“In football everything is open to debate, but not this Ballon d’Or for Messi,” writes Juan Castro in Marca, from Madrid, emphasizing the justice of the award. Breaking through the thick layer of Real Madrid fans with praise for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is a brave task. Everything that is not Real Madrid should not be considered.
And if it is Messi, the Antichrist of Madrid, any praise must go through the commissioner: it is cause for observation. Although Marca is less recalcitrant than As on the Messi issue. For worse or worse, Marca had no choice but to give Leo his eight-time Pichichi award as top scorer in the Spanish league. They’ve known each other for years.
(Also read: Colombian football, in uncertainty: without permission to make VAR audios public)
In the north of Spain, in Berlin, Lothar Matthäus, that good German midfielder from the ’80s and ’90s, said that “the choice of Messi is a farce.” And he added: “It is unfair that Messi has won the Ballon d’Or. But you can see that a World Cup is worth more than everything else.” Lothar is forgetful: he, a footballer without any brilliant edge, won the 1990 Ballon d’Or for having won the World Cup with Germany. Tournament in which he scored 4 goals, two against Yugoslavia, one against the United Arab Emirates and another, from a penalty, against Czechoslovakia. He did not score in the semi-final or final. It was his only title that year. Yes, it seems that a World Cup is worth more. Lothar was leaning towards Erling Haaland, who was also an excellent option. There, in some way, classic Eurocentrism arises: everything that is not European and is not in Europe is invalid.
But, except for ignorance, this eighth award from Messi is the least debatable of all. The award was awarded for the performance between August 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023. During that period, the World Cup was played, very beautiful, by the way, with the best final in history. And we already know what happened there. In addition to the World Cup, Messi had an excellent season in France (champion and best foreigner in the league) and his brilliant start in the United States, although only his first three games at Inter Miami are counted. Everything at Messi level, that is, with the maximum of exquisiteness and forcefulness.
The arguments to defend Messi’s new Ballon d’Or
“I voted for Messi. In a World Cup year, the World Cup rules, and there is no discussion: Leo had an extraordinary tournament, he led his team, which debuted losing, was on the verge of elimination and he lifted it,” says Danilo Díaz, a magnificent Chilean journalist who votes all the years in the election of France Football and also in The Best, of Fifa. He expands: “France Football never suggests who to choose or changes your vote, there is total respect. It emphasizes, yes, to take into account the importance of each competition, the relevance of the protagonist in said dispute, their behavior, titles…”
(Also: Fluminense, finally, is champion of the Copa Libertadores, in an emotional final against Boca)
Paché Andrade, a notable exponent of Colombian radio storytelling (which is no mean feat), has been representing his country in the Ballon d’Or for two decades. “My vote was for Messi – he confesses – He was a central figure of the world champion and an undeniable promoter of the future of football. Yes, those of us who are already almost settled in the United States will know…” Carlos Enrique Rivera, narrator of ATB, from La Paz, Bolivia, celebrated twenty years of voting for France Football and perhaps has a record: “The eight times that Messi won the Ballon de Gold I voted for him. And on this occasion, he having won the World Cup. I choose him because in addition to being the best player in the world, he is an exceptional person, humble, simple, family-oriented. Second I put Haaland. It is an honor to participate in this competition. France Football’s transparency is absolute.”
In turn, Ricardo Montoya, a Peruvian television commentator, is not part of the jury (100 reporters participate, one from each country in the top one hundred of the FIFA World Ranking) nor does he have any doubts: “I am a Christian, not a Messi, “But what Messi did in the World Cup is enough and is enough to win the Ballon d’Or.”
Rubén Baraja, now Valencia coach, had to suffer it for fifteen years in the fields of Spain. At a press conference he was full of praise for the eight-time winner: “If you have seen Messi play, you will not see anyone who plays like him. I would give him all the Ballon d’Ors in the world. “I would make one for him and one for the rest.” And he went further: “There is no player who can do what he does on the field of play. There is no other like knowing how to play football and knowing how to interpret it. The award seems fair to me for his career and for having won the World Cup with Argentina.”
The reflection of Lautaro Martínez, his teammate, also nominated among the 30 for the Ballon d’Or, does not sound exaggerated: “If it wasn’t for Cristiano Ronaldo, Leo would win fifteen Ballon d’Ors.” Lula, President of Brazil, put him as an example for all the youth of his country: “Messi must be the inspiration for all our girls.”
However, the column by Henry Winter, editor-in-chief of The Times of London, and the argument about his vote for Lionel in the trophy is particularly moving:
“This may be the last time we celebrate Messi as the best player in the world, but the issue has nothing to do with nostalgia or clinging to a romance that is fading. Rather, Messi deserves the Ballon d’Or. When I voted for England for the Ballon d’Or, I thought carefully about the incredible work of Haaland and Mbappé, studied their amazing statistics and best shots, and then came back to Messi. Messi led Argentina to win the World Cup last season with a performance comparable to Maradona’s in the 1986 World Cup. Football is about titles and Messi’s performance in Qatar showed that he deserved first place and six points. Although Messi’s career was brilliant with four Champions League titles, he needed a World Cup. All the pressure was on his shoulders, especially with a young coach like Scaloni and a team that included three important young players in Enzo, Álvarez and Mac Allister. At times, especially after the first surprising loss against Saudi Arabia, Messi was under more pressure, and when his country needed him most, Messi responded. He won the award for best player in the World Cup and scored 7 goals of quality and variety: long-distance goals against Mexico and Australia, deep goals against France and penalty kicks taken with different left, right, high and low goals. Messi also gave three assists and played every minute of the tournament. No player has taken more shots on goal than him (32). Only Antoine Griezmann has more key passes than Messi, who has 21. Only Musiala and Mbappé dribbled more than him, and no player was exposed to more fouls than him. If some of those who mock him might suggest that the referees are influenced by his reputation, the reality is that Messi is being attacked and his astonishing movements confuse opponents who jump and catch him. By all standards, Messi was the most effective in the most important tournament in sport, but Messi is not just numbers, he is much more. Messi is poetry. Messi is the one who surprises you. Messi is that sudden burst of speed and that touch to keep the ball away from a defender like Gvardiol. Messi is a special role model for the younger generation who follows the stars as much as the teams. Attending a game with his national team is completely different from another game. “A Messi match in itself is considered an event.”
No more arguments, your honor.
(In other news: Boca fan boy raffled off his Play to go to the Libertadores final, and he didn’t have a ticket!)
Last tango…
Jorge Barraza
For the time
@JorgeBarrazaOK
#eightfold #gold #plating #tango #opinion