Messi still winning best player awards

NIMAN · 16-01-2024 10:43am #1

I see Fifa handed Messi another Best Player award, despite the fact that he's now playing in a league that is substantially lower in quality than most. He's competing against some part time players on tiny wages.

I'm wondering are they going to be handing him awards when he's 50, and playing 5 a side with his mates. They seem to have the love for him.

Guys like Kane, Mbappe, Bellingham, Vini Jr, Rodri, Haaland etc must be wondering what they have to do to be recognised.

HalloweenJack · 16-01-2024 12:15pm

Is it for the 2023 calendar year? If so, its shocking. How is what Messi doing in the States better than what Ronaldo is doing in Saudi Arabia?

And we thought Blatter was corrupt...

Bounty Hunter · 16-01-2024 12:21pm

Wasn’t this voted on by players? If so hardly a matter of fifa corruption.

pretty sure I’ve seen lists of international captains and their top 3 votes online. I doubt the likes of Kane are wondering what they have to do for recognition if they’re the ones voting for Messi.

~Rebel~ · 16-01-2024 12:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121622786#Comment_121622786

to be fair, just between the two of them Messi at least won the league with PSG, and the Leagues Cup with Miami as top scorer, both in 2023, so should be ahead of Ronaldo alright - but neither should be within a million miles of winning this award. There are so so many more worthy winners beyond the two auld lads.

Hard to call it corruption too, since it’s voted on by international managers and captains, with all the votes public. More just good ‘ol fashioned inherent biases and laziness/ignorance. All of Kane, Robertson, Aaron Ramsey and Johnny Evans voted for Messi - you’d wonder how many of them actually knew the World Cup win wasn’t meant to be considered.

mayordenis · 16-01-2024 1:00pm

Like saying he was off in the US and comparing that to Suadi is a bit weird, seen as he played the full season with PSG first, and I think it's partly if not all down to the World Cup, even though that was the tail end of 2022.

But to go back to the Saudi/US thing, I mean he went into an absolutely dogshit team mid-season and just dragged them to a cup win, and if he could have played a few more games he'd have dragged them to the playoffs too. It's one thing to go to a retirement village league, it's another thing to play your full season in Europe, then go to the retirement league and play another 15 games, where you absolute shred your opponents, all while having won a world cup mid-season.

I think being appalled at this is weird.

~Rebel~ · 16-01-2024 1:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623019#Comment_121623019

Like, he definitely got the award because of the World Cup - but that’s specifically not supposed to count. He won this same award last year for the World Cup.

Haaland (who finished second) was obviously far more deserving for what this award was actually meant to be for.

That’s the problem with an award done with this sort of voting, where the players in particular are probably not paying much attention to the specifics of what they’re meant to be judging.

HalloweenJack · 16-01-2024 1:17pm

I wasn't aware it was voted on players and managers so I'll reel my outrage in somewhat, though I'd question the judgement of so many football professionals.

It still feels like fanboyism/a popularity contest. If its solely 2023, he hasn't been playing at the highest levels. At least the MLS is more balanced than the PSG-dominated French league but I'd argue the average quality of French teams/players is better than the MLS average. And the French league is still behind other European leagues.

mayordenis · 16-01-2024 1:35pm

No question Ligue 1 is better than MLS, and imo no question this is his last award like this. He certainly wouldn't have been my first choice, annual awards that are based on bits of seasons are a bit awkward, but I guess leagues across the world are taking place at different times so there's no simple to that either.

~Rebel~ · 16-01-2024 1:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623220#Comment_121623220

Definitely the last, and I don't think anyone particularly considers this "Fifa Best" thing as particularly prestigious yet anyway either, so not a huge deal. But just a mad insight into players and managers thinking (or lack thereof).

POKERKING · 16-01-2024 2:08pm

I would have given it to Rodri myself.

Seamus Coleman voted for KDB and Kenny for Haaland. KDB shouldnt be in the running imo.

~Rebel~ · 16-01-2024 2:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623468#Comment_121623468

Yeah, looking through some of the voting, you'd wonder what some people are thinking. But I guess when it comes to players voting for other players within their own league maybe they're basing some of their decision on personal interactions etc. Maybe Seamus thinks Kev is a particularly sound fella or something.

In general, I don't think players are the best positioned people to make good choices on it anyway, since most will be hyper focused on what they're doing themselves, rather than other players in other leagues etc (though i'd have thought the managers would be ideal - but they seem to make a lot of mad calls too)

Weepsie · 16-01-2024 2:11pm

I don't get why is nearly always an attacking player( well I do) but midfield and defence are way too often overlooked with a handful of rare exceptions

POKERKING · 16-01-2024 3:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623486#Comment_121623486

Agree, kinda reminds me of eurovision, alot of tactical voting happening. Some of it a bit strange but it’s probably to be expected. Messi voted Haaland but when him and Ronaldo were at their peak I think they always voted a club mate rather than their rival. Actually Ronaldo didn’t vote in this one, Pepe did for Portugal and he went for Bernardo Silva for some bizarre reason.