Can Leo Messi break the FIFA World Player jinx?

Lionel Messi has just been graced with the 2009 FIFA World Player award.

Or, should we have selected our action verb a little more carefully in this particular case? Should we have said the Barcelona and Argentina star has been “cursed” with the honor?

Why such a cynical tone? Simple. Because gaining the honor in a year before the World Cup has rarely meant good things. Courtesy of my pal, who works up World Cup facts and figures the way Giada De Laurentiis works up delicious Italian food, reminded us of the unlovely history in this matter. Here’s what it looks like:

Year: 1993

Winner: Italy’s Roberto Baggio

Follow year’s World Cup impact: The rat-tailed attacker did fine in the World Cup before his inglorious, notorious moment in the final, jettisoning a penalty kick in the Rose Bowl stands as Italy fell in the shootout tiebreaker to Brazil.

Year: 1997

Winner: Brazil’s Ronaldo

Follow year’s World Cup impact: Has anyone ever really gotten to the bottom of what happened to the Brazilian wonder before the final in Paris? He was missing in action, more or less, as speculation swirled wildly. Brazil fell to the hosts, 3-0, in the final.

Year: 2001

Winner: Portugal’s Luis Figo

Follow year’s World Cup impact: In a stunner, Portugal didn’t even make it out of group play; Figo’s muted performance was part of the problem. So much for Portugal’s Golden Generation, eh?

Year: 2005

Winner: Brazil’s Ronaldinho

Follow year’s World Cup impact: Everyone kept waiting for a breakout performance from the smiling sensation, as his performances in Germany kept landed in the deflated zone. Waiting … waiting … still waiting …

So, now it’s on Messi to break the jinx. Because Argentina didn’t exactly tear it up in qualifying. They’ll need the little magician in order to make some real noise next year in South Africa.