FIFA Ballon d'Or 2012 Season winners

FIFA held its annual Ballon d’Or ceremony recently to award the players and coaches who had performed the best in last year's season. For the 3rd year in a row, Argentinean Lionel Messi took first place and claimed the prestigious men's Ballon d'Or award, beating runners up Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta to the trophy. Messi was elected by the captains and coaches of the national teams who form the 209 FIFA Member Associations and a select group of media voters.

Bets are already laid on whether Messi will hand the trophy over at the end of the season after his hat trick, or if he will once again claim the title for a fourth time. Sport bettors and mobile casino fans can keep a close eye on his progress and determine whether they think this year the odds are stacked for or against him. And for those looking to place some other bets can also do so at sites like http://www.gamingclub.com/mobile-casino

The FIFA Women's World Player of the year 2012 award went to American Abby Wambach. Wambach is often considered one of the most lethal goal scorers in the world and has racked up a phenomenal 125 goals to date, massively increasing team USA's goal rate. She beat Brazilian runner up Marta, and fellow USA team member Alex Morgan to second and third place respectively.

In the FIFA Coach of the Year for men's football, Vicente del Bosque earned himself first place, beating off Spain's Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho to earn himself the esteemed top spot.

For the Ladies Coach of the Year award Pia Sundhage beat both runner up male coaches and proved that equality in sport was entirely feasible. Japans Norio Sasaki placed second and France's Bruno Bini came in third.

The FIFA Puskás Award 2012 was awarded to Miroslav Stoch for the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing goal of the season. Following in Ronaldo, Neymar and Altintops footsteps, Stoch becomes only the fourth player to claim this prestigious award.

Finally, the FIFA presidential Award for 2012 was awarded to one of the all time Soccer greats, Franz Beckenbauer. Known in Germany as Lichtgestalt or "shining light" the former player, coach and senior official was recognised for his extraordinary achievements and contribution to the game.

That rounds up this years FIFA Ballon d'Or, so start placing your bets on the winners for 2013.

Short lists for the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2010

The following 23 men (in alphabetical order) are in contention for the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2010:

Xabi Alonso (Spain), Daniel Alves (Brazil), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Côte d'Ivoire), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlán (Uruguay), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Júlio César (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Maicon (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Müller (Germany), Mesut Özil (Germany), Carles Puyol (Spain), Arjen Robben (Netherlands), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

The following ten women (in alphabetical order) are in contention for the title of FIFA Women's World Player 2010:

Camille Abily (France), Fatmire Bajramaj (Germany), So Yun Ji (Korea Republic), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Caroline Seger (Sweden), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Kelly Smith (England), Hope Solo (USA) and Abby Wambach (USA).

The following ten coaches (in alphabetical order, first nationality and then team) are in contention for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men's Football 2010:

Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/ Chelsea FC), Vicente del Bosque (Spain/Spain national team), Alex Ferguson (Scotland/Manchester United), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Barcelona), Joachim Löw (Germany/Germany national team), José Mourinho (Portugal/FC Internazionale Milano and Real Madrid CF), Oscar Tabárez (Uruguay/Uruguay national team), Louis Van Gaal (Netherlands, FC Bayern Munich), Bert Van Marwijk (Netherlands/Netherlands national team) and Arsène Wenger (France/Arsenal).

The winners will be revealed at the first FIFA Ballon d'Or gala as part of a televised ceremony at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 10 January 2011, during which the FIFA/FIFPro World XI and the FIFA Puskás Award for the most beautiful goal of the year will also be announced for the second year running. The FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented during the gala.

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