Lionel
Messi found himself at the centre of a World Cup storm on Monday as
Argentine hero Diego Maradona and FIFA boss Sepp Blatter both registered
their shock that he had been voted the outstanding player of the
tournament.
Messi
seemed a little sheepish, perhaps embarrassed to be told after
Argentina had lost Sunday’s final to Germany in extra-time that he would
be expected to trudge up the steps at the Maracana Stadium to collect
his Golden Ball trophy from the presentation balcony.
Perhaps
he was simply worn out, or perhaps he too felt there were more
deserving candidates, such as any number of the triumphant German team,
Holland’s dashing winger Arjen Robben or Colombia’s six-goal playmaker
James Rodriguez, who won the Golden Boot for finishing as top scorer,
and who got Maradona’s personal vote.
‘I would give heaven and earth to Leo but
when marketing people want him to win something he didn’t (deserve to)
win, it is unfair,’ said Maradona, who claimed the same award when
Argentina won the World Cup in 1986. ‘I could see that he didn’t want to
go up and collect it.’
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