Well that’s an argument for thing never being legitimate 
World Footballer of the year ranking 2001
Interesting.
Anyway, Salah is the greatest of this generation of Premier League forwards. I’d put him just ahead of Aguero.
It was the same format with both Ronaldo and Owen.
They combined the FIFA player of the year award and the Ballon d’or into one (Ballon d’Or) in 2010.
There were huge differences between that award and the Ballon d’Or almost every year, that’s nothing special.
Just says how you can’t take them too seriously.
It was just as legit as Ronaldo’s in 2008.
Again, the same format.
Ronaldo’s only holds more weight because he won both big awards and really dominated the season on all fronts, but looking at the awards in isolation they are the same.
So it’s a crime when they say CR7 is the only PL Ballon d’Or winner (even before Rodri obviously).
It’s interesting when they talk about Zizou or R9, they say HE WON THIS BALLON D’OR or that, with a huge weight on it… But when they say Owen won a Ballon d’Or it’s like he won a PL player of the month award lol.
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I think it’s quite obvious that Salah is the ‘better’ PL player and that is largely down to time.
For me, 07/08 Ronaldo was at a higher level than anything Salah has done in the PL.
Salah has obviously put up some mental stats this season but I feel like there’s an underwhelming element to his play. I can’t quite put my finger on why.
I think the point Rocky makes regarding 442 is a great one too.
Not for me 
It does get mentioned often, wrongly imo. Ronaldo at the time played what was far from a traditional role of a winger in a 442.
It wasn’t a Giggs/Beckham esque role, where they had two actual 9s inside (Yorke, Coley Sherngham etc).
They had Rooney and Tevez as “strikers” who worked like mad defensively and both actually worked much more defensively than Ronaldo.
Ronaldo was actually very often the furthest player up the pitch, especially when United defended.
United played with no true 9 at the time, and it was highlighted very often.
His actual role was much much closer to a modern winger in a 433 (basically the same I’d say; he was THE prototype) than an old school 442 winger.
Btw, the next season they actually got a 9, Berbatov, and his numbers dropped masivelly. Not by accident.
I am kinda glad that Rooney-Tevez-Ronaldo trio lasted only two seasons. It’s a mad set of attackers.
They were 23, 25, 24 respectively at the time and if United kept hold of them, they would have dominated for another 5 seasons.
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When you look at it, United did a pretty horrible job of reinvesting the Ronaldo money. They got an absurd sum for him at the time, and spent it on guys like Valnecia, Ashley Young etc…
They didn’t do any better than Tottenham with Bale money, and it hardly gets talked about, because Ferguson could still get the most out of relatively limited players and were still doing good domestically, but they drastically started falling behind Europe’s elite (Barca, Real, Bayern).
Their downfall really started way before Ferguson left.
Another big topic I just opened. 
In Salah’s thread. 
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I would say it started when they dilydallied the contract negotiation with Tevez. The guy was a maverick, a bargain at just 25 euros, and someone United already benefitted for 2 seasons. Pissing Tevez off when you are already destined to lose Ronaldo wa beyond stupid from Ferguson & United.
Replacing Ronaldo & Tevez with Ashley Young (@Pires edited the quote…slimy fuck) & Valencia 
Glad it happened.
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Yep, they did pretty bad with losing both Ronaldo and Tevez at the same time.
They were left with Rooney as the only guy up front who can change a game on his own, and it just wasn’t enough to keep up with the best of the best in Europe.
Tevez was brilliant in those first two years at City (often gets overlooked) before his relationship with Mancini exploded, and became a Juve legend in those two seasons. Would have left a massive legacy at United if he stayed.
They even barely managed to hold on to Rooney in 2011 or 2012, when he saw things aren’t going the right way. I remember being so hyped at the time about United losing Rooney to City lol.
Something seriously went wrong with their recruitment and whole sport policy already at the end of 00s, Ferguson was just covering it up with his managerial ability for a while.
Who?! 
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I remember all that Ballon d’Or talk a few months ago. That’s gone radio silent now.
Might shock you to hear that he’s got 3 goals and 1 assist for club and country the past 2 months. 2 of them being penalties. 
Judging by how overlooked he’s historically been in the Ballon d’Or rankings, I wouldn’t be shocked if he doesn’t even end up making the podium.
Be nice if he does as a favour and not surpass Henry’s assist record in the remaining 4 games though.
Still has the goals contribution record in a campaign in EPL locked away doesn’t he ?
I thought he broke that already but apparently he hasn’t yet. Needs two more to do so. He’s 46, Shearer and Cole are at 47.
Oh they probably did it in the old 42 game season I’m tipping.
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Who even is the competition? Yamal? Raphinha?
Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri and Dembele. Think UCL will play a big factor on who wins.
So Saka has a chance then 
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You best believe I’m running the nastiest agenda for Saka to win the Ballon d’Or if we somehow win the CL.
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3 left footed wingers of a very similar profile there. Althought all 3 play a different position.
And then there’s Salah too lol.
Left footed wingers are dominating the world.
Brilliant what Enrique has done with Dembele.
From a supposed failed young talent to a Ballon d’Or contender in a very short time.