As the Premiership’s continual rise in status can be charted by the ever increasing number of its players end up on annual award shortlists, the Ballon d’Or has always been the one to win – not the least thanks to its rather fancy name.
This year, Chelsea unsurprisingly prop up the list with Didier Drogba, John Terry, Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Claude Makelele, Arjen Robben and Andrei Shevchenko. Arsenal have Thierry Henry, Jens Lehman, Cesc Fabregas and William Gallas while Manchester United boast best friends Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. Liverpool have Steven Gerrard yet somehow World’s Most Dangerous Striker Peter Crouch has been omitted.
The most surprising nomination is Everton’s Tim Cahill. A fine player with a fine few seasons behind him, but considering the likes of Shevchenko, Pavel Nedved and Ronaldinho have won the award recently it’s tough to see the Australian making it through to the next round.
Though after Frank Lampard came second last year, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Michael Ricketts on there somewhere right after Stan Collymore. But are any of the Premiership candidates really worthy of such an honour?