₦airaland Forum

Mathkid007:
Messi's 'FIFA Best' snub shows league success no longer counts for anything

The Argentine inspired Barcelona to a domestic double last season but the awards season is proving that continental cup competitions now trump all
According to the majority of those who vote for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award, Lionel Messi does not rank among the game's top three players over the past 12 months.

Gary Lineker was among the many absolutely baffled by Messi's omission from the podium places, arguing that "no one that understands the game" could have excluded him from their top three.

The former England international reasoned, "Barcelona won the double largely thanks to Messi."
A very valid point but then, anyone who understands the awards game will realise that consistent brilliance over the course of a domestic season no longer counts for anything.

League campaigns, rather than cup competitions, were once considered the true test of both a team's and a player's quality but no longer.
How else can we explain Messi failing to make FIFA's top three or even the top four of UEFA's Player of the Year award? There was no better player from start to finish in the 2017-18 campaign.
Obviously, the reason why the No.10 wasn't regarded as a contender for top spot was because Barcelona capitulated in the quarter-finals of the Champions League at Roma before Argentina endured a calamitous World Cup campaign.
The Albiceleste’s last-16 exit in Russia resulted in Messi’s claim on the title of the greatest player in history being called into question once again, something that even the great Ronaldinho finds ludicrous.
“He's the best in history, no doubt,” the Brazilian told Sport earlier this week. "Nobody has done what Messi's done."
Yet there are those that believe he is not a true leader, primarily because he failed to carry an atrocious and rudderless Argentina side to World Cup glory, even though they wouldn’t have even made it to Russia had it not been for his hat-trick in the decisive, must-win victory over Ecuador in Quito last November.
Furthermore, when it came to picking a new Barcelona captain following Andres Iniesta’s departure for Japan during the summer, Ernesto Valverde only ever had one possible candidate in mind. After all, it was Messi who had, as Lineker quite rightly pointed out, carried the Catalans to a domestic double last season.
This wasn’t just any Barca side either. It was arguably the weakest Barcelona squad since Ronaldinho had first rocked up at Camp Nou to kickstart an era of unprecedented success.
Carles Puyol and Xavi had long since departed, Iniesta proved a fading force, Luis Suarez sparkled only intermittently and all of this after Neymar absconded for Paris Saint-Germain just before the 2017-18 campaign began.
The Brazilian’s replacement, Ousmane Dembele, saw his debut season blighted by injuries, while the likes of Andre Gomes and Paco Alcacer failed to find anything like the requisite consistency required to excel at the highest level.
Unlike Messi. Thanks to his enduring genius, Barcelona not only won two trophies, they very nearly became the first Liga team to go through an entire campaign undefeated.
In the end, their unblemished record was ended in their penultimate fixture, away to Leganes. It was no coincidence that Messi had not featured, ridiculously kept in reserve for a midweek friendly fixture in South Africa.
As a result, the 31-year-old wasn’t even able to rescue Barca from the bench, as he had done so memorably against Sevilla six weeks previously, coming on with his side 2-0 down before salvaging a draw with an 89th-minute equaliser.
He was just as decisive in Barca’s two meetings with great rivals Real Madrid, which was hardly surprising, of course. The Clasico’s all-time top scorer netted in both Liga encounters, and even set up a goal in the 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu while only wearing one boot.
His solo goal at Camp Nou, meanwhile, had come with Barca down to 10 men and struggling, even though he’s not a leader...
Messi also netted against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final. There was no denying that night belonged to Iniesta but the double, indeed the entire season, had belonged to Messi.
He had not just been the best player in the Primera Division either. There was no more effective player, statistically, across Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues.
His 34 Liga goals earned him the European Golden Shoe but he scored 45 in total (including six in the Champions League) – more than Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah (both 44) and, unsurprisingly, more than midfielder Luka Modric (2).
However, he wasn’t just more prolific than his main rivals, he was more creative too.
Messi fashioned 121 chances in all competitions last season. Only Salah went close to making it into three figures (97), with Modric (60) and Ronaldo (54) lagging well behind. The No.10 also racked up 18 assists too, four more than Salah, and 10 more than both Modric and Ronaldo.
Of course, it would be unfair to expect Modric to have anywhere near as many goals or assists as the other contenders, given he plays in midfield.
However, it is worth pointing out that Messi also serves as Barcelona’s deep-lying playmaker and, to further illustrate just how much more pivotal he is to the Blaugrana’s build-up, Messi had more successful passes (1952) than Modric (1557) in the opposition half last season, and even had 1,010 more touches of the ball overall.
In addition, when it comes to influence over the way in which a team plays, Kevin De Bruyne (4797) can also feel hard done by, given no player in Europe had more touches of the ball last season, while only Dimitri Payet racked up more assists.
Yet De Bruyne, the key component in Manchester City’s record-breaking Premier League campaign, failed to make the final three in either the UEFA or FIFA voting, while his boss at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola, hasn't even been shortlisted for FIFA's coach of the year prize.
No one is denying that the big occasion shouldn’t be important when deciding who wins individual awards. Shining when it really matters in big Champions League and World Cup knockout games – as Modric did – is clearly more relevant than racking up goals against relegation cannon fodder.
However, at the same time, the pendulum has now swung far too much in favour of players who can be average or even poor for large periods of the season but merely turn up for a handful of big tournament matches.
It seems that just as defenders are never in the running for individual honours, league form now counts for nothing. Messi knows that better than anyone having been - in terms of consistency - the best player in the world last season.

Source: Goal.com

jonsnow92:
CC:
Dippset...your guy without starting a match gets his recuring knee injury again.

pilarnig:
I was also molested as a child, Anty Awawu... That was her name, I can never forget now I'm married with kids

blackboy:
Do you believe this cock and bull story? Now the NPF has joined the League of Liars. Maybe lying is not about this administration but Nigeria. Army will lie. Minister of Info will lie

Melvyn11:
The higher the competition the more relevance and exposure You get. I put it to you to That if Madrid had won a treble and barca went trophyless but Messi guarded Argentina to win the World Cup would you tell me Messi wont win the Balon dor. Why...because he won the biggest footballing competition.

Melvyn11:
stop making noise. Champions league is the biggest Club competition in the world and the most important. Scoring 5 goals against girona is not the same as scoring against juventus or psg. Messi was trash in both the World Cup and ucl the 2 biggest competition of the year fact . Cry babies

Nbote:
D way she kept referring to "My house" one would think she was in her husband's house.... See riff raff making noise. Which other battlefield is she talking about considering Dino beat her father to d Senatorial seat... Sense seems to b far from most Kogi ppl

balaclava:
She said they are mourning,(the loss of her mum) therefore Dino came to mourn with you and console your family. If he didn't come your family will say "everyone came but Dino didn't " but now he was at your door and you are complaining.

No vex sha, I understand your anger, [b]Dino defeated your dad at the poll [/b]and since then things are not as it used to be, You are broke cos your father no longer has access to senatorial money and this is evident in the state of his hotels.

His hotel structures: Kingstone and Royal Shekinah in Ilorin are in bad renovation stage since he lost the election. Heard Royal Shekina is about to be sold. It's already becoming an eye sore in that area.

That new hotel project along pipeline has been on standstill since he lost the election.

You can go on and cry. Heard it releases one from pain. But leave Dino alone he didn't plan a coup for your dad. It was an election.

Just look at what you made me write. This was supposed to be on the low low. Now your social media manners brought this to your dad.

Mathkid007:
It's a pity how performing brilliantly in a 38-game league season where you play everyone is rated far below playing in Cup games like the UCL where you can be lucky to get easier teams and have your teammates to bail you out.

Upnepaa:
Somebody said on twitter "Sometimes I wish Messi had some real competition. You know, somebody that can dribble like him, pass like him, score like him. It would be real interesting to see a rivalry."

Chellini on Messi "Cristiano Ronaldo is a player you mark by trying to prevent him from coming inside on his right foot, and for Messi, well, you just make the sign of the cross and pray."

Melvyn11:
Barca fans shay. Apart from la liga what other competition did Messi perform in

usbcable:
If only your fingers typed the same thing when Iniesta and/or Sneijder were denied same award back in 2010.
If only messi didn't miss the one on one against Alison in the Roma match. At least Ronnie did his duties well enough.

Keep up the campaign for Modric, we will still use it against you either ways.
Modric wins
Ronnie wins
Issa win win for us

wman:
Where are those barkabots? Your MCM just admitted that he's bad at taking penalties.

When asked what he can improve, Messi said: "The penalties. I'd like to be more effective."

He added: "It's very difficult. It's not the same to practice them as it is to take them in a game. There are a lot of other factors at play.

"You can have a plan or have an idea about what to do, but when the moment comes it's much more difficult to do it than it looks.

"Today's goalkeepers save some penalties that the ones in the past wouldn't have. But, yeah, this is a thing that I'd like to be better at."

Sauce: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/lionel-messi-reveals-one-thing-13189456

Neymar1095:
Stop posting lies jor. De Bruyne created more chances and assists in Europe last season than your fraud Messi.

usbcable:
Since when did Modric become a favorite?

You are campaigning for player of your superior rival club.

Sallah dey there last time I checked.

Why justify Modric now when you denied Iniesta years back?

usbcable:
Since when did Modric become a favorite?

You are campaigning for player of your superior rival club.

Sallah dey there last time I checked.

Why justify Modric now when you denied Iniesta years back?

usbcable:
Chain

See your life for outside.

Suddenly you are campaigning for Modric.

Shows how useless Messi's season was last year.

You are not even saying why Modricc deserves it

Neymar1095:
Messi's decline has been unreal scoring against part time farmers and disappearing in the ucl and WC. droped from
UEFA player of the year and balon dor. Neymar leaving really exposed him and that dead striker suarez.

amaniro:
Ameachi; bubu is mine

Obiano ; please na

Neymar1095:
Neymar left and all of a sudden messi couldn't finish in top 3 lol........ Levels jor.

Miremoses1:
All of a sudden you guys have started supporting our very own 'LUKITA' to win the world best ahead of your goat.

I have also come to realised that you guys are just Ronaldo haters and not madrid haters.

Missi-as*-leakers.

Afam4eva:
I think the reason Messi was left out in the final 3 for both the European Best player and Ballon D'or is because this year in question had the world cup (the biggest footballing event in the world) and the UEFA Champions league (the biggest in europe and the most followed) and he didn't win either of the.

If it was based purely on individual prowess and irrespective of the competition, then he would have won it easily after winning the La Liga and Copa Del rey.

I think these award bodies should always make their criteria known in order to avoid confusion.

I see Modric winning the Ballon Dor anyways. Even if he wasn't gonna win it initially, i think beating Ronaldo to the European best player award will have an influence and i also don't expect Ronaldo to show up for this award either.

Nihilstjnr:
still a Madrid player over your GOAT, though that one no consign me, I leave that to dem usbcable as I'm a juve fan now.

I should step up my Messi slander for the mere fact that your boy didn't even make the podium.

Nihilstjnr:
If Ronaldo wins it kpereen...

























...We riot here for the last time

Lana1:

So Messi no make nominations for this one again.
We may just ve to put ddippset on suicide watch should C.Ro win it!!

gmercy713:
OK.

He lost this due to his poor international appearance.

Let him improve on the toward the coming ceremony.

As far as I'm concerned, Ronaldo or Modric will be winning the award.

Ronaldo spot is just unshakable
Salah replaced Neymar in his usual 3rd position and Messi replaced by Modric in the 'usual' 2nd position.

sense will not kill me

Unlimited22:
If Sneijder didn't win 2010, and Ribery didn't win 2013, I seriously doubt Modric winning this.
Especially Sneijder in 2010. Dude won the treble, came second in the world cup with 2 motm awards, won the silver ball.
Nah.

Avraham:
Don't you think,, griezmann stand a chance.
Nigga won the world cup.

ajbf:
The direct primary is the grand plot by the APC to rig election in the favour of the party.
It is possible for the party to have direct primary for its gubernatorial election nomination process and claim that unverified 2 million party members vote for party selected candidate and they will work towards achieve the deceptive figure in the general election.