(Lionel Messi. Photo by Daily Post)
FIFA, the organization that oversees world football, has faced criticism for allegedly insulting Lionel Messi at the just finished World Cup.
FIFA’s decision to deny Messi the World Cup Golden Ball trophy has angered Argentinean journalists, who have expressed their unhappiness.
Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Spain in Sunday’s final put an end to Messi’s hopes of winning a second World Cup.
Argentina struggled throughout the match, failing to register a single shot on target during regular time, with their situation worsening after Enzo Fernandez was sent off late in the game.
Lionel Scaloni’s side had hoped to push the game to penalties after being reduced to ten men, but Ferran Torres scored the winner in extra time to hand Spain their second World Cup title.
Beyond claiming their first World Cup since 2010, Spain also dominated the individual awards, with Rodri, Pau Cubarsi and Unai Simon all receiving personal accolades.
Rodri was named winner of the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, having led Spain to the title.
However, TyC Sports journalist, Antonio Serpa, criticised FIFA for what he called a complete lack of sensitivity in not honouring Messi with the award instead.
Messi was named the tournament’s second-best player after scoring eight goals and providing four assists in what is widely expected to be his final World Cup appearance.
Serpa argued that handing the award to Rodri was almost an insult, describing it as a display of insensitivity, not because the Spaniard was undeserving as a player, but because Messi remained the heart and soul of both Argentina’s campaign and the tournament as a whole.
He said Messi lit up the pitches with his brilliance and emotion at age 39, scoring goals and drawing fans of every nationality eager to witness the legendary player in action.
He further argued that if the logic behind the award was to reward winners, then FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his team ought to be reminded that football is decided by goals rather than passes, noting that Rodri neither scored nor set up a single goal throughout the tournament despite completing a high volume of passes.