Usually when looking at a list like this, one is tempted to be a cynic and try to find as many faults as possible. In this article that is not intended.
Still the one glaring flaw that stands out ( see the tendency to start the discussion with a flaw is so powerful ) is the undervaluation of defensive players - only 5 chosen in a list of 30. Since between the goal keeper, central defenders, left back, right back and defensive midfielder, they occupy at least 6 and often 7 of the 11 positions on the pitch, they surely deserved a higher number of nominations.
Barring that one glaring flaw, the list is made quite well. Yes there are a few significant omissions but it's a list of only 30 - not even 50 players.
There could be some protests against some players who have been selected even though their clubs performed badly last season and they themselves weren't exemplary either. However what works in favor of these players is that most of them have started the current season off very well and count among the biggest football stars today. Selections such as those of Iker Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Kaka, Fernando Torres and Karim Benzema could be mentioned here. The first three however also have great international form to justify their selection.
Goal.com deserve some credit. Out of the top 21 players that they announced in their top 50 list for the 2008-09 season, 18 have been chosen in the Ballon D'or list. And the 3 which have been left out are perhaps the three most glaring omissions in this list namely Daniel Alves, Xabi Alonso and Gonzalo Higuain.
Daniel Alves not being chosen is debatable but there is something it indicates since Maicon is the only right back chosen. It's often argued who is better among the two compatriots who play at the same position on the pitch but based on recent performances and current form, it seems that Maicon holds a slight edge.
Xabi Alonso not being chosen is perhaps even harder to take. It seems that just like defensive players, even deep lying creative players have been by and large ignored.
As for Gonzalo Higuain, the omission could be defended by saying that there are already too many strikers in the list. Yet it can be argued with good reason that Higuain deserved the spot ahead of someone like Karim Benzema.
All said and done, in the views of this writer, the most indigestible omission is that of Alonso.
Having said that this writer must also not fail to mention that single selection which pleased him the most. The man who is rarely if ever praised by his club, his coach, even his team mates and was even totally ignored by Goal.com has surprisingly not been ignored by France Football. Yes, I mean none other than Yaya Toure who is the only defensive midfielder chosen. His selection over his competitors such as Javier Mascherano, Lassana Diarra and Felipe Melo seems to suggest that he was the best defensive midfielder of the 2008-09 season and for once showers on him some very well deserved accolades.
Let's end the discussion by making predictions for the eventual winner(s). As almost every football fan knows, Lionel Messi not winning the award would be nothing short of a minor miracle. As for the other top three finishers, Xavi is virtually guaranteed to be there. The third player to win the honor is more difficult to predict. It seems a straight toss up between two very strong candidates. Will it be Cristiano Ronaldo - the only player other than Lionel Messi to command that kind of star power in the world today? Or will it be Andres Iniesta - the anti-galactico whose contribution in Barcelona's treble win of last year is no less than that of Messi or Xavi?
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