Will Sheva win the Golden Ball?

Deco doesn't deserve this award? Probably, but the award has also gone to some "undeserved" winners in the past. Remember Michael Owen? Paolo Rossi? Well I would obviously be delighted in seeing Sheva getting the award, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Deco ends up winning this.

Here's some flashback to a day in 1982, when I was still a young kid. And I'll use a quote from Giovanni here.

"They never counted for defenders like Brietner or Scirea, then this midget from Italia comes and claim to win it. This award is simply ridiculous, and I hope it will go to the right person next year. I can understand Platini or Rummenigge, but def not Rossi"

Paolo Rossi (winner in 1982) won the award based on performances in just THREE games (against Brasil, Poland and West Germany) in WC82.

From January to May 82 Rossi was serving a ban for match fixing, and after the World Cup finals he did phuck-all for Juventus for the rest of 1982. The award was only given to European born players back then, and if an Italian player had to win this award due Italy's success in the World Cup, then Gaetano Scirea would have been a more deserved winner. No wait, Scirea was a defender, and we all know defenders won't win....

(Well, defenders like Franz Beckenbauer and Josef Masopust have won this award before, as did goalkeeper Lev Yashin, so it's not exactly true that defenders "won't win".)

In 1983, the award did go to the right person (Michel Platini), but I had lost confidence in this award back then when I was still a kid.

So, you can't really say Deco does not deserve this award, cause he certainly has done more (and played well many games) in 2004 (Portuguese League Champion, Champion's League Winner, Euro 2004 Finalists) than Rossi ever did in 1982 (3 good games at WC82). And thank god Germany won the World Cup at Italia 90, or we could have seen Salvatore "Toto" Schillaci a Golden Ball winner back in 1990.

Originally Posted by ilgenio

Deco doesn't deserve this award? Probably, but the award has also gone to some "undeserved" winners in the past. Remember Michael Owen? Paolo Rossi? Well I would obviously be delighted in seeing Sheva getting the award, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Deco ends up winning this.

Here's some flashback to a day in 1982, when I was still a young kid. And I'll use a quote from Giovanni here.

"They never counted for defenders like Brietner or Scirea, then this midget from Italia comes and claim to win it. This award is simply ridiculous, and I hope it will go to the right person next year. I can understand Platini or Rummenigge, but def not Rossi"

Paolo Rossi (winner in 1982) won the award based on performances in just THREE games (against Brasil, Poland and West Germany) in WC82.

From January to May 82 Rossi was serving a ban for match fixing, and after the World Cup finals he did phuck-all for Juventus for the rest of 1982. The award was only given to European born players back then, and if an Italian player had to win this award due Italy's success in the World Cup, then Gaetano Scirea would have been a more deserved winner. No wait, Scirea was a defender, and we all know defenders won't win....

(Well, defenders like Franz Beckenbauer and Josef Masopust have won this award before, as did goalkeeper Lev Yashin, so it's not exactly true that defenders "won't win".)

In 1983, the award did go to the right person (Michel Platini), but I had lost confidence in this award back then when I was still a kid.

So, you can't really say Deco does not deserve this award, cause he certainly has done more (and played well many games) in 2004 (Portuguese League Champion, Champion's League Winner, Euro 2004 Finalists) than Rossi ever did in 1982 (3 good games at WC82). And thank god Germany won the World Cup at Italia 90, or we could have seen Salvatore "Toto" Schillaci a Golden Ball winner back in 1990.

Yeah, but when there are so many more players who deserve the award ahead of him, I think its a fair comment.

ilgenio ur well informed
But wait are u actually saying that Deco deserves this thing over the AMAZING players now a days?[Such as Sheva]

Originally Posted by Giovanni

If it was for the trophies Maldini should have 10 golden balls.

They never counted for defenders like paolo or franco baresi, united to amazing performances, then this dwarf from portugal comes and claim to win it.
This award is simply ridiculous, and i hope it will go to the right person this time.
I can understand Ronaldinho or Henry, but def not Deco

Agreed. As I said earlier in a previous post that defenders do not get as much recognition, which is absolute nonsense really because defense make up as much for the game as offense does. This golden ball thing doesn't really give recognition to those who have long deserved it, rather to 'flavour of the week' kind of players. And seeing the pattern, though I disagree, but Deco does seem likely to win it..

I really hope he will win the title.

He really deserves it.