7 players who deserve the Golden Foot award 

San Iker; Casillas won the 2017 edition of the award
Casillas won the 2017 edition of the award

The Golden Foot is an event held in the Principality of Monaco. The award is given to a currently active player above the age of 28 and can be won only once.

10 nominees are selected by a panel of international journalists and the eventual winner is decided by online voting. Started in 2003, The Golden Foot has a list of legendary recipients in the last 15 years.

Looking at the currently active players above the age of 28, here are 7 players who deserve the award.


#7 Dani Alves

Mad-man!
Dani Alves is a serial collector of titles

If there is one player who doesn’t age and just keeps getting better, it is the Brazilian Dani Alves.

The right-back found the perfect balance between attack and defence at Barcelona and was part of Pep’s all-conquering team.

“When we retire, people will ask: who was the greatest? ‘Messi’ and who gave him the passes? ‘Dani Alves’.” Dani once said. And he wasn’t lying; the right-back made 42 assists for Messi, more than both Xavi and Iniesta. This just tells us how big a threat Dani Alves is in the attack. He has also saved Barca on various occasion with his timely tackles.

Currently, at PSG, Alves has been phenomenal at every club he has played.

He helped Sevilla win two consecutive UEFA Super Cups and Europa League titles (then UEFA Cup) before moving to Barca. At Camp Nou, the defender played some of his best football as he won 23 trophies, including 6 La Liga and 3 Champions League titles.

Last year at Juventus, he played a crucial role is Turin club’s journey to the final in Champions League and Seria A triumph. France, the Brazilian is now playing like a man on a mission, having already scored from a free-kick and assisting a few to his fellow countryman, Neymar. If he can do such things at 34, why the hell should anyone else win the Golden Foot?

#6 Yaya Toure

Best Box-to-Box midfielder?
Best Box-to-Box midfielder?

4-time African Player of the Year, Yaya Toure might not be at his peak anymore but the Ivory Coast international has shown it on various occasions during his career of 17-18 years that he is one of the best central midfielders of the game.

The Manchester City midfielder is known for his ability to control the tempo of the game and boy could he make a run or two! He scored 62 goals for City in Premier League, quite a few of them being long-range stunners.

The midfielder has won the La Liga with Barcelona and Premier League with Manchester City on two occasions. He has also won the African Cup of Nations for Ivory Coast in 2015.

There is no doubt that Manchester City midfielder deserves the Golden Foot regardless of his current form.

#5 David Villa

Spain's Best Forward!
Spain's Best Forward!

David Villa, Spain’s all-time top scorer, is one of the most dangerous strikers in the box. He rose to prominence with Valencia and then signed with Barcelona. The striker has won 2 domestic leagues and Champions League in 2010-11 for Barcelona. His sole season in 2013-14 as Atletico Madrid striker helped Atletico to win their first ever La Liga title after 1996, where he scored 13 goals.

The La Roja’s legendary striker was also the part of their dominating side under Del Bosque. He was Spain’s striker during their first ever FIFA World Cup success in 2010 where he scored 5 goals. The striker won the Golden Boot award in 2008 Euro where he helped Spain to European glory.

The striker is still in good form in the MLS and he deserves the Golden Foot for sure.

#4 Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bloodied but not defeated!
Bloodied but not defeated!

The Germany and Bayern legend is arguably one of the best central midfielders the football world has ever seen. The former Germany captain was at Bayern for 13 seasons and won every possible trophy while controlling the game from midfield.

Schweinsteiger started his career as a wide midfielder but with the addition of Ribery and Robben on the wings, he was moved to the centre and effortlessly settled in.

His ability to read the game gave him an edge over the opponents and Bayern bossed the midfield during his time there. Bastian is also superb in dead ball situations and his occasional long range shots are more than just a threat to the opponent’s goal.

He has won 8 Bundesliga and 7 DFB-Pokal titles for Bayern. He has also won the 2012-13 Champions league for the Bavarians.

Schweinsteiger was also an integral part of Germany’s World Cup success in 2014 and many remember him for the final as he played on despite a few stitches on his face!

With his time at Chicago Fire coming to an end, the German is running out of time for the Golden Foot award. But no one can deny the fact that he deserves it just as much as everyone else on this list.

#3 Franck Ribery

Jewel of French Football
Jewel of French Football

From one Bavarian to the other, Franck Ribery is one of the reasons why Bayern won the treble when they were at the peak. While Schweinsteiger was a key player in midfield, Ribery's pace and ability on the left coupled with his output meant Bayern didn't have to look far for goals.

The strikers have come and gone for Bayern but Ribery has linked beautifully with each one of them and current Bayern No.9 is no exception to that.

Ribery is in his 11th season at Allianz Arena and he has already won 20 trophies. He was one of the very few players to break the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly to win the European Player of the year award in the 2012-13 season ahead of them.

You might think we are done with the Bavarians on the list, but the best is yet to come.

#2 Arjen Robben

Only Robben can do such things
Only Robben can do such things

If there was ever a list of most eye-catching sights in football, Arjen Robben’s trademark run from right wing – dribbling past the number of defenders – shifting the ball to his left foot and shooting it from the edge of the box into the top corner would have been in the top 3 for sure.

The Bayern No. 10 is now 33 but still runs like a 23-year-old. His run against Spain in 2014 World Cup for Netherlands' 5th goal is a perfect proof. The Dutchman’s speed and dribbling ability have made him an unstoppable force on the right wing.

The winger has left his mark everywhere he's played. Eredivisie winner for PSV, 2 consecutive Premier League titles with Chelsea, La Liga with Real Madrid and staggering 6 Bundesliga titles with Bayern, Robben has conquered every league he has ever played in. He also conquered Europe with Bayern in the 2012-13 season.

Robben led his team to the Final of 2010 World Cup only to be beaten by Iniesta’s winner very late in the game. He has now retired from international football but is still a key player for Bayern Munich.

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo

The Best FIFA Football Awards - Show
The Best!

As if there was ever going to be anyone else. Highest goal scorer for Real Madrid and Portugal, a cabinet full of trophies and the record books running out of pages, Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved everything one can only dream of. The attacker has worked hard and has come a long way from Sporting (Not technically) and now he stands at the top of the mountain today.

Ronaldo started his career as a winger but has adapted his game under Zidane. He might not be the same dribbler which he was a few years ago, but he is more prolific goal scorer than before. He scores goals for fun. And don’t let his poor form in La Liga mislead you, the Real Madrid talisman might have had a slow start, but Real Madrid as a whole haven't started clicking yet.

Ronaldo has won 3 Premier League titles with Man United and 2 La Liga titles with Madrid. The Portuguese has also won 4 Champions Leagues, 3 with Real Madrid and one for Red Devils. He also led his national team to the historic European Championship in 2016.

His 4 Ballon d'Or and 3 European POTY are just the tip of the iceberg in the list of his individual awards. FIFA’s current holder of The Best award definitely deserves The Golden Foot.

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Edited by Amit Mishra