Footballers do not enter the beautiful game in order to win personal accolades, but nevertheless, it is satisfying to see deserving candidates win awards for some glorious things that they do during the year.
FIFA has awards for coaches, players, and goal of the year, yet there are some categories that the ultimate footballing body do not commemorate. We believe that FIFA would do well to introduce some awards for other categories, which would make the event all the more exciting and give players even more motivation to do better.
That being said, here are five categories which we would love to see included in the annual FIFA Awards come next year:
#5 Best substitute
A tricky award to give away, but one that should definitely be awarded – both to the player and the manager in question.
Substitutes are as important in a game as tactics and formations. When your team is down and out, a change of personnel can turn things around and when you are winning, a substitution can see your team through. Of course, the former is always more exciting, but the award is subjective which is why an online voting like for the Puskas Award would benefit this category.
How often have we seen substitutions impact games? We can’t count. From league games which are mere formalities to cup finals, a proper substitution is extremely important and as such, the best one should be awarded each year. After all, try imagining a game without the players on the bench – you cannot!
#4 Most improved player
Another award that shall not be the easiest one to hand out, but another award that FIFA should include just to keep up the spirit of the game and send a subtle message that improvement is never beyond anyone’s reach and the game is never over till the final whistle.
This season itself has seen some players find their lost form what with misfit Mario Balotelli setting Ligue 1 on fire and David Luiz proving to be a steady rock in the heart of Chelsea defence. There are many more examples of such a changeover and there are few things as refreshing as witnessing an out of form player find back his confidence.
The nominees could be decided in the same way as the ones for the Balon D’Or and it could even be divided amongst the top 5 leagues. An idea that we would love to see executed.
#3 Best save
There is probably no doubt that goalkeepers are the most underappreciated bunch of players in the world. They can make 10 brilliant saves a game but people will always remember the one shot that went through.
As such, they deserve some praise. FIFA hands out the Puskas Award for the best goal each year, and yes goals are the essence of the game but a goal-saving dive at one end is as important as a goal scored on the other end of a pitch.
Every year, goalkeepers give brilliant performances and are often the difference between their team winning and losing, and surely the best of the best save should be awarded. It is time they got their due.
#2 Best assist
Who doesn’t love a good goal? We all do, but then again not everyone is a Lionel Messi to cut past five players and score. Many game-changing and memorable goals over the years would have been impossible if not for a brilliant pass – a brilliant delivery is as important as the last kick.
Assists were not recorded well before this century, but now stats sites keep record of every great pass and the fans have come to appreciate a playmaker as much as a striker. With the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Toni Kroos and Andres Iniesta find brilliant passes and crosses to feed their teammates, an award celebrating the best assist of a year is long overdue.
The player who assists literally makes the game, and for sure they deserve their own accolade for making the game more beautiful.
#1 Separate best player award for different positions
Every single Balon D’Or Award since 2008 has been won by either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Even without their unparalleled dominance, you just cannot include a player like Manuel Neuer in the same category with a player like Antoine Greizmann.
The idea of a best player award for different positions has been around for a while now on online football forums and we think it is a great idea. Goalkeepers and midfielders may be like comparing apples with oranges and you do not put them together.
Arguably, Ronaldo was the best player in 2014 and Messi in 2010, but what about Neuer and Wesley Sneijder respectively? Some separate companies like IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) do give out awards like the best playmaker, but FIFA IS, as aforementioned, the ultimate footballing body and an official award from them would mean so much more.
Honourable mention:
Best captain – The role of a captain is often undermined in football. While not as important as in a sport like say, cricket, a captain is often the difference between a red card and a calming down, or a comeback and a loss. Another idea that FIFA should give a thought to.
