Swiss Surprise: A Strange Night in Zurich

...well, perhaps not so much strange as it was telling. All of the awards were handed out as most pundits had predicted; from coach of the year, which went to the undeniably deserving Jose Mourinho, to women's player of the year (Brazil's Marta). The FIFA World XI was, as anticipated, a reflection of Spain and Inter Milan's successes over the last year:

Iker Casillas (Spain/R. Madrid), Maicon (Brazil/Inter), Lucio (Brazil/Inter), Gerard Pique (Spain/Barca), Carles Puyol (Spain/Barca), Andrés Iniesta (Spain/Barca), Xavi (Spain/Barca), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands/Inter), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/R. Madrid), David Villa (Spain/Barca), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barca).

There was only one surprise and it took until the end of the gala to be unveiled. The most eagerly anticipated award, the men's Ballon d'Or, which so many were so sure would go to either Xavi or Iniesta, went instead to the night's dark horse: Lionel Messi.

Any other year and the mention of Messi as a dark horse would have been met with laughter and ridicule. However, as the diminuitive Argentinean lumbered slowly up the steps and slouched onto the podium to humbly accept the award, even he could not hide his astonishment

"The truth is that I didn't expect to win it [the Ballon d'Or] today," said Messi.

Both Messi's demeanor and his impromptu speech hinted that he was genuinely shocked to have won. As he wrapped up, Europe's top scorer in 2010 (60 goals in all competitions) said that he would like to share the award with his fellow Barcelonistas and Argentineans and left the podium with a look of bewilderment on his face.  

Throughout La Pulga's acceptance speech his Barcelona teammates put on their best smiles, but were visibly crest-fallen as they sat in the auditorium. It seemed particularly difficult for Xavi to hide his disappointment as Messi was announced the winner, and rightfully so.

If Iniesta appeared to be the more magnanimous in defeat of the two runners-up it was because he was probably already thinking that he would come in second to Xavi. Instead, Iniesta came in as runner-up to Messi while Xavi was left scratching his head in third place for a second consecutive year.

What took place was a split vote. With the voters torn between which of the two Spaniards should take home the prize, Messi was able to edge it by roughly six percent of the vote.

The numbers are important, but the more critical element is that Messi is widely considered to be the best player of his generation. This reputation, in addition to the goals he scored in 2010 (many of which were scored as a result of Xavi's vision), are what won Messi the most coveted individual award in soccer.

The papers in Spain, particularly AS and Marca, were seeing red this morning (consternation sells). Conspiracy theories ran abound and continue to do so. Guatemala's captain is crying foul that his vote for Xavi was miscounted for Xabi Alonso. In any event, one vote does not a difference make; Sepp Blatter cannot be blamed for this one--the things he can be blamed for are topics for another post.

The real elephant in the auditorium at this year's gala was that goals and image win individual accolades not goalkeeping, defending or play making. Soccer's greatest prize has seldom been bestowed upon players plying their trades in less glamorous positions--when it has, voters have had no other option. Fabio Cannavaro won in 2006 because he was instrumental in Italy's unlikely run to the final.

This also marked the first time that FIFA's top prize has gone to someone other than a world cup winner during a world cup year, which is a testament to the sheer volume of goals that Messi scored in 2010.

The Ballon d'Or was Spain's to lose and everybody knew it. Speaking after the gala, Iker Casillas expressed the fallen hopes of a nation and of many true connoisseurs of the game.

"It's a great disappointment to me as a fan of the game," said the Real Madrid and Spain shot-stopper, who as Spain's captain was allowed a vote.

Casillas clearly had  not voted for Leo Messi "...I would have liked it if a Spaniard had won," said Casillas.

The Real Madrid captain went on the say that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the two best players in the world on current form, but that Xavi and Iniesta were a cut above the rest in 2010.

Even 2008 winner Cristiano Ronaldo voiced his displeasure at the disproportionate attention paid to goal-scorers. The Real Madrid hit man said that he would be happy if one day a goalkeeper like Real Madrid teammate Casillas won the award.

No one disputes Lionel Messi's greatness. Watching a highlight reel of Lionel's mesmerizing runs is awe-inspiring. The Barcelona ace's ability to dribble at pace, the ball glued to his feet as he beats opponent's tackles by the most precise of margins, is simply amazing. In fact, it is Messi's very greatness over the last few years that won him the Ballon d'Or in a year in which it should have gone to someone else.