Soccer Star of the Year selection process needs review 

WHENEVER a group of people or experts are asked to come up with a list of outstanding football players for an annual award, it is expected that the outcome will have varying nominations because analysis always differs with each individual.

There has been noise, the loudest in years, following the awarding of the 2024 Ballon d’Or to Manchester City midfielder, Rodri after his successes for both club and country, Spain in 2023 and 2024.

A defensive midfielder is rarely an option when it comes to these footballing awards world over as preference is always given to the attacking players whose statistics are always paraded in the build-up, during and after a match.

There is no escaping statistics of attacking players. 

That is why the Ballon d’Or has been about the attackers like record-winner, Lionel Messi and Ronaldo. 

While opposition to Rodri landing the award is massive, there are statistics to support the nomination and eventual crowning of the Manchester City star ahead of Vinicius Junior, who was an overwhelming favourite for the non-voters.

This is largely because Vinicius Junior plays for the two most popular and successful teams in world football -Real Madrid and Brazil.

Real Madrid are the world’s most supported football club by a distance and it is automatic that once their player is in the race for an award, the public sentiment makes him the odds-on favourite.

On that basis, criticism that comes when a non-Real Madrid player prevails will most likely be influenced by the sheer numbers that the world club football giants command.

Amid the Real Madrid-fuelled outrage, Rodri’s triumph was explained or justified in form of statistics which were probably used by the panel that voted.

One of those statistics say Rodri was a reliable figure for City in 2023-24, starting more matches (50) than any of his teammates, while he also played the most minutes (4,325). At Euro 2024 with Spain, he started six of their seven matches before suffering an injury and being withdrawn at half-time in the final of the tournament against England.

Despite the controversy, the Ballon d’Or always has enough statistics to influence their choices and it becomes easier to defend whatever outcome.

That is the challenge the panel for the Soccer Star of the Year selection in Zimbabwe faces. The 2024 Soccer Star of the Year finalists were announced on Wednesday and there was an uproar as champions Simba Bhora became the first team to provide five players on the 11-man calendar.

One of the reasons people were generally disappointed by the 11 finalists, particularly the five from Simba Bhora is that statistics were only used when it suited an agenda but not for purposes of coming up with a credible list.

Simba Bhora won the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League in their second season after gaining promotion from the Northern Region Soccer League.

While their success was remarkable and historic for the Mashonaland Central Province, Simba Bhora were not dominant to that level of contributing almost half the 11 finalists in a league that has 18 teams.

That Simba Bhora had five players and then the was no one from the teams occupying second place and fifth was scandalous.

It cannot be justified.

The issue of second placed FC Platinum stands out. FC Platinum dominated proceedings until a month-long slump saw them surrender the leadership to Simba Bhora.

FC Platinum beat Simba Bhora home and away, ruining what would have been an impressive unbeaten season at Wadzanai Stadium in Shamva.

They did not concede a goal in two legs against Simba Bhora and ensured that the race for the title went on until Week 32.

For there to be five Simba Bhora finalists against zero from FC Platinum is problematic, especially when considering the end of season statistics.

FC Platinum lost fewer matches and had a better goal difference after scoring five goals more and conceding just one more from the 34 matchdays.

If Simba Bhora had three defenders for losing eight games, conceding 24 goals in 34 matches and two attackers for scoring 39 goals in 34 matches, why is there no one from FC Platinum who lost seven, scored 39 and conceded 34?

How about former champions, Ngezi Platinum who lost just five games, scored 46 goals and conceded only 23?

How do you justify three defenders from Simba Bhora who lost eight games and conceded 24 when there is ZPC Kariba who lost seven (one less than the champions) and conceded just 18 goals (seven less than Simba Bhora) but do not have anyone on the 11 finalists?

The Simba Bhora defence was only fifth on the final Castle Lager Premiership standings behind ZPC Kariba, Manica Diamonds, Chicken Inn and Ngezi Platinum Stars.

The Simba Bhora strike force was fourth behind Ngezi Platinum, FC Platinum and Highlanders.

These statistics mean, all things being equal, champions Simba Bhora did not deserve five players on the final list of the Best XI.

Again to confirm that statistics were ignored when it mattered, former CAPS United captain Godknows Murwira made it to the list yet his team conceded a disappointing 39 goals while he did not score goals on the other end to at least justify his inclusion. The CAPS United defence was the THIRD WORST in the 2024 campaign, bettering only Arenel Movers (43) and Hwange (42) and yet their captain for much of the season was rewarded with a place on the final eleven.

This cannot be defended!

Instead, this calls for a review of the process so that integrity is restored on the popular Soccer Star of the Year contest.