Quote ="100% Wire"Is the Golden Ball sponsored by Adidas, per chance?
Just a thought, mind.'"
I've never understood the mass reaction against Messi winning it. Most people are saying Rodriguez should have won it, and he possibly should, but he was KOd in the quarters by Neymar and co; as good as he was, you're looking for a player that's played in the final.
For me, Messi and Mascherano were Argentina's best players, with Messi carrying them through the groups, so they're your top two from that side. The Germans, as everybody reminds us, were a fantastic team with, for me, only one player that stood out head and shoulders above all others. For me, that player was Lahm and he should have won the Golden Ball, but after that, you could have span a bottle on Messi, Mascherano, Kroos, Schweinsteiger or Muller, and either would have been just as deserving as the other.
Messi clearly isn't the same player he was under Guardiola. I don't know if he's had a long term injury, if he's lacking commitment or if he simply can't be bothered any more, but he's just not the same and hasn't been for months. Suarez will help him pick back up, I believe Barca will win the CL next year if they get a few defenders and another midfielder, or simply play Mascherano in midfield who'll add the qualities they've missed for years.
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