Nigerians missing from FIFA shortlist

Nigerians missing from FIFA shortlist

Posted: 30 October 2009 Time: 01:29 pm

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Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o and Michael Essien are the only Africans named as world football governing body FIFA released a 33-strong shortlist of the best men and women players in the world ahead of the 2009 FIFA Player of the Year Gala.

Unsurprisingly, no Nigerian made the shortlist, which is headlined by current holder Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid.

However, Barcelona's Lionel Messi is widely expected to claim the top prize this year.

The women's list has current holder and three-time winner Marta of Brazil, along with former winner Birgit Prinz.

A total of 23 men and 10 women were selected by members of the FIFA Football Committee and the Committee for Women's Football and the FIFA Women's Football World Cup.

The winners will be voted for by coaches and captains of national teams from FIFA's member associations, with the proviso that they may not vote for players from the national team they coach or play for.

FIFA will announce the names of the final five players with the most votes at the beginning of December, with the winner to be unveiled at the 19th FIFA World Player Gala on December 21 in Zurich.

Nominees

Men Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Diego (Brazil), Didier Drogba (Côte d'Ivoire), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Steven Gerrard (England), Thierry Henry (France), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Kaká (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Carles Puyol (Spain), Franck Ribéry (France), Wayne Rooney (England), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

Women Nadine Angerer (Germany), Sonia Bompastor (France), Cristiane (Brazil), Inka Grings (Germany), Mana Iwabuchi (Japan), Simone Laudehr (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Kelly Smith (England) and Abby Wambach (USA).

Article by: AN Other

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The word.
posted: 01:39 pm
Thats not a surprise, no body deserve it in Nigeria.I will vote for Essien ahead of all other players shortlisted.
The word.
posted: 01:40 pm
Ooh! maybe Mikel.Nigeria people's best player.
toride
posted: 01:56 pm
hahaha. No naija.
Anonymous
posted: 02:00 pm
Mikel is not the best player in Nigeria. Odemwinge, uche, or obinna is definitely our current best players. Kanu should stay in the super eagles for now. He's the most influential player at the moment. SE should use him as an attacking midfielder. I hope we qualify for the world cup. I really hope we do
toride
posted: 02:26 pm
“It is difficult to find the players in your team that will make your U-20 team in the future talk less of the Super Eagles team. But you people have continued to win, after all you have won the U-17 a record three times but where and where did the players play?” Quote 4rm Honduras coach.
http://tribune.com.ng/30102009/news/sports1.html

dis na why 9ja players no dey fifa list. dey hardly improve thetha= constant or -ve
Anonymous
posted: 03:04 pm
We´re not surprised there´s no nigerian amongst them...how could there be? no good coach or nff, and none of our players are in top european clubs aprt from mikel. And even mikel himself is no more a regular in chelsea..although he deserves much more than that & he can still improve. it´s sad but it´ll change if Jo Bonfere, Samson Siasia or Clement Westerhof take up the Super Eagles. We need those 2 dutch coaches for better performances,connection & progress for d players.

John from Munich
Anonymous
posted: 03:07 pm
Samuel Eto got my vote!!!
Anonymous
posted: 04:01 pm
i think this is the overall result of NFF performances so far they have taken the seat. pls LULU come down. and pls provide our 000's of buggled dollars as u said cos EFCC,FBI ICPC is waiting for you
Viva EL Super Eagle
Viva El Madridistas
Be a Jesus guy
Anonymous
posted: 04:43 pm
my vote simply goes for Andres Iniesta. i live here in Madrid and i am a great Supporter of Galacticos but this guy is simply better than messi, he is effective in FCB and Spain
but mercy effective in FCB ineffective in Argentina
Anonymous
posted: 05:14 pm
Well this is not surprise to me at all because none of our Nigeria player deserve to be listed among the world players.

Osaze Odemwinge is the best Nigeria player now; Mike is not our best player at all.

TAKE NOTE we need Clement Westeroff to coach our Super Eagles again.
Mega..
posted: 05:17 pm
The award is for MESSI . No questions.
I hope Nadine or Marta wins the women's award.
Congrats to my African brothers who made the list.


Peace
Anonymous
posted: 06:03 pm
This is a very sad statement on Nigerian Football. We don’t have a single player who made it to this exclusive list shows that we are regressing in this beautiful game. On-the-other-hand, this is a challenge for our up-and-coming stars to crack this list. I can’t help but notice that some countries in South America like Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay, in Africa Tunisia, Egypt and Angola. In Europe, Netherland, Germany, Poland and Denmark did not have their players (male) mentioned as well. First I question the list and how it was complied. Secondly, I question the state of soccer in Nigeria as far as development of players.
Anonymous
posted: 06:03 pm
This is a very sad statement on Nigerian Football. We don’t have a single player who made it to this exclusive list shows that we are regressing in this beautiful game. On-the-other-hand, this is a challenge for our up-and-coming stars to crack this list. I can’t help but notice that some countries in South America like Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay, in Africa Tunisia, Egypt and Angola. In Europe, Netherland, Germany, Poland and Denmark did not have their players (male) mentioned as well. First I question the list and how it was complied. Secondly, I question the state of soccer in Nigeria as far as development of players.
Anonymous
posted: 07:27 pm
Odemwingie would be on this list, if he was paying for a top club. Please leave Lokomotiv Moscow, Osaze they're crap!
Anonymous
posted: 07:28 pm
Odemwingie would be on this list, if he was playing for a top club. Please leave Lokomotiv Moscow, Osaze they're crap!
Anonymous
posted: 09:09 pm
1st----- messi
2nd----- xavi
3rd----- c ronaldo
4th----- eto'o.

shame to nigerian players.
Anonymous
posted: 10:26 pm
iam not suprise by the fifa list .this represent the state of nigeria soccer at the senior level lately.even though we have alot of talents.i can not point to any exemplary display by any of our current players, it seems every one of them just play the minimum required.
lawrence usa.
Anonymous
posted: 10:29 pm
iam not suprise by the fifa list .this represent the state of nigeria soccer at the senior level lately.even though we have alot of talents.i can not point to any exemplary display by any of our current players, it seems every one of them just play the minimum required.
lawrence usa.
Anonymous
posted: 11:33 pm
Well this goes a long way to tell us that bad contract is the cause. The pride to play in top clubs is no more an issue with our players, but just to go to Europe, because they are afraid to compete and this is the result. @Clovis: the countries you mention that doesn’t have their players mention have players from football nations from their continent mentioned. In Africa, Nigeria should be mentioned. But the truth is, not the country name that produce good players, but administrative and good wafer of their players, hence why they make the get them good contacts with top clubs.
Anonymous
posted: 10:36 am
And so what. That only means that no nigerian player is there. What about the 1990tess nigerian players dominated the african football where were those other african countries. Even if Ghana, Ivary cost and Cameroun produced each of those players but still all other african players put together can not bit a nigerian team coached by Siasia or coaches of his standard period.
Jajafootball.
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