The Biggest Snubs of the 2024 The Best FIFA Football Awards
Messi’s Controversial Triumph, Rodri Excluded From Fifpro World 11, and Fifa Continues to Face Criticism
FIFA’s Downfall 🥴
With FIFA The Best Awards reaching its conclusion last night, let’s take our time to look at the absurdity of some of the results, including Lionel Messi’s victory and the neglect shown toward Erling Haaland’s achievements and more.
Within soccer news and awards, there will always be differing opinions, but some of last night’s awards, or lack thereof, were certainly gifted to undeserving entrants.
Haaland Misses Out on the Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year to Messi
Erling Haaland, the prolific scorer for Manchester City, had a memorable campaign across all competitions in 2023. His emphatic skills contributed to his team’s unprecedented achievement of winning five trophies while he broke several records and received multiple honors.
“[Man City] create chances. They score goals. They know how to win games without Haaland.”
– John Obi Mikel on Lionel Messi edging out Erling Haaland to win FIFA’s The Best men’s award 👀 pic.twitter.com/RP2uId2r4i
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 16, 2024
Although Lionel Messi is widely regarded as a legend of the sport, and his performance in the 2022 World Cup was exceptional, why was he ever considered superior to Erling Haaland’s season, which set new records?
The accomplishments of Haaland in the previous season and 2023 are unlikely to be replicated, whereas a standout performer will emerge in the FIFA World Cup every four years.
Although the next hero of the World Cup may lack the sentimental value of Messi’s victory with Argentina, it does beg the issue of whether doing very well at the World Cup surpasses a player’s whole season.
What more does Haaland have to do? 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/t9W92BR7be
— LiveScore (@livescore) January 15, 2024
Haaland placed second behind Messi in the Ballon d’Or and the same nonsense was replicated last night with the Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year title. Messi’s performance in the World Cup had a crucial role in determining the Legends’ victory over Haaland in both categories and hopefully, the fraud will come to a halt.
The imminent emergence of the next generation of exceptional talents, spearheaded by Mbappe, Haaland, and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, is being delayed by the profound admiration that players, fans, and journalists hold for Messi, compelling them to defer the major individual accolades for another year.
But Messi haters needn’t worry; he isn’t winning any more awards playing in the MLS, that’s for sure.
No Rodri? That Isn’t Our FIFPRO World 11
Perhaps even more shocking than Messi’s award-winning night was the appalling decision to leave Rodri out of the FIFPRO World 11 squad…
Absolute bollox, I tell you.
Messi PR this Messi PR that,
They chose Bellingham over rodri 😂😂😂😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/fJMGApg9rG
— CREED (@amazon_creed) January 16, 2024
It is difficult to dispute that Rodri is the most important midfielder in global football. In 2023, he was undeniably the most crucial player for Manchester City and contributed to their victory in 5 significant championships under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.
Rodri had an outstanding season in 2023. He secured the decisive goal in Manchester City’s victory in the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan. In addition, the Spanish national player was also selected as the recipient of the FIFA Club World Cup Player Award, the UEFA Nations League Best Player award, and other accolades.
Based on his stats alone, he seemed to be one of the few players who were guaranteed a berth in the FIFPRO World 11. But no, FIFA f*cked it up… AGAIN!
Rodri in 2023:
✅ Lifted more trophies (6) than games lost (4)
✅ Champions League final Player of the Match
✅ FIFA Club World Cup Player of the Tournament
✅ UEFA Nations League Finals Best Player
✅ Ranked 5th in the Men’s Ballon d’Or rankingsHe wasn’t named in The Best… pic.twitter.com/cUiFtVfEmU
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 16, 2024
The Funniest Snub of the Night
While FIFA played a crucial role in snubbing Haaland and Rodri of their deserved glory, an unsuspecting Portuguese legend deserved the ‘Snub of the Night’ award.
Pepe, Portugal’s representative in the deciding vote for FIFA The Best Player Award, failed to assist Messi or Haaland, as he entirely disregarded the Inter Miami sensation. The experienced defender, who substituted for Ronaldo despite CR7 frequently assuming the captaincy for his national team, cast his #1 vote for Bernardo Silva.
The vote didn’t damage the outcome, but it’s an amusing choice, to say the least.
How some national team captains voted for The Best Men’s Player 🗳️ pic.twitter.com/qix9Tvqh4X
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 15, 2024
Author: Sin City Sniper
Author: Sin City SniperBusting bookmakers and taking their money is his greatest joy in life. He’s been around the block more than once, knows the players both on and off the field of battle, and uses his experience to serve the bookies a heaping plate of humble pie washed down by a warm glass of their salty tears. You can find him in any number of Vegas books, sniping weak lines and getting paid to do it.
The opinions and view here expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Point Spreads or any of its affiliates. Point Spreads is not responsible and does not verify for accuracy any of the articles and content pieces included herein; moreover, besides being solely the opinion or views of the authors, these content pieces are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, anyone or anything.
