Wesley Sneijder may have a right to feel hard done by yesterday’s announcement, but to his credit, the Inter Milan midfielder has been quite gracious. One day after it was announced that Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta would be presented as finalists next month when FIFA announces the Ballon d’Or, Sneijder also shared an understandable amount of disappointment to Dutch newpaper Telegraaf:
Wesley Sneijder Gracious With Ballon D’Or Snub, Lets Massimo Moratti Do The Talking For Him
"I give my congratulations to Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, even if I'm sorry," he told Dutch newspaper Telegraaf.
"But there is nothing I can do. Everyone wants to me to say something, but there is nothing I could say.
"I'm tired but I want to win the World Club Cup to close this fantastic year positively."
Given most of the soccer world has built Sneijder up as the favorite since summer, you can understand why Wesley feels sorry. Whether he’s most deserving or not, it’s difficult to listen to months of praise only to have it squelched long before the award’s given out. I can imagine half of Wesley’s mind’s saying “Why did I believe you” while other other’s going “I definitely had a better year than him.”
And by him, I mean Andrés Iniesta, though that’s nitpicking. While Iniesta could very well win the award next month at FIFA’s gala, the best candidates are Messi and Xavi. Wesley Sneijder’s candidacy, built in large part on team accomplishments, does not compare favorably to the two favorites. Relative to Iniesta, whose candidacy seems disproportionately bolstered by his World Cup final goal, Sneijder has a good case.
While it would have been nice to see Sneijder’s season receive an extra bit of recognition, he probably doesn’t deserve the award over Messi or Xavi. Sometimes, it’s difficult to get too worked-up about the difference between third and fourth place.
Don’t tell that to Massimo Moratti. The Inter chairman, speaking about Sneijder’s omission from the shortlist, made his feelings know to the club website:
"I find it very unfair," he told the club's official website.
"Sneijder had a phenomenal year, won everything he could have won. For me he deserved the Ballon d'Or.
"It seems unfair the award is to be given to someone who, although a great player, didn't have the same level of performance throughout the year."
You know, Massimo, you had me with unfair, but then that last part? The one about the eventual winner not playing at the same level as Sneijder? See, that kind of undermines your point. If you really want to argue that Wesley Sneijder played above the levels of both Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernández, then I might want to respond with sarcasm and condescension. It only I had a forum to do so (at least, a forum which you would read).
Sneijder may not have played to Messi and Xavi’s levels, but those may be the only players who were clearly better than the Dutch star. It would have been no slight to Andrés Iniesta had Sneijder rounded out the shortlist’s trio, but it’s hard to muster any huge indignation that he doesn’t. Credit to Sneijder for handling the let-down like a gentleman, and if I were to be honest, credit to Massimo Moratti for having his player’s back, even if he may have gone a big far in doing so.
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