Torres: An Intimate Portrait of the Kid Who Became King

have rarely been a determining factor in the
Ballon d’Or
award.
    Meanwhile, the Spanish newspapers have very different ideas as to who should win the competition. Take
Sport
, one of the two dailies based in Barcelona that covers news about football. It began collecting signatures from celebrities and fans all over the world to support the nomination of Leo Messi. An initiative that reaches a total of 60,000 within a few days – and this in spite of the 2007–08 season, which has not been the best for the little Argentinian. Apart from the gold medal with the national team at the Beijing Olympics, Lionel has won nothing with Barcelona. His year has been ruined by injuries and, in addition, he lost the direct clash with Ronaldo’s Manchester United in the semi-final of the Champions League. From last September, under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, he has once again returned to the top level, performing well and scoring goals. A bit late, though. Staying in Barcelona:
Mundo Deportivo
, the other daily of the city, champions Xavi – also a Barça player – undoubtedly the leading participant at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, as well as being elected the best player of the tournament. Moving to the Spanish capital, one discovers that
Marca
is campaigning for Iker Casillas, the keeper whose saves and cool-headedness in the penalty roulette against Italy got the national side past the taboo of the quarter-finals.
    To sum up, everyone has their axe to grind, but the situation in Spain is such that the weight of the two historic clubs is more than the national team. Real Madrid and Barcelona rule the roost, as always. Nevertheless, the fact remains that it’s all very irksome. Even to Fernando. In an interview with French sport daily,
L’Équipe
, on the eve of the World Cup qualifying match between Estonia and Spain last October, El Niño said: ‘You’d have to be blind not to see the huge campaign in favour of Iker. I’m the first to recognise that he deserves it, but so does Villa, Xavi or me. But no one is saying so. According to where you are geographically, you are rated more highly. I don’t like this difference in treatment.’ A controversy that is immediately hushed-up. The different voices from one side or the other tone themselves down and there’s less discussion on the issue. Xavi Hernández makes light of the quarrelling and draws a line between the personal jealousies: ‘The individual prizes’, he says, ‘are a reflection of the collective success. I don’t think that I have much chance. I would certainly like a Spaniard to win. If not then Messi, my Barça team-mate.’ But that is not to be.
    On the cover of the 2 December edition of
France Football
, there is Cristiano Ronaldo. With 446 points, he is European Footballer of the Year (winner of the
Ballon d’Or
) 2008. Second, on 281, is Lionel Messi and Fernando Torres third with 179. Following-up behind are Iker Casillas, who just misses out on the podium, Xavi in fifth and David Villa seventh. Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool captain, comes in tenth. To complete the Spanish Armada, midfielder Marcos Senna, of Brazilian origin, is also there, finishing in 11th, Cesc Fabregas 20th and Sergio Ramos 22nd.
    The result is expected – at least for the top place. Messi keeps second place, the same as the previous year. Torres mounts the podium for the first time. Fernando was nominated in 2006, the year of the Germany World Cup, the year in which Fabio Cannavaro, the Italy captain, took home the award. El Niño ended up in the body of the group, 26th, equal to lots of other good players. This time, things go very differently. Despite the vote in favour of the Manchester United winger, five judges on the award panel made Torres their top candidate. Their opinions make for interesting reading: ‘Torres for me is the best-performing player of the year,’ writes Franks Van Den Nieuwenhof of the Dutch
Eindhovens Dagblad
. ‘Torres is the best over the last 30 metres,’ from Paché Andrade,
Canal RCN
, in Colombia. ‘Fernando Torres, in his first season with Liverpool, has achieved the incredible total of 24 goals and got the crowning goal for Spain. For all these reasons, I put him ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo,’ comments Luo Minn,
Titan Sport,
China. ‘Torres is a strong character and has immense talent,’ from Dafrallah Mouadhen, MBC TV, Dubai. ‘His outstanding season with Liverpool and his enormous contribution to the Spanish