What a joke.
Golden Ball nominees
- Thread starter Blackwidow
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Ok, so this award is effectively meaningless now. Is there really anyone that actually thought he was the best player? A single person? He wasn't bad or anything but he was not the best. Not in my top 5 even.
Credibility of these awards takes another hit.
Messi. WTF. He was anonymous tonight. The biggest stage of all and he was sh1t.
Messi got it for showing up.
Robben, Rodriguez and Muller were better.
Robben, Rodriguez and Muller were better.
He was much better today than his last 3 games as well except one assist vs Swiss.
Look he hasn't been awful or anything or bad even, but Robben and Rodriguez on different level discounting defenders.
Disgusting.
Football awards are turning into an embarrassment.. There was a time when players who received them actually deserved them, now it just goes on hype.
.... Out of the attackers. Mascherano (even though he's a twat) has also been outstanding. Even Hummels has a shout.
Can't believe our Danny got snubbed.
Yes - it's important to note he hasn't been bad. But relative to what he CAN do, he's been disappointing. Golden ball winner? No chance.
Messi's reaction looked like he knew he didn't deserve it too.
Who?
well their was at least 5 players that looked better than messi at the world cup so its a little embarrassing to give the award to him.
Well - that and losing a WC final but winning the golden ball is hardly a consolation.
Not my top 3 player, it's embarrassing really when he was awarded with the golden balls.
Messi was good in the final and in the cup overall, but giving him the golden ball is a farce.
Yea true! That probably put him on a bit of a downer too...
That is a highly generous comment to Messi. Good? I don't think so. He was OK. Nothing sexual.
This whole tournament has been about pleasing the sponsors...
Who gets to select the best player? Corrupt fifa officials,can they be any more blatant.Robben ,rodriguez and whole of the german team have been miles ahead of messi.
That is genuinely a joke. There are players out there who are way more deserving and would be infinitely more happier to receive it, but nope gotta make Messi the GOAT for some reason.
People are going way over the top suggesting he doesn't even belong among the contenders or the top-5 for the Golden Ball. Personally I'd place him at #3 after James and Robben (like Maradona in '90).
Messi wasn't even the best player in Argentina let alone the whole tournament
I'd put him above both of those, Rodriguez went out too early, against Brazil of all sides too. He also played in a side that functioned the best as a unit till Germany turned it on, and Cuadrado could easily have been in and around the mix with Rodriguez.
Robben was arguably player of the group stages, but the antics against Mexico and pretty naff games against Costa Rica and Argentina put him just below Messi, who did single handedly inspire his side to the Quarter Finals. He was also decent tonight when he had the ball, just because it's Messi he was expected to work miracles.
Neuer was closest, probably should have won it ahead of Messi, but it certainly isn't some sort of farce at many are suggesting.
If you truly believe Messi deserved the Golden Ball, you have no respect for the sport.
Sentimentality beat common sense here. Muller and Neuer were more deserving. I was irritated by the commentator saying Messi deserved it for what he had done in his career. It's not a lifetime achievement award. It for the tournament's best player. Messi was maybe the third best player in Brazil.
It's a complete farce. People may be going overboard but seriously, Mueller, Robben, Rodriguez, Neuer etc... plus a few others were way ahead of him. Even Mascherano was in his own team. Not worth getting to het up over a Mike Mouse award, but seriously, who made that decision?
Mascherano played like a tiger throughout. Should have been in contention.
I'm hoping alot of this is just a knee-jerk reaction, cause that's taking the piss.
Muller came second, Robben third. Neuer should probabyl have won it, but Messi was probably the best of the rest.
If Messi wasn't Messi, no one would have an issue with it. He was the most decisive player throughout the tournament and just came up short to a superior Germany team.
The chance he missed tonight was a little more difficult than Palacio's and especially Higuain's. That's football though.
Rodriguez should've won. Don't get me wrong Messi has had a decent tournament but that's it.
If Messi wasn't Messi he wouldn't have won the award.
Kind of agree, but I can see the reasoning behind not giving it to a player who didn't reach the semis.
They have a history of treating the Ball as some kind of consolation prize (last time they honoured Forlan, Sneijder and Villa, the three players that didn't get the Golden Boot despite actually scoring the most goals), but having a genuine ceremony for Messi, who was obviously crestfallen and didn't want to be there, was a bit tactless.
It's 1990 all over again. Germany edging a tight final against a stuffy blue-clad Argentina. Influential but not career-defining performances from Maradona/Messi that merit both getting rated in the top 3-5 of the tournament. Even the camera pictures panning out from the Maracana were eerily reminiscent of the same post-final shots of Rome's stadio olimpico.
Who cares about the golden ball in that situation?
James has the golden boot. That is better than silver or bronce ball as nobody really remembers who won them.
I am pretty sure that Messi would love to change his silver medal and the golden ball with Müller's trophy and silber ball and boot.
James has the golden boot. That is better than silver or bronce ball as nobody really remembers who won them.
I am pretty sure that Messi would love to change his silver medal and the golden ball with Müller's trophy and silber ball and boot.
Which is what I said a week back, Argentina and Messi are mirroring Argentina 90 and Maradona. I even got the final result right. Clearly down to nostalgia...but why didn't I put cash on it?!
Undeserving in my opinion, but unfortunately this is the way football is conducted nowadays.
Robben didn't do anything against Costa Rica nor Argentina and only thing he did against Mexiko was getting a penalty. Oh yeah that's just so awesome and great. Oh but he ran a lot I guess that's why he's been so much better than Messi. Messi wasn't spectacular, I do know that. But he created more for his team in the knock out games than Robben did. James just went out too early. Honestly he had a great world cup but he went out in the quarter finals and you just won't win this award if you don't make the semis. You just won't.
You could've give the award to I don't know maybe Neuer but most people are just underrating what Messi did or overrating what players like Robben or eg Müller did.
You could've give the award to I don't know maybe Neuer but most people are just underrating what Messi did or overrating what players like Robben or eg Müller did.
I'd probably have him at nr. 6 if I think about it too much. Robben, Rodriguez, Neuer is my top 3. Mesi was very good in the group but he was below his average in the knock-outs. He didn't shine in any of those matches and never had a single game as good as Robben or Rodriguez.
He was however Argentina's only good attacking player this tournament. Their defense, spearheaded by Mascherano, is what got them to the final.
No way did he deserved that award.