Messi Receives Golden Shoe Award As Shortlisted Players For FIFA Ballon D’Or Is Released

Barcelona ace, Lionel Messi has been handed the
Golden Shoe Award. The Barcelona man picked
up the award on Monday, recognition for scoring
the most goals in Europe’s domestic leagues last
season – Messi, 25, set a Spanish League record
by nettinging 50 goals in 2011-2012, beating Real
Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo by four goals.
Messi dedicated his latest accolade to his
teammates, saying ‘it is a prize for scoring goals,
but without my teammates I couldn’t have
scored them.’
He has now won the coveted award three
seasons in a row – 2009, 2010, 2011.
In a related development, the shortlist of players
for this year’s FIFA Ballon D’Or award has been
revealed with Barcelona and Real Madrid
dominating the list, with no fewer than eleven
players shortlisted.
National team coaches and captain, as well as
selected journalists, will now cast their votes with
a final shortlist of three unveiled on November
29.
The winner will be announced at the FIFA Gala in
Zurich on January 7 next year.
Likewise, Chelsea’s Champions League winner
Roberto Di Matteo, Manchester United boss Sir
Alex Ferguson and Man City gaffer Roberto
Mancini feature on the 10-strong FIFA Coach of
the Year shortlist.
The other managers shortlisted are Vicente Del
Bosque (Spain), Pep Guardiola (Barcelona), Jupp
Heynckes (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp
(Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Loew (Germany),
Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid) and Cesare
Prandelli (Italy).
THE FULL BALLON D’OR SHORTLIST
Sergio Agüero (Argentina & Manchester City)
Mario Balotelli (Italy & Manchester City)
Karim Benzema (France & Real Madrid)
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy & Juventus)
Sergio Busquets (Spain & Barcelona)
Iker Casillas (Spain & Real Madrid)
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea & Shanghai
Shenhua)
Radamel Falcao (Colombia & Atlético Madrid)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden, AC Milan & Paris St
Germain)
Andrés Iniesta (Spain & Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)
Manuel Neuer (Germany & Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Brazil & Santos)
Mesut Özil (Germany, Real Madrid)
Gerard Piqué (Spain & Barcelona)
Andrea Pirlo (Italy & Juventus)
Sergio Ramos (Spain & Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Real Madrid)
Wayne Rooney (England & Manchester United)
Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal & Manchester
United)
Xabi Alonso (Spain & Real Madrid)
Xavi Hernández (Spain & Barcelona)