Ronaldinho stakes claim for 2010 WC
Ronnie stakes claim for 2010 WC
Posted: 2010-02-16 11:42
Ronaldinho has risen rapidly up the January 2010 Castrol Rankings, and is once again a strong candidate to be included in Brazil’s squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
Castrol has applied the same expertise they apply to the development of their oils to create the Castrol Rankings – using objective analysis and highly-advanced technology to measure every pass, every tackle and every single move of over 2 000 players and games from Europe’s top 5 leagues over the last 12 months.
Castrol Performance Analysis also underpins the Castrol Predictor which has identified Brazil, Spain and England as the teams most likely to triumph in South Africa this summer.
The strength of Spain and England’s forward options is illustrated by the presence of Fernando Torres (3) and Wayne Rooney (9) in the top ten, but Brazil’s main attacking players are missing from the leading group.
Yet while his country’s top players are currently overshadowed, the rapid ascent of Ronaldinho from 712 to 396 shows why the former Barcelona star is pressing for an international recall and could yet exert a major influence on the tournament.
Castrol Ambassador and 1998 FIFA World Cup™ winner Marcel Desailly said: “Tournament success comes down to having your best players in their best form at exactly the right time. Every successful team needs a match-winner and Torres and Rooney are clearly vital to their countries’ hopes of doing well in South Africa. If they stay fit and in form, then Spain and England will both be strong contenders.
“Brazil have traditionally had a number of star players in their side who can change a game, and Ronaldinho has shown he can do it at the highest level. If he can get near to the form he produced when he was at his peak four or five years ago, then he can again produce the moment of magic that can swing a game his side’s way. He isn’t getting any younger, but his performances for AC Milan won’t have gone unnoticed by coach Dunga.”
Interestingly, there is only one forward, Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano (39, down from 19), among the top 17 ranked Brazil players who are headed by Barcelona full-back Daniel Alves (9).
With few of his international colleagues shining this season, Ronaldinho appears to have responded positively to being left out of the national squad last year, scoring six goals in five games in January and completing the most passes in the final third (112).
He was not included in Dunga’s initial squad to face Republic of Ireland in a friendly at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on March 2, but if he maintains his current run of form, it will be difficult for Dunga to overlook the forward.
Real Madrid playmaker Kaka is currently ranked 118, and with Robinho, another of Ronaldinho’s rivals for the slots behind Luis Fabiano, now attempting to get his season back on track back home with Santos following his loan move from Manchester City, the door could open for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ winner.
Meanwhile, Leo Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo in the Castrol Rankings, but the leading two are coming under pressure from Premier League trio Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney.
Ronaldo had rounded off 2009 by climbing above Messi and Thierry Henry to finish the year as the top ranked player, but Messi has responded in spectacular style, scoring six goals and delivering two assists in four La Liga games, including a hat-trick against Tenerife.
Messi is destined to be one of the stars of the World Cup and looks set to reach South Africa in good form, having already contributed to 22 league goals – 15 goals, seven assists – for Barca this season. His shooting accuracy (70%) is the best in La Liga and he has successfully completed 163 dribbles in the league and Champions League over the last 12 months, more than any other player.
“Even in a great Barcelona side Messi stands out and he is certain to have a major influence in South Africa. He is a player who likes to run with the ball and he has great balance and an electric change of pace that allows him to ease his way past players,” Desailly adds.
“He is also extremely brave and possesses a great temperament. He may not be the biggest player, but he never shirks a challenge or allows himself to be intimidated by an opponent. He just gets up and goes again and that presents a great challenge to defenders.”
Messi, Ronaldo and Henry have occupied the top three positions throughout the season, but Liverpool’s Fernando Torres has broken up that group by nudging ahead of Henry and into third place.
With Drogba moving up from 17 to 8 and Rooney reaching the top ten after rising 16 places from 25 to 9, the top of the Castrol Rankings are shaping up into an intriguing battle between the top players in La Liga and the Premier League.
Rooney is the biggest riser into the top ten and has hit a rich scoring vein this season at United following the departure of Ronaldo.
His four-goal haul against Hull City was the Castrol EDGE Performance of the Month for January, and he matched Messi’s return of scoring six goals in four league games last month. In doing so, Rooney reached a century of Premier League goals with his strike against Arsenal.
Rooney has scored 25 goals in the Premier League in the last 12 months, more than any other player, and also had the most shots.
Bayern Munich’s Daniel van Buyten (7) is now the second ranked defender behind Barca’s Gerard Pique (5). The Belgium international is the top scoring defender in the Bundesliga over the last 12 months with seven goals and has helped Bayern Munich win nine consecutive games in the league and Champions League from November to January.
Manchester United’s Edwin van der Sar (13) leads the way for the goalkeepers and appears to be on course to become the first keeper to break into the top ten.
In Serie A, Luca Toni has found a new lease of life since joining AS Roma from Bayern Munich in early January. He dropped down the rankings in November and December. However, since returning to Italy, he has risen an impressive 141 places to 91, scoring two goals and winning a penalty from three starts before his injury against Juventus.
With the Champions League set to resume this week, the Castrol Rankings suggest Barcelona remain the team to beat with have 12 representatives in the top 100. They are followed by Chelsea with 10 and Bayern Munich (8).
For the full list and more key insights, visit www.castrolfootball.com
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