Amazing stat that says it all about Messi’s bad World Cup
By Eurosport 6 hours ago The Rio Report
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Lionel Messi was awarded the Golden Ball award for the 2014 World Cup, but an incredible stat shows that the Barcelona forward was lucky to be named ‘player of the tournament’.
When FIFA announced the shortlist for the Golden Ball award, it was no surprise to see Messi’s name among the group of 10 players. After all, Argentina’s talismanic forward is considered one of, if not the greatest player to have ever graced the beautiful game. The 27-year-old has also been awarded the Ballon d’Or award a record four times and was tipped to take the World Cup in Brazil by storm. This could have been his World Cup. And it so nearly was.
However, there were better candidates for the award, and this stat says it all.
Manuel Neuer (244) completed more passes at the #WorldCup than Lionel Messi (242) — Castrol (@Castrol) July 14, 2014
Alejandro Sabella’s Argentina were uninspiring right from their first game, but it was Messi that dragged them through the group stages – shining as La Albiceleste narrowly edged Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria – and into the knockout phase of the finals.
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Four goals in three games saw Messi top the scoring table, but the goals stopped flowing as other players – such as Angel Di Maria and Javier Mascherano – helped Sabella’s side to set a date with Germany in the final.
And although Argentina eventually suffered an agonising extra-time defeat to Joachim Loew’s side, Messi was awarded the FIFA Golden Ball following Germany’s celebrations – much to the annoyance of the general public and former players.
Maradona:"I'd give Messi the sky if I could, but it's not right when a player wins an award simply for marketing reasons" — David Amoyal (@DavidAmoyal) July 14, 2014
Messi gets "Golden Ball" award for "most outstanding player of the tournament." What an embarrassment and a joke. #worldcup — John Cross (@johncrossmirror) July 13, 2014
Also on the shortlist for the tournament’s best player award was Colombia’s James Rodriguez, who was without doubt the break-through player of the World Cup, but his nation only made it as far as the quarter-finals. The young Monaco forward did collect the golden boot, however, after scoring six goals.
James Rodrķguez converted a huge 66.7% of his chances at the 2014 World Cup for Colombia. #COL pic.twitter.com/R9gaSBmbyy — Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 14, 2014
Winners Germany had four of their players on the shortlist – with Thomas Mueller leading the way after a string of fine performances and a hat-trick against Portugal. He, too, was overlooked.
Thomas Müller & James Rodrķguez were both directly involved in the most goals (8) at the 2014 World Cup. #GER #COL pic.twitter.com/kuPL2g2I8F — Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 14, 2014
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