FIFA World Player of the Year Award: Pride and Prejudice

Since its inception in 1991, the FIFA World Player of the Year has been football's most coveted individual honour.

Rightfully, the award is given to the player most instrumental to the success of his team in League and Europe, and also to his national side.

Before December 17, 2007, as many as five different Brazilian wizards were regarded as the Best Player in the World. AC Milan midfielder Ricardo Kaka completed the hexa last night in Zurich by clinching his first ever individual award in the International arena.

Kaka's credentials for the award were unquestionable—he helped AC Milan secure the fourth spot in the League last season, was the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League with 10 goals in 13 games, and won his second Champions League title with Milan.

Apart from his rather mediocre performance for Brazil and his pulling out from the Copa America, Kaka has made a strong case as one of the the best Samba boys to grace the football field since Pele.

But after singing that glory song, it's time to lash out at the FIFA and the European Community—for some ugly reasons.

First, why did Cristiano Ronaldo only get a "better luck next time" pat with a third-place, while Messi finished ahead of him?

Second, why it always a player from Serie A or Primera Liga winning the Ballon d'Or and FIFA Award—and not from the best league in the world, the English Premier League?

The last English player to have won the Ballon d'Or was Liverpool FC's Michael Owen in 2001.

As I see it, it's clear that there's a bias at work here—so that only the best player in the Serie A or Primera Liga wins this global honour.

We call EPL the best league in the world because of its pace, its players, and its title race. You won't find a better championship competition anywhere in the world (except perhaps last season's cliffhanger in the Primera Liga).

EPL has seen some of the Masters of football ply their exquisite trade for illustrious clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United—Denis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Gianfranco Zola, David Beckham, Alan Shearer, Michael Owen, and Eric Cantona to name just a few.

But how many of them have been regarded as Best Player in the World?

I have the answer—none.

Henry, Becks, Keagan, Owen, and Gary Linekar were runners-ups and third on many occasions in the FIFA Awards, but an invisible force always repelled them away from their ultimate prize.

And so why was Cristiano Ronaldo was outshone by Lionel Messi?

Just because he scored the two freakish replica goals of Maradonna? Having spent more than a quarter of last season injured, Messi couldn't contribute much to Barca's attack. It was too late for Barca when he returned, despite superb scoring spree.

The outcome?

No titles, no silverware—no nothing.

What about Ronaldo?

Second-best scorer in the league, winner of the league title with United, winner of four different awards in England, among which the most important was the PFA.

Ronaldo was the second best player in the Champions League last season, and helped Portugal in their Euro 2008 qualifiers.

And despite all these glittering records, the captains and coaches of all the national sides in the world thinks this trickster's portfolio is third class!

If that's not bias, I don't know what is.