Goal.com Worldview: Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi Or Xavi - Who Should Win The FIFA Ballon D'Or?

On Monday evening the FIFA Ballon d'Or award will be handed out. All the three contenders for the most prestigious individual footballing award are from Barcelona - Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

While Messi is widely acknowledged as the world's finest and best player and had a phenomenal 2010 in which he scored goals aplenty, Xavi was the conductor of the orchestra from central midfield and inspired Barcelona to the Spanish Primera Division title last season and was also a key component in Spain's World Cup-winning team.

Bet: £5 £10 £20 £50 £100

Returns:

Bilbao £85.00

Draw £55.00

Barcelona £12.50

Bet: £5 £10 £20 £50 £100

Returns:

Bilbao £95.00

Draw £55.00

Barcelona £12.90

Bet: £5 £10 £20 £50 £100

Returns:

Bilbao £90.00

Draw £50.00

Barcelona £13.00

Bet: £5 £10 £20 £50 £100

Returns:

Bilbao £90.00

Draw £60.00

Barcelona £12.90

Bet: £5 £10 £20 £50 £100

Returns:

Bilbao £87.00

Draw £53.00

Barcelona £12.50

Andres Iniesta, though, scored the winner against the Netherlands in the final and has been back to his best in the first half of the 2010-11 campaign.

Now journalists and editors of various editions of Goal.com from across the world have their say on who deserves to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or prize this year.

"No doubt everyone has earned this nomination - but Xavi or Iniesta normally are a little bit in the shadow during all the discussions about Messi and Ronaldo. So I would like to see Xavi or Iniesta win it. All three are great players, but only one of them did the greatest thing in world football: He scored the winner in the World Cup final. So Iniesta is my choice. When he was injured, Barcelona failed against Inter in the Champions League."

Nils Reschke, Chiefeditor Goal.com Germany

"Xavi - The Barcelona and Spain midfield maestro plays with humility and precision, working hard for the team and creating so many opportunities in attack, while finishing some off himself. Spain won the World Cup and Xavi was a key element to their success, while for Barcelona his stats tell the story of a selfless and supremely gifted player who is often directly involved in their victories."

Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com Africa

"My vote would go to Xavi. He played the whole year at the same high level. He not only made the difference at Barcelona, but also at the World Cup for Spain. Of course Iniesta grabbed the most important goal there is in football, but Xavi created so much goals for team-mates in 2010 that I cannot ignore this. The ease with which he can put somebody one-on-one with the keeper is brilliant to watch. It deserves a prize."

Wout Stravers, Goal.com Netherlands

"Unfortunately Snjieder has been omitted. so I would like to go with Xavi. He is older and did great season last year, whereas Ineista is still young and he was injured for about five months. It's not enough to score the final goal at the World Cup if you are to be deserving of this award. It is easier for Barca to win with Xavi than with Messi (if the other is not playing) Messi is great.. but I think it's time for Xavi."

Michel Nasrallah, Goal.com Arabic

"Xavi Hernandez is my choice. The first FIFA Golden Ball would belong Barcelona and Spain, and Xavi is their brain, their head and the source of their spirits. The advantages which Xavi has are his stability, his status of World Cup champion and his age (it might his last chance for the Golden Ball, as Cruyff said)"

Tony Mutong, Goal.com China & Hong Kong

"Andres Iniesta is my choice. He is the best midfielder in the world by far and he is mandatory for the beautiful Barcelona's game. He can score, pass the ball, he is the true leader in midfield for the Spanish champions with great regularity. He is a world champion and scored in the final."

Alexandre Walraevens, Goal.com France

"I would have chosen Sneijder had he been in the running, and the fact that he isn't affects my whole approach to it. Does this mean the award is for the best player in 2010, or the best player, period? Because Sneijder isn't in the running, I'm thinking the latter. So that means it has to be Messi. He is one of the few players ever to make even opposition fans gasp with excitement when he picks up the ball. It says a lot for the consistent level of his play that the way he has performed this year is not seen as truly exceptional, but almost expected. In years to come, people will still speak with awe about Messi, and while Xavi and Iniesta are fantastic players, Messi remains a cut above."

Steven Saunders, Goal.com UK

"Xavi for me. This is HIS TIME. Andres Iniesta can wait a bit longer for it..."

Juan Lirman, Goal.com Spain

"For the pure beauty and precision of his game, Andres Iniesta."

 Andrea Canales, Goal.com North America

"If one considers the calendar year 2010, then Lionel Messi deserves the award as he has been head and shoulders above the other two contenders. Andres Iniesta has been phenomenal this campaign but last season before the World Cup he wasn't really on top of his game and missed a considerable chunk of the 2009-10 season with injuries.

"The opposite is true in the case of Xavi, who was exceptional until the end of the World Cup but has struggled with fatigue and has looked slightly under-par this campaign. Messi has been the most consistent player on the planet in 2010 and despite what many may suggest, he wasn't a flop at the World Cup.

"Having said that, I don't believe that any of these players deserve to win the prize - Wesley Sneijder probably does. But in my opinion, Diego Forlan deserved to win the prize, or at least be acknowledged as one of the three contenders. Not only did the Uruguayan inspire Atletico Madrid to a  Europa League triumph - Atleti also reached the final of the Copa del Rey - but he was absolutely superb in Uruguay's march to the semi-finals. That's Uruguay, not Brazil or Argentina."

Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com International

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