The Ballon d’Or is one of the most prestigious individual awards in soccer, given to the best football player in the world each year. However, if you look at the list of past winners, you’ll notice something odd: most of them are forwards or attacking midfielders. Only a handful of defenders and just one goalkeeper (Lev Yashin in 1963) have ever won the Ballon d’Or. This raises the question: why is it so hard for defenders and goalkeepers to win the Ballon d’Or?

Attackers Get the Spotlight

One of the main reasons defenders and goalkeepers struggle to win the Ballon d’Or is because attacking players tend to grab the headlines. Scoring goals is one of the most exciting parts of the game, and attackers are usually the players responsible for delivering those memorable moments. Players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the award for over a decade, not just because they’re great, but because they consistently produce goals, assists, and game-changing plays. These moments are what fans remember, and they’re often the deciding factors in awarding individual honors.

Defenders and goalkeepers, on the other hand, usually don’t have those highlight-reel moments. Their jobs are more about stopping the opposition, something that’s crucial for the team but doesn’t always stand out. While a last-ditch tackle or a game-saving save is impressive, it doesn’t capture the imagination in the same way as a 30-yard screamer into the top corner. As a result, defenders and goalkeepers don’t get the same level of recognition as their attacking counterparts.

Stats Don’t Tell the Whole Story

In modern football, statistics have become a huge part of how players are judged. Attackers can easily be measured by their goals and assists, and these numbers are easy to compare. But for defenders and goalkeepers, it’s much harder to put a value on their performances. How do you measure a defender’s ability to read the game or a goalkeeper’s leadership from the back? While clean sheets (no goals conceded) are one metric, they rely on the whole team, not just one player.

This makes it difficult for voters to compare defenders and goalkeepers to forwards, who have clear, eye-catching numbers in their favor. The truth is, it’s a lot easier to vote for a player who’s scored 50 goals in a season than one who’s made countless blocks or saves that don’t show up on a stat sheet.

The Few That Have Won

While it’s rare, there have still been a few defenders to win the Ballon d’Or. The only goalkeeper to ever win the Ballon d’Or was the legendary Lev Yashin in 1963. Known as “The Black Spider,” Yashin was famous for his incredible shot-stopping ability and commanding presence in goal. His win remains a historic moment for goalkeepers everywhere. There was another goalkeeper to go close, Italian Dino Zoff was second in 1973.

As for defenders, the last one to win the award was Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. Cannavaro led Italy to World Cup glory that year, putting in a series of incredible performances as Italy conceded just two goals for the entire tournament. Before him, only a couple of other defenders, like Franz Beckenbauer, have managed to break the trend and take home the award (he won it twice, in 1972 and 1976).

The Evolution of the Game

The modern game has become more attacking, with more emphasis on scoring goals than ever before. Teams prioritize possession, quick passing, and creativity in the final third, which puts even more focus on the players responsible for making those plays. As a result, it becomes even harder for defenders and goalkeepers to stand out.

But that doesn’t mean defenders and goalkeepers aren’t as valuable – they’re just as important as attackers, if not more so. After all, teams can’t win without a solid defensive group. A world-class defender or goalkeeper can change the outcome of a game or even a season. However, the way the game is watched, analyzed, and judged tends to favor attacking players, leaving defenders and goalkeepers on the outside when it comes to individual awards.

Will Things Ever Change?

So, will we ever see another defender or goalkeeper win the Ballon d’Or? It’s hard to say. There have been calls to create separate awards for different positions, but for now, the Ballon d’Or remains focused on all players. To break through, a defender or goalkeeper would likely need to have an extraordinary season, perhaps leading their team to a major title like the World Cup or Champions League while putting in standout performances.

In the end, the nature of the game itself makes it harder for defenders and goalkeepers to claim the Ballon d’Or. But whether they win the award or not, their contributions remain just as vital to the success of their teams. And while attackers may continue to dominate the headlines, true soccer fans know that defense wins championships.

Everton will be hoping to get their first Premier League home win of the 2023/24 season when Wolverhampton Wanderers come to town on the third matchday of the new campaign.

In what could potentially be their final season at their current home ground, Everton did not get off to the dream start they envisaged after losing 1-0 to Fulham on the opening weekend of the season. 

Many believe this will be the Blues’ final campaign at Goodison Park before switching to a new ground and Everton will be hoping for a strong showing after fighting relegation until the final day of last season. Everton have lost 11 league games at home since the start of last season and they must do better if it really is a farewell campaign at Goodison.

The Toffees were undefeated in their five pre-season games but came off with a narrow defeat to Fulham on opening day. Although there have been six wins, six draws, and six defeats each for Everton and Wolves in this fixture, the Merseysiders are winless in the last four meetings between the sides.

On the other hand, last season may have ended in timid fashion for Wolves. Still, they quietly rebuilt during pre-season yet failed to yield a positive result from an impressive opening-day performance at Old Trafford. Wolves were fantastic against Manchester United and should have got all three points but were left to rue their poor finishing once again.

Gary O’Neil’s men will be looking to get a massive scalp at the famously tough Goodison Park and they must do so with a poor traveling record as they are winless in nine Premier League away games, including five defeats in a row. Wolves will however be encouraged by their five wins in the last ten games against Everton. 

Match tickets

This important game for both clubs begins at 3 pm UK time on Saturday 26th August and Everton vs Wolves tickets for the match have been on sale via each individual club’s website.

However, the game is almost certainly going to be a sell-out with Goodison Park expected to be packed to the rafters as loyal Evertonains look on for what they hope would be a sweet home victory for Sean Dyche’s men.

The Merseysiders treat every home game like a religious gathering and demand the maximum effort of their players. A rocking Goodison is truly an unmissable spectacle. 

Hence, getting a hold of Wolverhampton Wanderers tickets may be difficult so those who would love to attend the game may have some luck finding them via a ticket reselling site.

Team news

Englishmen Ashley Young and Jack Harrison, and Dutch international Arnaut Danjuma are the new arrivals who are hoping to inspire better fortunes as Dyche takes charge of his first full season. 

Ex-Leeds winger Harrison is a long-term casualty as he is set to be out injured until after the season’s first international break. Dwight McNeil and Seamus Coleman are also ruled out of action against Wolves while Dominic Calvert-Lewin remains a doubt given his ongoing fitness struggles.

Wolves are in the unfamiliar position of having no players on the treatment table, at the time of writing, considering their crippling injury issues last season. The West Midlanders will be pleased to have a fit and fresh squad for their new manager who was appointed only four days before his debut having replaced Julen Lopetegui who had disputes with the board.

O’Neil will have had more days to establish his ideas and preferred team ahead of this trip to Everton. Going by what we saw at Man United, there is a lot to look forward to in this game. 

Line-ups

38-year-old Ashley Young seems to have won the left-back spot ahead of Vitaliy Mykolenko and at least he won’t have to mark the pacey Adama Traore who left Wolves over the summer. James Garner is another who has earned his manager’s trust but winger Lewis Dobbin will be looking to get into the lineup as much as Danjuma who seems to be Neal Maupay’s deputy in the striker role.

Elsewhere, you can expect Dyche to stick to his tried and trusted team for a game they cannot afford to lose in front of their home fans. 

Everton: Pickford; Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Young; Gueye, Onana, Iwobi, Garner, Doucoure; Maupay

Wolves may feature a number of changes over the coming games as O’Neil gets to grips with his strongest line-up and builds team dynamics. You can expect another high-energy team keen to upset the Goodison crowd just as they did at Old Trafford. 

Notably, Portuguese forward Pedro Neto was the most potent of the Wolves’ players as he had the most shots (three) with two being on target. The aim over the next few games clearly has to be finding a balance that allows them to score goals more often and win games. 

Wolves: Sa; Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Lemina, Gomes, Nunes, Neto; Cunha, Sarabia

Prediction

Everton are a shrewd yet efficient unit under Dyche and against evenly-matched opponents, their counter-attacking ability and superiority from dead balls make them a devastating prospect. This has all the markings of a typical Premier League game with much-needed points on offer. 

The hosts may indeed cause Wolves a lot of problems on the break and around their own penalty box but Everton must also be worried about the fact the Midlands side had 23 shots on goal against Man Utd. Although they ended that game without scoring, the Wolves are on an upward trajectory and this is the perfect moment to end a five-game losing streak in away league games. 

Everton 1-1 Wolves

Nothing beats the feeling of being the best in the most sought-after sport in the world, and getting crowned champion with a beautiful trophy! What else does a nation want, this tournament has a way of enabling people to puff out their chest by giving them license to say ‘this is our team’ and having some pride in their nation,

This time around, spectacular moments like these will be witnessed from the ‘Land of Arabs’ for the first time in the history of the world cup. The tournament commences on November 20 and will continue till December 18, 2022.

If you want to watch the FIFA World Cup live online and don’t know how to go about it, we have you covered. In this blog, we will teach you how to watch the FIFA world cup Qatar 2022 live stream from anywhere in the world:

Where to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 live stream 

Sling TV

Sling TV is the best option to stream the FIFA world cup inside the US if you don’t have cable. The streaming service offers you the cheapest subscription with a 7 days free trial, so you can’t miss any moment of the exciting tournament live without worrying about the cable. The best part is you could even use Sling TV from outside UK, by using a VPN to connect to a US server and directly stream FIFA World Cup

BBCi iPlayer

BBC iPlayer is the official broadcaster in the UK for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and will broadcast every fixture from the tournament. However, the in-demand streaming service only works inside the UK due to certain geo-restrictions.

Fortunately, to access BBC iPlayer from anywhere, you need to have a UK IP address and this is where a high-speed VPN can help. Just follow these simple steps to stream the FIFA World Cup live on BBC iPlayer:

1. Get a VPN subscription.
2. Download the app for your device and connect to a UK server.
3. Go to BBC iPlayer and log into your account or sign up.
4. Enjoy live streaming the FIFA World Cup 2022 for free from anywhere!

FIFA World Cup 2022 – Groups

• Group A. Qatar. Ecuador. Senegal. Netherlands
• Group B. England, Iran, USA, Wales
• Group C. Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
• Group D. France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia
• Group E. Spain, New Zealand OR Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
• Group F. Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
• Group G. Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
• Group H. Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

Final Words

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 live without any worry, no matter where you are in the world by accessing BBC iPlayer or SlingTV with the help of VPN. By switching your virtual location to the UK or US, you can access BBC iPlayer or SlingTV hassle-free to stream your favorite FIFA World Cup matches live online. Over 140+ broadcasters will cover the FIFA World Cup 2022 in different countries. For instance, BBC and ITV are going to show the tournament in the UK, while MatchTV and Channel One are the official broadcasters in Russia. However, the end goal is to enjoy and cherish the thrilling moments of the world cup by supporting your national team.

There is a group of teams that basically don’t have a nickname, they just have a variation of the term ‘the national team‘ in their respective language (e.g. Germany, Iran, Switzerland). Equally uninspiring, many nicknames are derived from national colors – such as the Blues (France), Blue (Serbia), the Crimsons (Qatar), Orange (Netherlands) and the Tri-Colors (Ecuador, Mexico). At least some add a bit of spice to the color name game, such as the Red Fury (Spain), Red Devils (Belgium), and the Black Stars (Ghana).

Not all the names are so bland. If you could create a nickname, wouldn’t you want one that would strike fear in the opposition, like the Fiery Boys of Croatia, Danish Dynamite (Denmark) and Samurai Blues (Japan).

If animals strike fear in you, look out for the Eagles of Carthage from Tunisia, the Green Hawks of Saudi Arabia, the Asian Tigers of South Korea, and the Dragons of Wales.

There are also lions to contend with the Three Lions of England, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, the Lions of Teranga from Senegal, and the Atlas Lions of Morocco.

However, a fearsome team nickname does not necessarily equate to success, as one of the most successful teams is commonly known as the Little Canaries (Brazil). Watch out for them!

See our list of All National Football Team Nicknames.

#5: The Community Shield (July 31)

Yes, you read that right. The Community Shield is one of the biggest matches left this year. Yes, it’s a glorified friendly, and yes it doesn’t count as a trophy, but this year’s Wembley curtain-raiser has something very important. Narrative.

FA Cup winners Liverpool took Premier League champions down to the wire on the last day of the 21/22 season. So this game will raise all sorts of questions ahead of the 22/23 contest. Will Mane remain at Liverpool? Will Klopp be able to reinvigorate a team that went from quadruple hopefuls to double losers in the space of a week? Will Erling Haaland prove to be the game-breaker that takes City to an absolutely uncatchable level?

We’ll learn a lot from this game. If Liverpool seems weaker and City stronger, we might learn that the Premier League title is almost a foregone conclusion.

#4: The North London Derby (TBC)

For decades, Arsenal fans celebrated a unique holiday. St. Totteringham’s Day. The day of the season that it was mathematically impossible for the Gunners to be caught by their North London rivals. But for the past six seasons, it’s Spurs who’ve finished above their rivals in the league. It’s Spurs fans who’ve needed Champions League tickets while Arsenal has been making do with the Europa League.

Can Tottenham secure a seven-year streak of finishing above Arsenal? Or is it time for an Arsenal resurgence? The first North London Derby of the season will give us some indication, even though form and history suggest the home side usually triumphs. Arsenal hasn’t won an away derby since 2014, and Spurs need to go back to 2010. Will that change in 2022? 

#3: The Women’s European Final (July 31)

Women’s Euros tickets have been selling in record numbers, and the final at Wembley is expected to host a capacity crowd. Defending European champions the Netherlands have dropped in the world rankings of late, and pundits are tipping Spain and France for the title. But England’s Lionesses aren’t far behind in the odds, and they’re comfortably ranked as one of the ten best teams in the world.

Manager Sarina Wiegman will be looking to her men’s team counterpart for inspiration. Gareth Southgate took a mostly unfancied England’s men’s team to the final of the 2020 Euros, so the women must be hoping to go one better. Football may just be coming home – and from a slightly unexpected direction.

#2: The Manchester Derby (TBC)

If the Community Shield will tell us a lot about the eventual destination of the title, the season’s first Manchester Derby might tell us something about the long-term prospects of a team who expects to be perennial challengers.

City is the finished article. An established manager, a settled team, and one of Europe’s most promising – and effective – young strikers. They expect to win the league. They expect to win the Champions League. They’ll expect to win the season’s first derby.

If ten Hag’s Red Devils can make sure that expectation comes to nothing, we’ll have some idea of how his much-needed rebuild is progressing. City strolled through an uninterested United midfield as they strolled to a 4-1 win last time out. A committed, professional – and perhaps victorious – performance from the red half of Manchester would be a massive statement.

And with Erling Haaland out for revenge against a team whose volatile ex-captain crippled his dad, there’s a hefty dose of personal narrative in play too. Definitely worth getting your hands on Manchester United tickets.

#1: The 2022 World Cup Final (18 December)

It had to be. Everyone wants World Cup tickets, and everyone wants to see their team in the final. This year’s competition is incredibly hard to call. Defending champions France were shambolic at the Euros, while Euro runners-up England can call on even more young talent than two years ago. Brazil will always fancy their chances, while Argentina and Portugal know this is the last chance for Messi or Ronaldo to win the ultimate prize. 

And then of course there are the unknowns, the dark horses. Hosts Qatar will benefit from a home advantage in very difficult conditions, Senegal has a team that’s quietly packed with top-level talent, and Denmark will rally around their returning talisman Christian Eriksen. 

No matter which two teams are fighting for glory, the World Cup Final will be a must-watch, can’t-miss affair. It’s the biggest match left this year.

THE “FIFA BEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR” AWARD IN ITS CURRENT FORM

Let me narrow down to the reason for this write-up. I have observed with admiration the changes and reforms that are taking place at FIFA; all of which are aimed at making football more and more all-embracing. This is very commendable. Even on the field of play changes are being introduced to increase fairness and reduce errors. Even when it comes to rewarding players and managers for some outstanding achievements, positive changes are being made.

In the same vein, I am proposing a change to the mode of choosing the “FIFA Best Player of the Year”. In its current form, it is more of a “FIFA Best Offensive Player of the Year Award”.

Why do I say so? It is easier to notice and appreciate the performances of offensive players on the pitch (ie, strikers and offensive midfielders). And their feats are more enduring in the minds of spectators. A striker’s goal will more likely be remembered by the panel of judges than the last-ditch tackle of a defender. When we are watching a game of football, what we expect are goals. When there are no goals, however exciting the football match can be, that match will more likely be said to have “fallen short”. Even the loudest cheer is reserved for goals.

Defensive midfielders, defenders and goalkeepers are disadvantaged under the current system of picking the “FIFA Best Player of the Year”. Their roles on the field of play are less glamorous than those of offensive midfielders and strikers. Therefore their contributions to the overall success of the team are more likely to go unnoticed than those of the forwards.

Let me use this illustration to drive my point home, hypothetical though it is.

Let us take a goalkeeper, a central defender (No. 5) and a forward (No. 9); all playing for the same club and country. During a particular year, the goalkeeper makes a total of 40 spectacular saves for club and country; the No5 makes 45 eye-catching, last-ditch tackles for club and country and the No9 scores a total of 38 goals for club and country. And in that year their club wins 3 major trophies. Their country happens to win the FIFA World Cup that same year. Assuming no other players anywhere have matched or surpassed their achievements for that year and so they are the three finalists in the race for the FIFA Best Player of the Year Award. I am pretty sure the No9 will emerge as the winner of the award. Since we use goals to determine who wins a particular match, we are inclined to appreciate more the goals of the No9 than the spectacular saves of the goalkeeper or the last-ditch tackles of the No5.

Defensive players are disadvantaged under the current mode of picking the best player of the year.

THE PROPOSAL

To level the playing field, I propose a like-against-like system of selecting the FIFA Best Player of The Year. Under this system, players will be segregated according to their primary role on the pitch. This means goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards will compete for the accolade as distinct groups. This, in essence, means the FIFA Best Player of The Year will now have four winners who will be called FIFA Best Goalkeeper of the Year, FIFA Best Defender of The Year, FIFA Best Midfielder of The Year and FIFA Best Striker of The Year. This proposed change will increase competitiveness among players as they will know they have a chance to be awarded for outstanding performance in their PRIMARY ROLE on the field of play. The midfielder will know his or her ball distribution assists and helping out in defence will not be measured against the goals scored by the striker. If along the way he or she even scores a number of goals (which is usually the case), it just adds to their chances of being picked as the best player of the year. Similarly, the goalkeeper will know their spectacular saves, their gravity-defying leaps to punch the ball away from danger will not be measured against the goals of the striker.

I noticed that among the recipients of the FIFA Best Player of The Year there is not a single goalkeeper. And only one defender has ever won it. Does this mean there have been no goalkeepers or defenders who have done exceptionally well to deserve recognition as the world’s best? My answer is a polite but emphatic NO. The sole reason they are not picked is that their achievements are overshadowed by the achievements of their teammates (strikers) whose roles on the pitch are more glamorous and appealing to the panel of adjudicators. I do not mean to take away anything from the recipients of the award so far. They worked hard and merited it. I personally have over the years enjoyed watching them display their skills and goal-scoring capabilities.

Our inclination to value goal-scoring more than other roles on the pitch is reflected in the transfer fees paid for players. The price tag of the most expensive defender ever can go into the price tag of the most expensive forward ever 3-4 times.

CONCLUSION

It is my firm belief that this proposal will add value to the game of football. It will give belief to upcoming players whose primary role on the pitch is not goal-scoring, that they too stand a chance to win the most prestigious individual accolade in football, and therefore will be more motivated. Furthermore, the proposed format will signify that football is a team sport, with players assigned different roles, some glamorous and can be done with flair; and some arduous yet equally important to the success of the team.

Prior to the tournament, FIFA released the anthropometric data of the 736 players (squads of 23 from the 32 nations), which gave us the opportunity to compare the body size of players from each team and playing position. We found that out of all the teams, the goalkeepers at the 2018 FIFA World Cup stood out – they tended to be older, taller and heavier than the field players. The youngest players were the forwards, the shortest the midfielders, and the leanest based on BMI were the midfielders. Now that the two teams that are to battle out the final on Sunday are known, we have pulled out their team data and had a look at how they match up.

Squads Compared

We compared the body size data of the French and Croatian 23-man squads. The Croatians are on average older (27.9 v 26.0 years), a couple of centimetres (an inch) taller (185.3 v 183.3), but of similar average weight (79.3 v 80.0kg). If we just compare the expected starting 11 players (based on their semi-final match), the age difference is even greater (29.5 v 26.2 years). For both teams, the average weight of the players in the starting 11 is lower than the full squad average (Croatia 79.3 to 77.6kg, France 80.0 to 78.9kg), indicating the top players are leaner. The lower weight was not just because they are shorter, as the Body Mass Index was lower too (Croatia 23.1 to 22.8, France 23.8 to 23.5).

Players Compared

The two goalkeepers expected to play in the final are Danijel Subasic of Croatia and Hugo Lloris of France. The Croatian has a couple of years more experience (aged 33.7 versus 31.5 years), and also has an advantage in size: he is taller (191 v 188cm) and heavier (84 v 82 kg).

Of the starting four defenders, the noteworthy difference is their age. The Croatians are on average more than five years older (28.9 v 23.6 years). If this age difference translates to greater maturity and experience on the field, then they have a distinct advantage.

Comparing the midfielders, the French players are on average quite a bit heavier (76.7 v 70.7 kg) despite being of very similar height. At this level, we don’t expect players to be carrying much excess body fat, so the difference in weight would be mostly due to them being more solidly built, having more muscle and therefore being stronger. If this World Cup final becomes a physical encounter, the French midfield players are going to have a big advantage.

The Croatian forwards are also a couple of inches taller than their French counterparts (187.0 v 181.7cm), which may be an advantage around the goals, particularly for corners and other set pieces.

Conclusion

When it comes to the physical attributes of the two teams, in most cases it has been the Croatian team that has the advantage. Of course, body size is not the most important factor for successful performance in football, though, if all other things are equal then it may be the difference that could win a World Cup for Croatia. However, it may just come down to luck, particularly if it finishes with a penalty shootout.

Not all the names are so bland. If you could create a nickname, wouldn’t you want one that would strike fear in the opposition, like the Dragons from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, and my all-time favorite The Pirate Ship (Greece)? There are also Super Eagles (Nigeria) and Elephants (Ivory Coast) to contend with. But there is nothing as fearful as my team’s nickname – the Socceroos! Unfortunately, a fearsome team nickname does not necessarily equate to success, as the tournament favourites are commonly known as the Little Canaries (Brazil). Whaoo scary!

On my page on Fallen Heroes, I have listed some similar stories from the past. The most well-known similar accident was the Munich Air Disaster in 1958, in which a plane carrying the Manchester United football team along with a number of supporters and journalists crashed, 23 of the 44 people on board the aircraft died, including eight Manchester United players.

More recently, in 1993,  the entire Zambia National Soccer team perished on a flight en route to Senegal for the 1994 USA World Cup Qualifiers. All 30 passengers and crew, including 18 players as well as the coaches and support staff, were lost in the accident. Another such disaster for a football team was in 1949  when a plane carrying almost the entire Torino A.C. football squad crashed into the hill of Superga near Turin killing all 31 aboard including 18 players.

I firstly feel sorrow for the families and friends of each of those killed in the accidents, but the effect on the sporting club is hard to comprehend. It must be so difficult to build up the team to be competitive again, though I can imagine that the support and drive to do so would be overwhelming. I wish them well.

Fans at a soccer game

When all the stats are combined, soccer (football) regains it title of the most popular sport in the world! See more analysis of the World’s Most Popular Sports According to Wikipedia.