2026 WORLD CUP: Giving FIFA Golden Ball To Rodri Is An Insult To Lionel Messi
World football governing body, FIFA, has been accused of insulting Lionel Messi during the just concluded World Cup tournament.
Argentinian media expressed their discontent with FIFA regarding their ‘almost insulting’ choice to deny Messi the World Cup Golden Ball award.
Messi’s pursuit of a second World Cup title ended in disappointment as Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the final held on Sunday.
Throughout the match, Argentina struggled, failing to register a single shot on target during regular time, and their situation worsened after Enzo Fernandez received a late red card.
Lionel Scaloni’s team aimed for penalties after being reduced to ten players, but Ferran Torres netted a winner in extra time, securing Spain’s second World Cup title.
In addition to claiming their first World Cup since 2010, Spain excelled at the medal ceremony, with Rodri, Pau Cubarsi, and Unai Simon receiving individual accolades.
Rodri was awarded the Golden Ball for being the tournament’s best player, having led Spain to World Cup victory.
However, TyC Sports journalist Antonio Serpa criticized FIFA for demonstrating a ‘complete lack of sensitivity’ by not awarding Messi the honor.
Messi was recognized as the second-best player of the tournament, having scored eight goals and provided four assists in what is likely to be his final World Cup.
But TyC Sports journalist Antonio Serpa believes FIFA showed a ‘complete lack of sensitivity’ by not giving the award to Messi.
Messi was named the second-best player of the tournament after scoring eight goals and providing four assists in what will almost certainly be his last World Cup.
“Giving the award to Rodri is almost an insult, it shows a complete lack of sensitivity,” Serpa told Argentinian TV channel TyC Sports.
“Not because the Spaniard is a bad player, but simply because Lionel Messi was the heart and soul of Argentina and the World Cup.
“He graced the pitches with his brilliance and tears at 39, filling the nets with goals and the stadiums with fans of every nationality who came to see this phenomenon of all time in person.
“If the criteria is to give awards to the winners, then Infantino and his team need to be told that football is won with goals, not passes.
“Rodri didn’t just fail to score a goal in this World Cup: he made two billion passes and not a single one resulted in an assist.
