballon d'Or - the European Footballer of the Year Award.

Last year's runner up Lionel Messi is one of six players from 2008-09 Champions League winners Barcelona on the 30-man list of nominees for the Ballon d'Or - France Football Magazine's Footballer of the Year Award. Also among the candidates is 2007-08 winner Cristiano Ronaldo - one of four players with Real Madrid.

Background

The Ballon d'Or - the Golden Ball - often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year Award is an annual football award presented to the best player from the previous calendar year and it was conceived by France Football magazine writer Gabriel Hanot in 1956. The first winner was Stanley Matthews of Blackpool.

Multiple Winners

Three players have won the award three times - Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten. And Platini is the only player to win three straight awards from 1983 to 1985. Alfredo di Stefano, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Ronaldo have all won the Ballon d'Or twice.

Germans, Dutch Top Winners

The countries with the most award winners are Germany and Holland, both with seven Ballon d'Or trophies. A Frenchman has won six times followed by five honors going to Brazil, England and Italy.

Juventus, AC Milan Top Club

Italian clubs Juventus Turin and AC Milan have had the most winners with eight crowns for each team.

Most Recent Winner

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2007-08 title while playing for Manchester United, finishing with 446 votes ahead of 281 votes for Barcelona's Argentinean Lionel Messi. Fernando Torres finished third with 179 votes.

Barcelona Lead With Six Nominees

Barcelona dominated European football in 2008-09, winning the Spanish Primera Division as well as the Copa del Rey and the Champions League title. So it was no surprise that six of the 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or came from the Spanish giants. Champions League finalists Manchester United are second on the list with four players, including last season's Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi Favorite

The overwhelming favorite for this year's crown is Barcelona's creative maestro Lionel Messi, who finished second last season and third in 2007.

2009 Nominees (With 2008-09 Teams)

Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Yaya Toure - all Barcelona

Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic - all Manchester United

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