[Football] Ballon d'Or winners

Official Old Man · May 3, 2022

Here's a Tuesday puzzle in the week CR7 graces us with his presence. Has a Ballon d'Or winner ever played on an Albion pitch before?
Obviously the fact that I'm asking, the answer is yes so, without giving the answer and spoiling it or using Google, who, when and why.
And before this thread goes into meltdown, I never saw Best or Pele and as yet Messi so I'm looking forwards to him showing off his talents at the Amex. Admire but dislike him.
And 3:1 to the Albion with him getting 1 touch and scoring.

Guinness Boy · May 3, 2022

I don't know the answer without googling and won't spoil the quiz, but I have seen Messi play live. In fact Messi and Iniesta together. It was almost telepathic and balletic at the time and yet in a game where Barca won without getting out of third gear. Quite remarkable player.

Swansman · May 3, 2022

Michael Owen at some point maybe?

Is it PotG? · May 3, 2022

Boo the cheating, diving winker every chance we get.

Originunknown · May 3, 2022

Thought Modric at some point but don't recall him playing in that first friendly.

Is it PotG? · May 3, 2022

Didn't Keegan play at The Goldstone?

B-right-on · May 3, 2022

Guinness Boy said:
I don't know the answer without googling and won't spoil the quiz, but I have seen Messi play live. In fact Messi and Iniesta together. It was almost telepathic and balletic at the time and yet in a game where Barca won without getting out of third gear. Quite remarkable player.

I was lucky enough to see Barca about 7-8 years ago at the Camp Nou with a forward line of Messi, Suarez and Neymar with Iniesta behind. Was pure ballet on the pitch.. Scored 6 between them. Unforgettable.

Tom Hark Preston Park · May 3, 2022

Antoine Griezmann played for Atletico Madrid in a pre-season friendly at the Amex a couple of years back. Without looking it up, don't know if he's ever won the Ballon D'Or tho

Triggaaar · May 3, 2022

On a separate note, neither Maradona or Pele ever won the Ballon d'Or. WTF is that about?

Is it PotG? · May 3, 2022

Stanley Matthews certainly turned out at The Goldstone, I think.

Swansman · May 3, 2022

Triggaaar said:
On a separate note, neither Maradona or Pele ever won the Ballon d'Or. WTF is that about?

It was "Europe only" until the 90s.

stewart12 · May 3, 2022

Triggaaar said:
On a separate note, neither Maradona or Pele ever won the Ballon d'Or. WTF is that about?

it was european player of the year, so you had to be european to win it, until 1995 when it was expanded to players who played for european clubs, and then in 2007 it was expanded to all players.

So neither player was ever eligible for it

Triggaaar · May 3, 2022

stewart12 said:
it was european player of the year, so you had to be european to win it, until 1995 when it was expanded to players who played for european clubs, and then in 2007 it was expanded to all players.

So neither player was ever eligible for it

Ah, thank you

stewart12 · May 3, 2022

i'm way too young but did Dennis Law or Bobby Charlton ever play against Brighton?

Uter · May 3, 2022

stewart12 said:
i'm way too young but did Dennis Law or Bobby Charlton ever play against Brighton?

Maybe Denis Law in the late 50s for Huddersfield (pre-accolade obvs) and Bobby Charlton in 1974 for Preston when he was player manager?

Baldrick · May 3, 2022

I can remember Kevin Keegan playing at The Goldstone with a young Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley. Think Waddle scored and we lost 1-0.

Shuggie · May 3, 2022

stewart12 said:
i'm way too young but did Dennis Law or Bobby Charlton ever play against Brighton?

I'd go for 1974 when BC was PNE player-manager at The Goldstone.

Shuggie · May 3, 2022

Baldrick said:
I can remember Kevin Keegan playing at The Goldstone with a young Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley. Think Waddle scored and we lost 1-0.

I'd guess that was 83/84. Last game of the season was at SJP. They won 3-1 to go up as Champions with those three in the team. That was KK's last game and, famously, Alan Shearer was a ballboy.

Official Old Man · May 4, 2022

With time to spare here is my report.
Dennis Law (1964). Man Utd, who we didn't play back then.
Bobby Charlton (1966). Man Utd.
George Best (1968). Was signed with Fulham in 77/78 but had moved on by the time they came to us. Also gone for the away game so didn't play against us.
Kevin Keegan (1979). He is the obvious player who indeed played for Southampton in 1981.
David Beckham came second in 1999. That's 7 years after touching our turf and he wasn't a winner anyway.
Michael Owen (2001). Difficult to see if our paths ever passed either Liverpool, Newcastle, Man Utd or Stoke City but of course his season here in 2014/15 made him our super hero. Does touching the Amex turf whilst being a commentator count?

keaton · May 4, 2022

Official Old Man said:
With time to spare here is my report.
Dennis Law (1964). Man Utd, who we didn't play back then.
Bobby Charlton (1966). Man Utd.
George Best (1968). Was signed with Fulham in 77/78 but had moved on by the time they came to us. Also gone for the away game so didn't play against us.
Kevin Keegan (1979). He is the obvious player who indeed played for Southampton in 1981.
David Beckham came second in 1999. That's 7 years after touching our turf and he wasn't a winner anyway.
Michael Owen (2001). Difficult to see if our paths ever passed either Liverpool, Newcastle, Man Utd or Stoke City but of course his season here in 2014/15 made him our super hero. Does touching the Amex turf whilst being a commentator count?

If we're counting Beckham then Griezman and Jorginho were both 2nd or 3rd placed and have played at the Amex

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[Football] Ballon d'Or winners

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