Lionel Messi: 10 Better Choices For 2010 Ballon D'Or

Lionel Messi took home his second consecutive Ballon D'Or on Monday, beating out Barcelona teammates to take home the prestigious "World's Best Player" award. 

This was the first year that FIFA's World Player of the Year Award was combined with the French magazine France Football's European Player of the Year prize, and Messi made quite a case for himself. 

He totalled 60 goals for his club (Barcelona) and his country (Argentina), and was widely seen as the most talented player in the world. 

However, did Messi really deserve the Ballon? Let's play devil's advocate for a minute here, and bring you 10 guys who could have been as good of a choice, or even a better one, than Messi for the award. 

10. Bastian Schwiensteiger, Bayern Munich/Germany

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MUNICH, GERMANY - AUGUST 20: Bastian Schweinsteiger of Bayern runs with the ball during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Muenchen and VfL Wolfsburg at Allianz Arena on August 20, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

This German midfielder blossomed into a full-fledged field general over the course of 2010. He became a skilled facilitator, defender, playmaker and scorer, and was arguably one of the most complete players in the world this year. 

However, despite Schwiensteiger's ascendence, his statistics don't do his scoring or playmaking touch justice, so a victory was unlikely. But, had he won, rest assured that the Bayern midfielder would have been an excellent choice. 

9. Samuel Eto'o, Inter Milan/Cameroon

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CATANIA, ITALY - JANUARY 09: Samuel Eto'o of Inter in action during the Serie A match between Catania and Inter at Stadio Angelo Massimino on January 9, 2011 in Catania, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

There have been few club players as good as Samuel Eto'o has been for Inter over the course of the year. He struggled in the World Cup, but that was more a product of a complete collapse by Cameroon than anything Eto'o did incorrectly. 

He did score the Indomitable Lions' only two goals in the tournament, and has been downright unstoppable for Inter in 2010. So, perhaps the African striker should have gotten a longer look. 

8. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid/Portugal

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MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 09: Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid in action during the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on January 9, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

In terms of form, few have been as sharp as Ronaldo in 2010. He's been a potent goal-scorer, even if Madrid and Portugal both went without hardware. 

His case stumbles on his World Cup no-show, but given his 22 goals in 18 games for Real in the fall, I think we can overlook that to give him the award. 

Besides, how often has this award gone to someone who got the most hype, rather than to the true best player? 

7. Diego Forlan, Atletico Madrid/Uruguay

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MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 19: Diego Forlan of Atletico Madrid in action during the La Liga match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona at Vicente Calderon Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Forlan went supernova in 2010, scoring in double figures for club team Atletico Madrid, as he carried them to the Europa League title. 

He then went on one of the hottest streaks in World Cup history, scoring five goals for his home nation of Uruguay in the World Cup, and netting the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. 

Sure, he's scored just 7 goals in 17 games for Madrid this season, but that's more a product of the talent around him than anything Forlan has done wrong. 

6. David Villa, Valencia/Barcelona/Spain

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LA CORUNA, SPAIN - JANUARY 08: David Villa of Barcelona celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the La Liga match between Deportivo La Coruna and Barcelona at Riazor Stadium on January 8, 2011 in A Coruna, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Imag

Villa has been amongst the most lethal strikers in the world in 2010. He lit teams up with former club Valencia, blasted home five World Cup goals (good for a tie for most in the tournament), and has continued his hot streak with new team Barcelona in La Liga. 

And, as a bonus, Villa helped his team win the World Cup. How many Rimet trophies does Messi have? 

5. Iker Casillas, Real Madrid/Spain

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MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 03: Iker Casillas of Real Madrid in action during the UEFA Champions League group G match between AC Milan and Real Madrid at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 3, 2010 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Massimo Cebrelli/Getty Images)

Why is Casillas here instead of Julio Cesar? After all, the pair are neck-and-neck in terms of being the world's best goalkeeper right now, and their club play has been stellar. 

The difference is the World Cup. Cesar committed a ghastly error that cost Brazil a win, while Casillas was nearly flawless throughout Spain's title run. 

For that, he gets the nod here. Goalkeepers are notoriously under-appreciated, and as the best keeper, Iker could be the Ballon D'Or winner. 

4. Andres Iniesta, Barcelona/Spain

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LA CORUNA, SPAIN - JANUARY 08: Andres Iniesta of Barcelona in action during the La Liga match between Deportivo La Coruna and Barcelona at Riazor Stadium on January 8, 2011 in La Coruna, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Iniesta's value to his club and country can't be measured by stats. He's scored just five goals for Barcelona this season, and scored just one during the 2009-2010 season, but it's his defense, ball handling and playmaking that make him such an appealing candidate. 

Messi's a great scorer, to be sure, but he couldn't do what he does without Iniesta there to make Barca's offense work. 

3. Thomas Muller, Bayern Munich/Germany

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MUNICH, GERMANY - AUGUST 20: Thomas Mueller of Bayern controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Muenchen and VfL Wolfsburg at Allianz Arena on August 20, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Speaking of breakout players, Muller blew onto the scene in 2010 with one of the best World cup debuts in recent memory. He scored five goals, and three assists, and went home with the Golden Boot award, given to the tournament's top scorer. 

He's continued his torrid play at Bayern Munich, with four goals and four assists in 17 games for Bayern Munich this season. 

Why is Muller a better choice than Messi? Unlike the Argentinean, Muller didn't disappoint in the World Cup. 

2. Xavi, Barcelona/Spain

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BARCELONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 02: Xavi Hernandez of Barcelona runs with the ball during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Levante UD at Camp Nou on January 2, 2011 in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona won 2-1. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Why Xavi? Because Messi couldn't wow fans with his skills at Barcelona were it not for the Spanish midfielder's slick ballhandling and passing skills. 

He attempted 102 more passes than anyone else at the World Cup, and led the tournament in every conceivable passing statistic. 

There isn't a better facilitator in football today than Xavi, and because scorers can't score unless they have the ball, Xavi should be the pick over Messi. 

1. Wesley Sneijder, Inter Milan/Netherlands

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MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 24: Wesley Sneijder of FC Internazionale Milano during the UEFA Champions League Group A match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Twente at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 24, 2010 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa

Sneijder has been the best midfielder in Europe for the entirety of 2010. He was crucial to Inter's Champions League title in 2010, supplying one of the assists in the game.

He was even more vital to the Dutch push to the finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, scoring five goals and was consistently the Netherlands' best player on the field. He came through for his team in the clutch, delivering goals when his team needed them, something Messi found himself unable to do for Argentina. 

He continued his stellar play this season at Inter, and was named UEFA's top midfielder for 2010. The biggest difference between the Dutchman Sneijder and the Spaniard Xavi is that Wesley can score on occasion, and showed it in the World Cup, while Xavi passes the ball almost exclusively.

In short, if Messi isn't going to win the Ballon D'Or, shouldn't it go to a player named the absolute best at his position in 2010? That's why Wesley Sneijder should have been the Ballon D'Or winner, and not Lionel Messi.