Gerard Houllier, a member of the FIFA technical committee, has explained the decision to name Lionel Messi as the World Cup’s best player.
Messi was presented with the Golden Ball award immediately after the final, in which his Argentina lost to Germany, and the decision was greeted with widespread surprise as the perception was that Messi didn’t deserve the prize.
The Barcelona forward scored four goals in three group games but didn’t find the target again in the tournament as La Albiceleste finished as runners-up.
“I understand you are all surprised as you only remember the second half of Lionel Messi in the final,” Mundo Deportivo reports Houllier as saying.
“We in the committee looked at all the games and judged who was most important for their team. He also played in the final, which is one of the conditions for the award of the prize.
“Messi was more than decisive in the first four games. In the semi-final against the Netherlands he took the first penalty and scored.
“The analysis takes into account that he was captain of a united team, a team that played well together. That’s something not seen in a while for Argentina.
“Messi was more than key in the national team and the way he played. To me, he fully deserves the Golden Ball award and he led his team to the final.”
