After the end of the World Cup, the award for the best player of the tournament unexpectedly went to the Argentine Lionel Messi. The forward scored four goals in the first three matches, but failed to stand out in the remaining games and was hardly noticeable on the field. The coach of the Argentine national team, Alejandro Sabella, claims that Messi deserves the Golden Ball award, adding that he is among the "pantheon of the greatest" despite the failure in Brazil. The strategist believes that the forward is one of the best players in history. "I believe he is already among the best. He has been there for some time before the championship," Sabella said at a press conference after the match. "I think he deserves the 'Golden Ball'. Messi played amazing in this tournament. He was a key factor in helping us reach the final. I sincerely think he deserved it." Nevertheless, Lionel Messi did not manage to match the legendary Diego Maradona, who led the Argentines to the World Champions throne in 1986. The country's icon and the national team's coach in 2010 also expressed his opinion on Messi's award. Maradona believes that he did not deserve the "Golden Ball". " Messi? If I could, I would give him the sky," the legendary player said on the "Telesur" channel. "But it is unfair when someone wins something they didn't deserve just because of marketing." The opinions of the Argentine national team coaches in the last two championships differ. What do you think? Was Lionel Messi rightfully chosen as the best player of the tournament?
