Ronaldo won because of the clout of Madrid, writes Phill Ball an expert in spanish football. He says they wanted to show off the title at the Bernebeu. Here is an article he wrote weeks ago.
In judgement of the Gods
By Phil Ball
The newspaper with the biggest daily circulation in Spain is Marca, a sports tabloid printed and published in the wee small hours in Madrid but available on the streets of all major European capitals by lunchtime of the same day.
Despite its avowed intent to be a 'sports' paper, at least 32 of its 48 pages are dedicated to football. It has two rivals - As (unfortunately pronounced 'Ass') - also published in Madrid but with a smaller circulation, and El Mundo Deportivo (The World of Sport) which hails from Barcelona and offers a more Catalan perspective on things.
Marca, despite its tendency to descend into the deeper aspects of what Zidane might or might not have eaten for his breakfast, is actually a decent read given the obvious drawbacks of the genre.
It also sells well on the streets of Barcelona - an interesting fact in the light of its reputation as the de facto official mouthpiece for Real Madrid. Ironically enough, its first edition was printed in San Sebastián in December 1938, a week after a game between Spain and Real Sociedad, an event forced on the Basques by Franco's new ruling bullies.
The paper's first cover featured a Teutonic-looking gentleman with his right arm raised in fascist salute, the headline proclaiming 'Right arm raised to the sportsmen of Spain!'
Whilst one would not wish to suggest that the modern version was edited along the same political lines, it's probably fair to say that the paper is not exactly overrun by lefty, pro-regionalist columnists.
Its rival Catalan tabloid also sells well in Madrid, but one suspects that this is due the fact that most people prefer to know what their enemies are saying about them. It's all part of the scene here, and an integral part of the way the country thrives on its major cat and dog rivalry.
The two newspapers routinely trade insults across the cultural divide, but the often implicit nature of the barbs tends to become more explicit in the weeks prior to 'el clásico' - possibly the world's most famous league game. Yep - it's here again in a fortnight: Barcelona v Real Madrid.
At the weekend, Marca had already kicked off the hostilities, setting off, for the time being, in the implicit mode. On the morning of Real's Saturday game at neighbours Rayo Vallecano, the paper shifted the day's emphasis from the 'derbi' to its interview with three of the past winners of the FIFA Player of the Year trophy - Zidane, Figo and Rivaldo.
The winner of this year's award will be announced on December 17th, the day before the final centenary bash at the Bernabéu which will see the hosts take on a select International XI, and of course it would be awfully nice if a member of the institution in question were able to parade the trophy around the ground before the game begins.
Up to about a month ago, until he picked up a niggling injury, Madrid might have been hoping that at long last Raúl would be up for the cup. He was third last year, behind Becks and Figo, and runner-up to Michael Owen for the Golden Boot. But the qualities of a player are one thing, and the limelight of the moment quite another.
Marca's editorial staff have obviously had a chat together and arrived at the conclusion that Raul's about to miss out yet again. So with six weeks to go to the big day, they've decided to award the crown to Ronaldo - and to use their international profile to influence the result.
And of course, there is no better time to start than in the period prior to the big one in the Camp Nou.
So, according to the three previous winners interviewed - two of them currently playing for Real Madrid and the other a team-mate in the Brazilian team - Ronaldo deserves the title for the calendar year.
'Ronaldo, es tuyo. No hay discusion' ran the sub-header (Ronny, it's yours. There's no argument). Well actually, there is.
Ronaldo scored a cracker against Rayo at the weekend, and a couple on his debut five weeks ago, not forgetting a handy little brace in the World Cup final. But apart from that, he hasn't really done very much at all.
Although the Brazilian was of course overcoming a long-term injury, Inter Milan will surely have a word or two to say if their ex-player gets the FIFA nod. Being a putatively great player - one who has previously demonstrated his undoubted qualities - does not make him the World Player of the Year.
As a professional philosopher would undoubtedly remark - greatness is a necessary condition for winning the award, but it is not a sufficient one.
It would be a shame if football were to go down the same road as for example music, whose annual awards always seem to feature nominations for Phil Collins, Madonna and Michael Jackson, regardless of whether they have recorded any music or not.
Of course, giving awards to musicians such as these when they have done absolutely nothing is a good idea, since it would seem to encourage them to continue doing nothing. But with footballers such as Ronaldo it's probably not a great idea.
Even the Catalans, who enjoy their football, have no objection to seeing their ex-idol out there on the pitch, strutting his stuff.
No. There is no way that the Brazilian should win his third FIFA title. A third award would be without precedent (he deservedly won it in 1996 and 1997), and even in the ranks of European Footballer of the Year, a title generally regarded with historical respect, Di Stéfano and Cruyff only took it twice each.
Di Stéfano, now a grumpy 76 year-old, is a case in point. He never sustained a serious injury like Ronaldo, but then again he never had at his disposal the technical and medical back-up that a modern footballer enjoys.
If you want to judge the greatest player of all time, then you need to decide on some criteria, as opposed to allowing newspapers like Marca to cast their self-interested votes. Criteria? They're pretty easy to find if you bother to have a look.
Alfredo Di Stéfano played at the top level until he was almost forty. When Real Madrid finally terminated his contract he decided to prove them wrong and carried on at Español, where he continued to score goals. He managed a total of 893 despite his not being an out-and-out striker.
He would turn out for the side in midweek in the European Cup (he won five with them, on the trot), turn out on the Sunday in the league, then travel (by bus) the length of Spain to play against a minnow the next Tuesday, if circumstances so befell. And he did it year in year out. He smoked like a chimney and had no personal trainer.
But he kept it up much longer than any of the other rivals to the throne, Pele, Maradona and Cruyff. These are some of the criteria with which to judge greatness, as opposed to marketing and self-interest.
Focusing back on the league itself, the Camp Nou continues to be an unhappy house, despite its team's relative success in the Champion's League. Apart from their appalling performance against struggling Villareal, decided by a late penalty by Riquelme, Van Gaal's tactical whimsy continues to mystify supporters, journalist and players alike.
Saviola, clearly the team's best performer over the season so far, was dropped to the bench for Saturday's game, whilst Kluivert, clearly struggling to understand his team-mates, his manager and the anarchic actions of his own legs, remains an ever-present.
Meanwhile, down in the depths of Segunda 'B', Victor Valdés, the reserve goalie, was holding a press conference instead of training with the youth side, to which he had been dispatched without explanation by Van Gaal.
'I'm a first-teamer' declared the keeper, signing his death-warrant. Van Gaal has enough on his plate without an open act of rebellion, and the keeper will soon be on his way.
And just to complete the Dutchman's week, Cruyff, employed by Marca to put in the boot whenever Barça are down, weighed in with an attack on the crumbling edifice of Messrs Gaal and Gaspart, accusing them of incompetence and a lack of style - the two things most feared by Catalans.
There'll be a spirited fight-back in the press this week, but the proof of the pudding will be the result on the 24th. And the way it's looking, I wouldn't bet too much on Barça to win.
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