Leo Messi heads a Barcelona contingent to the top five world players of the year category with Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. The others are Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. It is heavily Eurocentric. No player from outside the European leagues has ever won the award. Only Juan Roman Riquelme was nominated when he played for Boca after transferring from Villareal thee years ago.
Sorry, Juan Sebastian Veron, you might have brought back the Copa Libertadores to Estudiantes after 39 years but it does not count. Soccerblog believes you deserved to be there as much as Kaka but we are little people, not football experts like Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini.
There, however maybe comfort in knowing that Estudiantes are favoured to reach the final along with the heavy hitters from Barca when the Club World Cup begins this Wednesday.
My favourite is Xavi. But since goals are more important than the subtle stuff the number 4 brings to the team, it will be Messi.