¿Quién ha sido para ti el mejor jugador del Mundial 2010?

Forlán opened with a comfortable cushion, close to 20 points ahead in the early days. Villa overtook him on day 36 and held for nearly six months, until day 211, when Messi grabbed the top spot and stayed there for 86 straight days. Then, with just 35 days left, Villa flipped it back on day 297 and held through the finish.

The finish was tighter than three flips suggests: Villa's 17.9% beat Messi's 15.7% by barely two points, in a crowded 16-name field where no one neared a majority. Forlán, that early leader, ended up third. Mexico, the single largest voting bloc, backed Forlán from day one — the country that voted hardest never got behind the winner.

• Three lead changes · Forlán → Villa (day 36) → Messi (day 211) → Villa (day 297)
• Late upset · Villa reclaimed first with only 35 days left, after Messi's 86-day run
• Plurality, not a mandate · Winner took just 17.9% of the vote across 16 options
• Mexico's dissent · The top voting country backed Forlán, who finished third overall