Argentine press reacts to FIFA over Rodri: 'The award belonged to Messi'

The decision to award the World Cup's Best Player award to Rodri has sparked controversy in Argentina. The country's media outlet TyC Sports reacted sharply to FIFA's choice, arguing that the award should have gone to Lionel Messi.

The report evaluated Messi's performance in the tournament not only through his contributions on the pitch but also through his symbolic significance for the Argentine National Team. TyC Sports described this period as a "brilliant and successful" era, highlighting Messi's tears, his presence in front of the stands, and the resilience he showed until the very last moment.

While the assessment in the Argentine press acknowledged that Rodri is a highly valuable footballer, the choice for the award was criticized. It was stated that Messi was the "heart and soul" of both Argentina and the tournament, and it was argued that the goals scored and the interest generated by the 39-year-old star should have been the deciding factors in the race for the award.

The emphasis on statistics stood out in TyC Sports' reaction. The report noted that Rodri did not score any goals in the tournament and, despite making a large number of passes, did not provide any assists.

''If awards are only given to winners, then one must say this to Infantino and his team: Football is ultimately won not with passes, but with goals.''

The assessment, which also included commentary on Messi nearing the end of his national team career, showed that the award decision in Argentina is being debated not only based on individual performance but also on Messi's place in the country's football.

News Source: 12punto