Messi took his seventh Golden Ball with a slight difference of voice before Robert Lewandowski. The success of the national team became crucial, writes Jan Vilén, HS’s sports journalist.
Argentine Lionel Messi was again voted the best men’s soccer player in the world on Monday night.
Messi kicked France Football magazine’s prestigious Golden Ball (Ballon d’Or) for the seventh time at a gala in Paris. That’s how he took Manchester United to the top of the list with a two-ball difference Cristiano Ronaldoon.
The choice of the fair has been relatively unanimous for many previous years, but this time Bayern Munich was the number one favorite in many papers. Robert Lewandowski.
However, the Polish national striker was second in the vote, but received little consolation for the new award given to the best scorer.
Vote among the top candidates was quite flat. Messi got 613 votes, Lewandowski 580, and Chelsea’s Italian midfielder Jorginho 460 votes.
Even before the election, the order of the duo caused a great deal of debate, and once the result was resolved, an even tighter defense of one’s own points of view began.
The debate crystallized largely on the same issue as many times before: the importance of team success in interpersonal comparisons.
Messi played in Barcelona last season and moved to Paris Saint-Germain in France in the summer.
Barcelona won nothing last season. Messi won the paint kingdom with 30 goals.
Lewandowski won the German championship and the club world championship in Bayern. In addition, he set a new Bundesliga goal record after finishing as many as 41 hits.
Decisive national team success seems to be rising, but that is not always enough either.
Messi led Argentina to its first big win in decades as the team celebrated the South American Championship Copa American victory. Messi was chosen as the best player in the tournament.
Lewandowski scored three goals in the summer European Championships, but Poland still remained a jumbo in the first block.
The golden ball has followed the success of the national team in the past.
In 2018, the Croatian World Cup silver wings Luka Modricin the winner past Cristiano Ronaldo and France Antoine Griezmannin. In 2016, European Championship gold was the final touch to Ronaldo’s fourth Golden Ball.
Why not Jorginho then exported the profit this time?
The midfielder won the Champions League in Chelsea and the European Championship in the Italian shirt. However, the man’s grips lack spectacular delusions and skillful paints, which may explain the third place.
Messi has often been criticized for his lack of national team success, but this time it was that success that put him number one.
Is there then does it make any sense to compare team success when it comes to the best player award?
Yes and no.
In team sports, the success of a team cannot be ignored. The best player in the world needs to be able to lead their team to some title.
However, the statistics do not say everything. Mess’s skill and ability to create situations from scratch for himself and others is something his competitors don’t have.
As a scorer, Lewandowski has been superior for two seasons, and for many other years it would have been enough for a brightly glittering ball. Now the cabinet was filled only with a consolation prize.
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