Those that voted were not gonna pick a player whose team got knocked out in the quarter finals so James, unfortunately, would have not gotten pick. Was there an actual time that even happened?!. Anyway, very much disagree with Messi receiving the Golden Ball but what is done is very much done.

Still feel genuinely bad for the little man though. Totally understand his nonchalant emotion when receiving a trophy that, in all honesty, means nothing at this point.

The best player in the world cup was Neuer without a doubt. Since he wasn't in the running, I would've personally given it to Muller. To say Messi doesn't deserve it just laughable though. Any of the 10 men on the shortlist would've deserved it and I would've been happy with any of them getting it.

Some of the hate for Messi is just ridiculous. Asides from the Holland game where both he and Robben were ineffective due to triple marking, he was Argentina's best player in every single game. If that doesn't warrant a Golden Ball then nothing does.

On a side note, those saying Robben disappeared in the KO stages are kidding themselves. He was the best player on the park against Mexico, very good against Costa Rica, admittedly anonymous against Argentina, but again the best player on the field against Brazil.

Btw, i wonder if people would b sayin this bout cr should the situation b reversed..heck, this guys would have even given it to messi even if argentine went out in first round..in that case neymar should have been given the award, since its about carrying a team and being clutch in the 1st and 2nd round, afterall they both have similar stats (messi played over 200 mins more)..and since you're stil campaigning for james 4 being good in d 1st and 2nd round.

Btw, i wonder if people would b sayin this bout cr should the situation b reversed..heck, this guys would have even given it to messi even if argentine went out in first round..in that case neymar should have been given the award, since its about carrying a team and being clutch in the 1st and 2nd round, afterall they both have similar stats (messi played over 200 mins more)..and since you're stil campaigning for james 4 being good in d 1st and 2nd round.

ACMRox wrote:The best player in the world cup was Neuer without a doubt. Since he wasn't in the running, I would've personally given it to Muller. To say Messi doesn't deserve it just laughable though. Any of the 10 men on the shortlist would've deserved it and I would've been happy with any of them getting it.

Some of the hate for Messi is just ridiculous. Asides from the Holland game where both he and Robben were ineffective due to triple marking, he was Argentina's best player in every single game. If that doesn't warrant a Golden Ball then nothing does.

On a side note, those saying Robben disappeared in the KO stages are kidding themselves. He was the best player on the park against Mexico, very good against Costa Rica, admittedly anonymous against Argentina, but again the best player on the field against Brazil.

It's not so much about Robben disappearing. My problem with people "voting" for Robben is that they say Messi was shit because "0 goals!!!" after the group stage... well Robben didn't score a goal in those games either. Of course he's still been fantastic for the dutch team.

zigra wrote:

ACMRox wrote:The best player in the world cup was Neuer without a doubt. Since he wasn't in the running, I would've personally given it to Muller. To say Messi doesn't deserve it just laughable though. Any of the 10 men on the shortlist would've deserved it and I would've been happy with any of them getting it.

Some of the hate for Messi is just ridiculous. Asides from the Holland game where both he and Robben were ineffective due to triple marking, he was Argentina's best player in every single game. If that doesn't warrant a Golden Ball then nothing does.

On a side note, those saying Robben disappeared in the KO stages are kidding themselves. He was the best player on the park against Mexico, very good against Costa Rica, admittedly anonymous against Argentina, but again the best player on the field against Brazil.

It's not so much about Robben disappearing. My problem with people "voting" for Robben is that they say Messi was shit because "0 goals!!!" after the group stage... well Robben didn't score a goal in those games either. Of course he's still been fantastic for the dutch team.

Couldn't agree more. Too many people only looking at Messi not scoring and ignoring the fact that he was at the heart of everything good Argentina did in attack. The same can be said for Robben.

i'd still pick robben or muller; based on what i watched i'd give it to robben, he was everywhere for the dutch on offence and was a consistent threat. Muller had the better stats though, and I liked his football as well. Messi had a good tournament, deserves to be on the shortlist, but i'm not sure i can say he was better than those two....not even in the group stages were those two met considerably tougher opponents (@ least on paper)....but, i guess he took four man of the match awards (i'm not sure if that's what they use to tally the results though, i highly doubt it).

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Robben was a non factor against Argentina, Costa Rica and apart from diving Mexico too.

WTF were you watching, Mole gone crazy. Someone quick get Pardew over to Mole's house to check on him

Phritz wrote:

Se7en wrote:please stop, clearly the best player for argentina...

Mascherano has been far more important than Messi by a mile lol.

This x 1000

Tomwin Lannister wrote:Can't believe Yaya Toure didn't get this award. Whoever decided to give it to Messi instead is racist.

No it hasn't lost its meaning. Messi is fair enough.

Just want to point out for those that are saying James should have won it.. Colombia got knocked out in the quarters.. this is a factor. I would also point out that until Brazil, Colombia had ridiculously easy games. Greece (nuff said), Ivory Coast (worst Ivory coast side I have seen in a decade), Japan (who were tripe) and Uruguay (Suarez-less and useless).

Agreed with Moto. l think Robben had a better tournament than Messi. Worked like a machine every game and looked dangerous often. RlP choking on every decent chance he helped create didn't help, but Higs choked a lot too. Though for me, Messi went anonymous far too often to win the award.

Forgetting individual players for a moment..l'd say Argentina got to the final as more of a result of their incredibly solid defense, rather than because of what their offense did.

I can count on my fingers and toes and on every hair on my body the amount of dispossessions and turnovers messi had and the amount of times he destroyed attacks.

he was shite against teams that mattered

If only higuain, the guy with stupid pony tail and Kun finished some chances.

Motogp69 wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Robben was a non factor against Argentina, Costa Rica and apart from diving Mexico too.

WTF were you watching, Mole gone crazy. Someone quick get Pardew over to Mole's house to check on him

Phritz wrote:

Se7en wrote:please stop, clearly the best player for argentina...

Mascherano has been far more important than Messi by a mile lol.

This x 1000

Tomwin Lannister wrote:Can't believe Yaya Toure didn't get this award. Whoever decided to give it to Messi instead is racist.

I find it amusing how so-called neutrals are attempting to justify this.

Robben's best games in the WC was against Costa Rica and the 2nd half against Mexico. The Mexico game where both the chances came because of him. The PK earned and the PK denied in the 1st half.

The Costa Rica game was brilliant. Although he did not create clear cut chances, he created multiple half chances for RVP with smart runs and passed which a World Class ST would have scored. But the most impressive aspect was that he ran and dribbled, and bulldozed through the defense earning fouls and free-kicks and corners. Costa Rica deserved to send a man send off for repeated dangerous fouls with a 2nd Yellow.

In the 40C heat, he ran like a mad-man and dragged this poor team. The weakest Dutch team in a World Cup finished 3rd and unbeaten. Had the Costa Rica match not dragged for 120 mins sapping all energy, he might have dragged this Dutch team to the final as well. Tournaments are a game of energy conservation as well.

Dat new category    screw most possesion now

Agreed.... some of these awards sometimes just too biased on the big and popular names.... no way Messi is the best player this WC.... credit to him he did regain some of his best form havent seen in a while, but still overall no where near his best, but thats not his fault, just impossible to reverse time and his body.

Others have performed better like Robben, numerous Germany players....

Messi deserves it. If you think others deserve it more, fine, but to make this out as a farce or an outrage is ridiculous.
Provided match-winning actions in most of Argentina's games on their way to the final. Even when him and the team didn't have a great game he made sure they won.
And then, he really showed up in the final. Gave our defense a lot of trouble.

Hames was fantastic. And he won the best scorer award. So let's not exaggerate the hype further, it's a bit annoying.
Robben was fantastic, Müller was fantastic, Neuer was fantastic. Neuer won the best GK award, Müller, Robben the silver and bronze.

It's really not that otrageous of a decision.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Robben was a non factor against Argentina, Costa Rica and apart from diving Mexico too.

Messi doesn't deserve it, but the double standards are strong if you think Robben does.

Just as if not more irrelevant in KO stages than Messi was.

That's about as misguided and absurdly wrong as it can get. I get what you're trying to argue, but pls.

Tomwin Lannister wrote:I don't think Messi should have got it personally, but the idea that he was shit and shouldn't be in the running is way too far fetched

Peccadillo wrote:No it hasn't lost its meaning. Messi is fair enough.

ACMRox wrote:The best player in the world cup was Neuer without a doubt. Since he wasn't in the running, I would've personally given it to Muller. To say Messi doesn't deserve it just laughable though. Any of the 10 men on the shortlist would've deserved it and I would've been happy with any of them getting it.

Some of the hate for Messi is just ridiculous. Asides from the Holland game where both he and Robben were ineffective due to triple marking, he was Argentina's best player in every single game. If that doesn't warrant a Golden Ball then nothing does.

On a side note, those saying Robben disappeared in the KO stages are kidding themselves. He was the best player on the park against Mexico, very good against Costa Rica, admittedly anonymous against Argentina, but again the best player on the field against Brazil.

good posts.

lol it's a farce mate. Never seen such unanimous agreement amongst various message boards and media that a player DIDN'T deserve an award. Anyway the final went much like his entire tournament, he had some great moments rather than a great performance