How the hell did Messi win Player of the tournament

[crazycottager]

i have watched Messi play Ronaldo at the nou camp, and Messi just oozed class, the reason we think he's overrated is because the feats he achieves seem commonplace today, when him and ronaldo are gone it will make us appreciate them a lot more

[JBH]

i have watched Messi play Ronaldo at the nou camp, and Messi just oozed class, the reason we think he's overrated is because the feats he achieves seem commonplace today, when him and ronaldo are gone it will make us appreciate them a lot more

What he does at the Camp Nou has no reflection on what he did at the the World Cup, he was average during the tournament and there were at least 6 Germans who deserved the award before him.

[PeterFFC]

Not saying I think he should've won the Player of the Tournament but he has brought Argentina to the final with Mascherano, you don't do that without being a exceptional player

I just don't see what u saw.
At no point during this tournament was he "exceptional"

But as we've now seen Messi play so well and so much, people are expecting a lot from him and when doesn't perform to his absolute best, think he's played bad, not just by his standards. I reckon if a player not as well known had just played as Messi had in this tournament they would've been one of the canidates for Golden Ball.
Also it says something about a player when he isn't playing near his best and can still drag his team to the World Cup final.

[alfie]

For me last night it was Boetang, that guys seems to do things without appearing to move, he is so confident and casual on the ball.

[Humbled]

i have watched Messi play Ronaldo at the nou camp, and Messi just oozed class, the reason we think he's overrated is because the feats he achieves seem commonplace today, when him and ronaldo are gone it will make us appreciate them a lot more

What he does at the Camp Nou has no reflection on what he did at the the World Cup, he was average during the tournament and there were at least 6 Germans who deserved the award before him.

[mitimo]

To be fair to the man, he did his best, not his fault that his prior form had him marked out as the man to stop in any game.  He did win a couple of games for his team when draws and penalties looked most likely.
AND if you look at his demeanour after being given the award, I think he was embarrassed by the award - he knew he didn't deserve it, but what could he do - refuse it?  Just think of the stink that would be cooked up then, accusing him of arrogance.

[Bradstow]

He got the award, justifiably, by simply being the greatest footballer in the world.

[Luka]

He got the award, justifiably, by simply being the greatest footballer in the world.

Now in my opinion that accolade goes to Ronaldo.

[The Equalizer]

This was clearly nothing to do with his sponsorship by Adidas...

[Lighthouse]

Well Mrs Person who is here on a freebie. Do you any footballers that you think was outstandin in the World Cup?


Um.....Pele?

No he was sadly not playing

Oh well then Bobby Charlton

Um no not him either

Oh dear

I am sorry Mrs Person is that a spot on your blouse

Oh dear is it messy?

Messi it is, thank you.

[JBH]

He got the award, justifiably, by simply being the greatest footballer in the world.

But not in the World Cup 2014 which is what the award was for  fp.gif

[Burt]

To be fair it was his contributions and goals that dug Argentina out of some holes, so he was influential in that context.

Player of the tournament though? No... He didn't set it on light. The stand-out player for me was Arjen Robben.

[Nero]

Prehaps he just got for not being a diving cheat bugger like, neymar and robben, that or sepp just gave it to him to wind up the brazilians who have booed him ever time hes appeared

[nose]

the reason  messi won the award was because the sponsor wanted it to be so for advertising reasons, no more no less.
you didn't think this was a proper vote for the best player at the tournament did you?
How foolish if you did, we have seen how FIFA operate and this pretty much fits the general malise.

[God The Mechanic]

Forlan won the award in 2010 and no one made a fuss out of it, yet he wasn't the best player that tournament either.

I think it's become fashionable (for some people) to dislike and belittle Messi at every opportunity recently, in the same was Ronaldo gets put down when he doesn't score 74 goals a game.  They're the best two players of this generation by some margin, so of course we're going to hear a lot about them.  Them winning awards you may not think they deserve are not personal sleights.

[Lighthouse]

Oh for goodness sake, Messi didn't deserve the award. This isn't about the fact that awards are often given to people who don't deserve it, or I fee it is a personal attack on my dress sense or I simply have a vendetta against players with names ending in 'i'.

George Best was one of the best players of his generation. Although he didn't play in a World Cup, should he have the award? Some would argue Messi didn't turn up in this World Cup.

[God The Mechanic]

Some would argue Messi didn't turn up in this World Cup.

Some would be wrong then!  A bigger deal is being made of this because it's Messi, if it happened to another player (and it did) no one would care (and didn't).

[Lighthouse]

Some would argue Messi didn't turn up in this World Cup.

Some would be wrong then!  A bigger deal is being made of this because it's Messi, if it happened to another player (and it did) no one would care (and didn't).

Only because Messi is one of a few household names playing in the World Cup. If his name was Albert Jones and played like Messi did, poor old Albert would not have been considered.

[God The Mechanic]

Some would argue Messi didn't turn up in this World Cup.

Some would be wrong then!  A bigger deal is being made of this because it's Messi, if it happened to another player (and it did) no one would care (and didn't).

Only because Messi is one of a few household names playing in the World Cup. If his name was Albert Jones and played like Messi did, poor old Albert would not have been considered.

Beg to differ.  If some unknown player had been directly involved in 5 and indirectly in a further 1 of their teams 8 goals (where none of their games had a winning margin of more than 1) in a World Cup helping take that team to the final of the tournament, he'd be being lauded worldwide.  Messi has set outrageous standards (as has Ronaldo) in recent years, standards that no other player has come anywhere near on a consistent basis, so anything below that is seen as poor.  He may not have been the best player at the tournament, but he was far from poor or even average.

[Lighthouse]

God The Mechanic - Sorry just realised we are in disagreement on this thread too. Anyway my best mate Maradona, who is such a sensible chap has this to say.


Argentine legend Diego Maradona says his compatriot Lionel Messi did not deserve the Golden Ball award at the 2014 Fifa World Cup.
Messi, 27, picked up the prize for the tournament's best player following Argentina's 1-0 defeat by Germany in the final at the Maracana stadium.
"I would give heaven and earth to Leo," said Maradona.
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World Cup 2014: Germany 1-0 Argentina (aet) highlights
"But when marketing people want him to win something he didn't [deserve to] win, it is unfair."