http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/lionel-messi-wins-world-soccer-player-of-the-year-award

Lionel Messi was the clear winner of World Soccer’s World Player of the Year award. The Barcelona and Argentina star collected more than twice as many votes as his nearest rivals, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Portugal, and club-mate, Andres Iniesta of Spain.

It is the third time Messi has won the award, having previously triumphed in 2009 and 2011. He joins Brazil’s Ronaldo, who is the only other player to have won the award on three occasions.

There was also recognition for Spain’s remarkable achievement in winning the 2012 European Championship. Vicente Del Bosque was the clear winner of the World Manager of the the Year Award, and Spain were the overwhelming choice as World Team of the Year.

This year, for the first time in the 30-year history of the awards, the votes from readers were combined with those from an independent panel of experts. The final vote (displayed here as percentages) were weighted to ensure 50 per cent for the reader votes and 50 per cent for those from the panel.

2012 World Player of the Year

1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) 47.33%
2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal) 19.01
3 Andres Iniesta (Barcelona & Spain) 9.77
4 Andrea Pirlo (Juventus & Italy) 6.10
5 Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid & Colombia) 5.95
6 Neymar (Santos & Brazil) 3.60
7 Iker Casillas (Real Madrid & Spain) 2.30
8 Xavi (Barcelona & Spain) 1.78
9 Didier Drogba (Chelsea/Shanghai Shenhua & Ivory Coast) 1.77
10 Eden Hazard (Lille/Chelsea & Belgium) 0.37


2012 World Manager of the Year

1 Vicente Del Bosque (Spain) 28.49
2 Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid) 12.27
3 Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea) 12.05
4 Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund) 10.33
5 Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid) 7.19
6 Herve Renard (Zambia) 6.83
7 Marcelo Bielsa (Athletic Bilbao) 5.74
8 Tite (Corinthians) 4.67
9 Pep Guardiola (Barcelona) 2.72
10 Luis Tena (Mexico Olympic) 2.63


2012 World Team of the Year

1 Spain 47.36
2 Zambia 8.52
3 Chelsea 7.84
4 Juventus 7.36
5 Atletico Madrid 4.89
6 Borussia Dortmund 4.25
7 Corinthians 4.23
8 Universidad de Chile 4.00
9 Barcelona 3.63
10 Montpellier 2.90

How panel voted:

http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/world-soccer-panel-how-the-experts-voted-in-the-2012-awards

jiopsi wrote:http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/lionel-messi-wins-world-soccer-player-of-the-year-award

Lionel Messi was the clear winner of World Soccer’s World Player of the Year award. The Barcelona and Argentina star collected more than twice as many votes as his nearest rivals, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Portugal, and club-mate, Andres Iniesta of Spain.

It is the third time Messi has won the award, having previously triumphed in 2009 and 2011. He joins Brazil’s Ronaldo, who is the only other player to have won the award on three occasions.

There was also recognition for Spain’s remarkable achievement in winning the 2012 European Championship. Vicente Del Bosque was the clear winner of the World Manager of the the Year Award, and Spain were the overwhelming choice as World Team of the Year.

This year, for the first time in the 30-year history of the awards, the votes from readers were combined with those from an independent panel of experts. The final vote (displayed here as percentages) were weighted to ensure 50 per cent for the reader votes and 50 per cent for those from the panel.

2012 World Player of the Year

1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) 47.33%
2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal) 19.01
3 Andres Iniesta (Barcelona & Spain) 9.77
4 Andrea Pirlo (Juventus & Italy) 6.10
5 Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid & Colombia) 5.95
6 Neymar (Santos & Brazil) 3.60
7 Iker Casillas (Real Madrid & Spain) 2.30
8 Xavi (Barcelona & Spain) 1.78
9 Didier Drogba (Chelsea/Shanghai Shenhua & Ivory Coast) 1.77
10 Eden Hazard (Lille/Chelsea & Belgium) 0.37


2012 World Manager of the Year

1 Vicente Del Bosque (Spain) 28.49
2 Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid) 12.27
3 Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea) 12.05
4 Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund) 10.33
5 Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid) 7.19
6 Herve Renard (Zambia) 6.83
7 Marcelo Bielsa (Athletic Bilbao) 5.74
8 Tite (Corinthians) 4.67
9 Pep Guardiola (Barcelona) 2.72
10 Luis Tena (Mexico Olympic) 2.63


2012 World Team of the Year

1 Spain 47.36
2 Zambia 8.52
3 Chelsea 7.84
4 Juventus 7.36
5 Atletico Madrid 4.89
6 Borussia Dortmund 4.25
7 Corinthians 4.23
8 Universidad de Chile 4.00
9 Barcelona 3.63
10 Montpellier 2.90

How panel voted:

http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/world-soccer-panel-how-the-experts-voted-in-the-2012-awards

CHITALU!!!!!!!!!!! Still strikin'!

This looks so broken lol

Hazard in Top 10

Other than that a pretty ok list.

Surag wrote:Hazard in Top 10

Other than that a pretty ok list.

He had only 0,37% of votes, and it gets really random with those kind of shares. I don't think it's that big of a deal.

But I would like to know more about Zambian team feats?

They won the ACN, which is a very big achievement for them considering how unknown they are and the type of calibre opponents they had to beat to win it.

Honestly, they won it with defensive anti-football tactics where teams couldnt break them down and they win via a single goal or penalties.

But fair is fair, they were a very much unfancied side and beat Ghana and Ivory Coast who have so much more talent, to win it.

Surprise, surprise

The Franchise wrote:They won the ACN, which is a very big achievement for them considering how unknown they are and the type of calibre opponents they had to beat to win it.

Honestly, they won it with defensive anti-football tactics where teams couldnt break them down and they win via a single goal or penalties.

But fair is fair, they were a very much unfancied side and beat Ghana and Ivory Coast who have so much more talent, to win it.

Ok, that seems pretty fair then.

Why is Guardiola so low? Because he only went through half of 2012 maybe?

And Conte should definitely be there. Took Juve from 7th in 2 successive seasons to become Italian champions, undefeated.

Barcelona higher than Madrid ? They lost 2 times against Real this year.

likeastar wrote:Barcelona higher than Madrid ? They lost 2 times against Real this year.

Barcelona has 12 point more this year in La Liga.

Heads Up matches, 2W-2D-2L

jiopsi wrote:

likeastar wrote:Barcelona higher than Madrid ? They lost 2 times against Real this year.

Barcelona has 12 point more this year in La Liga.

Heads Up matches, 2W-2D-2L

Isn't this based on YEAR and not just SEASON? Didn't Madrid win La Liga over Barcelona this YEAR? Plus they broke a lot of records in the process.

Blue Barrett wrote:

jiopsi wrote:

likeastar wrote:Barcelona higher than Madrid ? They lost 2 times against Real this year.

Barcelona has 12 point more this year in La Liga.

Heads Up matches, 2W-2D-2L

Isn't this based on YEAR and not just SEASON? Didn't Madrid win La Liga over Barcelona this YEAR?

Yeah that's why 12 points instead of 11. Barcelona was behind 10 points in January.

likeastar wrote:Barcelona higher than Madrid ? They lost 2 times against Real this year.

awful logic seeing as real madrid lost twice against Barca this year as well...

RDM getting votes btw

What did Hazzard do this year lol. Who is voting for this dude?

Le Samourai wrote:What did Hazzard do this year lol. Who is voting for this dude, how did he get fanboys?

Lille.

Though I think there are others a lot more deserving of a top 10 spot than him.

He carried Lille to 3rd, and that's what people voted him for

RealGunner wrote:He carried Lille to 3rd, and that's what people voted him for

Ribery and Di Maria had better 'years'..Especially the former..

Personally i thought Reus carrying BMG to 4th place was much more of an impressive feat.

Surag wrote:

RealGunner wrote:He carried Lille to 3rd, and that's what people voted him for

Ribery and Di Maria had better 'years'..Especially the former..

I also thought Reus carrying BMG to 4th place was much more of an impressive feat.

Of course you're going to oppose anything pro-Hazard Sod off Surag

RealGunner wrote:He carried Lille to 3rd, and that's what people voted him for

I doubt that. I see most of his votes being reader votes, doubt anyone on a panel would vote for him.

Blue Barrett wrote:

Surag wrote:

RealGunner wrote:He carried Lille to 3rd, and that's what people voted him for

Ribery and Di Maria had better 'years'..Especially the former..

I also thought Reus carrying BMG to 4th place was much more of an impressive feat.

Of course you're going to oppose anything pro-Hazard Sod off Surag

No..But i think there are a lot more players who surely deserve to be ahead of him in the Top 10..But like Jiopsi explained he probably managed to enter the list by a hair of votes so it really isnt that big of a deal.

Yea, Personally think RVP was more effective and important in 2012 but i am just trying to justify Hazard's inclusion.

Jiopsi, do you have some kind of rss feed that filters out news only about messi?

Yes, although I accidentally posted news about Madrid and Barcelona couple days ago. Filter still needs tweaking.