Lionel Messi has been deemed the best player in the world by FIFA. It's hardly an earth-shattering surprise but there are still plenty out there who must contest it. DW's Matt Pearson thinks the whole debate is moot.
Image: imago images/LaPresse/M. Alpozzi
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Less than a month ago, Virgil van Dijk was named as the best player plying his trade in Europe, the continent where the overwhelming majority of the world's best footballers play, by European governing body UEFA.
Then on Monday night in Milan, Lionel Messi (pictured above), who weaves his magic in the distinctly European city of Barcelona, was named the best footballer in the world at "The Best" awards, handed out by FIFA, who govern the game globally.
DW Sports editor Matt Pearson
It feels somehow like a glitch in the matrix. Like saying you're the best teacher in the world but not the best in the school you work at. But in reality it's just a result of different voting systems and of comparing apples and Oranjes.
Messi's triumph over van Dijk on Monday came about because he beat his Dutch rival (and third-placed Cristiano Ronaldo) in three of the four equally weighted voting categories — national team coaches, national team captains, and fans — while the Liverpool defender won the most endorsements from journalists. UEFA's award, which broadly replaced the Ballon d'Or, was initially voted for just by journalists from across the organization's member nations but now also takes in to account the view of some 80 coaches, but no fans or players.
So open and shut case, right? Messi has legions of fans willing to fill out a form on FIFA's website and, if previous fan votes are anything to go by, plenty will have been willing to create a few more email addresses to make sure their hero gets over the line. The Argentine also has a few more admirers among his playing peers and coaches. Ronaldo is more popular among fans and coaches than van Dijk but not as feted by his peers or the press.
That Messi and Ronaldo beat van Dijk so convincingly in the fan poll is unsurprising. In general, people rate attackers over defenders — as evidenced by the fact van Dijk's win in August was the first time either of these awards has been won by a defender.
There also seems to be a positional divide in the players. The more offensive-minded captains tended to vote for those that play in similar positions or those they play (or played) alongside. Harry Kane voted for Messi, Son Heung-min voted for Kane, Luka Modric for Ronaldo and Manuel Neuer for van Dijk. The coaches are more difficult to fit in to any broad patterns but Joachim Löw still somehow proved to be out of step with the rest of the footballing world by selecting Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and Sadio Mane as his top three.
Virgil van Dijk came in second in FIFA's Best awardsImage: Reuters/Action Images/A. Boyers
The hoardes of online fans who spring to life every time Messi and Ronaldo are mentioned in any context, anywhere, also play their part — both in Monday's result and in the tiresome debate that has inevitably followed.
Even for those who require some sort of official announcement to definitively judge a player, it's impossible to determine whether van Dijk is "better" than Messi and Ronaldo because his job, style and team are so different. While the latter two at least operate in a smiliar area of the pitch, they're also very distinct players with very distinct roles. Take one look at the list of votes on FIFA's website and you'll see that the pros have almost as broad a range of opinions as people in the pub, the office or the playground.
Though team trophies should always come first, there's nothing wrong with individual awards in a team sport per se, but let's stop pretending that they're actually all that important or really settle any kind of debate.
Jürgen Klopp: From the German second division to FIFA's 'Best'
It's been a long journey for Jürgen Klopp - from a second-division player to winning the FIFA 'Best' award. The German coach's crown achievement so far was leading Liverpool to the 2019 Champions League title.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/P. Ellis
'In Klopp we trust'
After just four years at the club, it seems difficult to imagine a Liverpool without Jürgen Klopp. Having led the club to Champions League glory, Klopp is still looking for his first Premier League title, and based on their flying start to the season, this could be Liverpool's year. For their manager, it's been a long road that started...
Image: Getty Images/AFP/P. Ellis
Playing career
... as a player in Germany's second division. Jürgen Klopp played professional football for 15 years, spending 11 of them in Mainz. He started out as an attacker but ended his career as a defender. He retired midway through the 2001-02 season to fill the coaching vacancy at Mainz after the club sacked head coach Eckhard Krautzun. As a player, he never made it to the Bundesliga.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Nietfeld
Making Mainz
During Klopp's playing career, Mainz frequently fought against relegation to the German third tier. That changed when he took the helm at the club. In Klopp's third season, Mainz earned promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in club history. Klopp enjoyed three seasons in the top flight before Mainz were relegated again in 2007. He left the club a year later to join Borussia Dortmund.
Image: AP
Big step up to BVB
Klopp's appointment was part of a broader strategy change at Borussia Dortmund: to make football stars instead of buying them. He committed to 20-year-olds Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic as his center back pair — the youngest in the Bundesliga. Dortmund finished in sixth place and fifth place in his first two seasons at the club.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/B. Thissen
Trophy run
From 2010 to 2012, Klopp lead Dortmund to their most successful two-year stretch in club history. They won their first Bundesliga title in nearly a decade in 2010-11. Klopp backed that accomplishment up by leading BVB to their first ever domestic double the following season.
Image: Picture-alliance/dpa/T. Silz
Fan favorite
It didn't take long for Dortmund fans to fall in love with Klopp. His press conferences became a weekly spectacle and his energy on the touchline became contagious. On the pitch, he implemented an active, high-pressing system that brought BVB, a club that was only a few years removed from near insolvency, back to the pinnacle of German football.
Image: Reuters
European precipice
Klopp did not secure domestic silverware after that two-year run, but he did lead Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2013 — their first final since their 1997 title. His side ultimately came up short against Bayern Munich, losing 2-1 late on to hand their German rivals a piece of their treble that year.
Image: picture alliance/augenklick
Bitter end
Klopp's last season with Dortmund in 2014-15 was far worse than any other. His side was second bottom at the winter break, though Klopp wound up leading them to a seventh placed finish. He did manage to get BVB to the German Cup final before losing to Wolfsburg. Dortmund and Klopp decided to part ways after the season, ending his seven-year stint with the team.
Image: Reuters/Ina Fassbender
'The Normal One'
It didn't take long for Klopp to land back on his feet. Liverpool appointed the German coach in October of 2015, less than five months after he parted ways with Dortmund. In his first press conference, Klopp dubbed himself "The Normal One" — after being asked how he fitted in compared to the likes of Jose Mourinho, who notoriously once called himself "a special one."
Image: Getty Images/A. Livesey
Roaring Reds
Liverpool fans took to Klopp's highly animated coaching approach, but it didn't initally lead to success. The Reds finished eighth in the Premier League in his first season, though he did lead them to the Europa League final before losing to Sevilla. But he guided Liverpool to the Champions League with a fourth-place finish the following season before their third place finish this past season.
Image: Getty Images/M. Steele
Adored once again
Much like he was in Dortmund, Klopp has become a club favorite at Liverpool. His passionate personality and the attractive attacking football enabled by players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have proved a real hit in the stands.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Thissen
Opportunity missed
In 2017-18, Klopp guided Liverpool to the brink of the biggest title in European club football. However, an injury to Mo Salah and two blunders by German goalkeeper Loris Karius put paid to Liverpool's hopes of winning the 2018 Champions League.
Image: Getty Images/S. Botterill
Opportunity taken
One year later it all came good for Jürgen Klopp. At the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid Liverpool won the 2019 Champions League, beating another Premier League outfit, Tottenham Hotspur, 2-0 in the final. This was his first trophy with Liverpool and his first Champions League title.
Image: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
The Best
On the strength of having guided Liverpool to the 2019 Champions League title - and a second-place finish in the Premier League, Jürgen Klopp won the 2019 FIFA "Best" award in the coaching category, beating out Manchester City's Pep Guardiola and Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino.
