- Opinion: Middle of the world, I absolve you
- Album The images of the gala
- Narration: This is how we live the gala
- Golden Ball.Messi and the old demon Matthews
Nobody in their right mind would insist on remembering the details of 684 goals, which are what Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini has scored during his professional career between the Football Club Barcelona and the Argentine national team. Neither does the Rosario striker, who prefers to fix in his memory very specific scenes of the road. And few like those lived a decade ago. As the night in which he was closest to heaven and challenged the laws of logic in the final of the Champions League in Rome. He rose behind Ferdinand's back and nodded to the net before a Van der Sar turned into a Lovecraft secondary. Messi, even today, considers it the best goal of his career. And that there is no Ballon d'Or that has excited him more than he also achieved that 2009. The tickle of the first time is never forgotten. [Gala narration]
Life went on. He married the woman of his life, Antonella Roccuzzo; He was the father of three children, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro; and left the silences that caught him in his beginnings to become the captain of Barcelona. He won 10 leagues in 15 seasons. He reached the fourth Champions, tournament that has been tormenting him. And this Monday in Paris, a year after the triumph of Luka Modric - "you deserve it," said the Croatian-, and after five years in which the European chascos with Barcelona and the disappointments with Argentina weighed more than their own Splendor finally stroked his sixth Golden Ball (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019) at the Theater of the Châtelet in Paris. More than anyone in the history of the trophy. One more than Cristiano Ronaldo. Three more than Cruyff, Platini and Van Basten. At 32, no twilight is visible.
Although Messi already begins to intuit the end. The emotion betrayed him in what was perhaps the most meaningful speech he has given in his life: "I remember the first prize, ten years ago here in Paris. I came with my three brothers. It was all unthinkable for me. My life has changed a lot. since then. I have a woman, three children. And in all this time I never stopped dreaming. To keep wanting to grow. To keep improving day by day and continue enjoying football. Thank God I could do what I love since I had one or two years. I hope I have many more years left. I am aware of how old I am, and these moments feel much more because the moment of withdrawal is approaching. I have several years left, but time flies and everything happens very quickly. continue to enjoy football. My family. Rivals. And this life that I have to live. "
Who knows if Cristiano, the nemesis of Messi, third in the voting of the journalists of France Football (the Scudetto with Juventus or the League of Nations with Portugal did no good) and that next February he will turn 35, he will be able to mock the passage of time. Juventus striker, chosen best player of the last Serie A, avoided attending the Paris gala.
Without the dispute of a World Cup with which to compare Messi with Maradona, once assumed that his Argentina, eliminated in the semifinals of the Copa América, may never do him justice, and without having to pay the price of the Anfield debacle with the Barcelona de Valverde, Rosario was able to expose its merits. Conquered a League that ruled at ease and in which he was the top scorer (36 goals), thus catching his sixth Golden Boot. With one month left to conclude 2019, La Pulga has 46 goals and 17 assists in the 54 disputed matches (34 goals and four assists for Cristiano in 45 meetings between Juventus and Portugal). Messi already sensed what would come next when last September he celebrated his first FIFA Best Award, despite the fact that the big favorite for weeks was the center of Liverpool Virgil van Dijk.
Golden Ball Classification
No Dutchman has been able to be awarded the Golden Ball since Marco van Basten did it in 1992. Nor did the poor European champion and runner-up in the Premier League help the poor confetti that accompanies the defenders. The last defender who emerged victorious was Fabio Cannavaro, thanks to the World Cup won with Italy in 2006. While Sadio Mané, also key in the successes of Liverpool Klopp, finished fourth.
Among the 30 finalists, by the way, there was no Spanish footballer. It had not happened since 1993. In addition, up to 15 of the opponents to the victory came from the Premier. LaLiga could only include seven players, only Messi in the top ten. Behind, also Barca De Jong (11th), Griezmann (went from third place last year to 18th) and Ter Stegen (24th); Real Madrid Hazard (13th) and Benzema (26th); and the striker of Atlético Joao Félix (28º).
Golden Ball Medal Winners
Best player
Leo Messi
Best player
Megan Rapinoe
Best goalkeeper
Alisson becker
Best young
Matthijs de Ligt
The Golden Ball in the women's category, as it happened in The Best awards, went to the American Megan Rapinoe, who did not attend the ceremony. Champion in the last World Cup in France, where she was the best footballer and top scorer, habitual scourge of Donald Trump and a benchmark in her strong defense of women's rights, Rapinoe succeeded Norway's Ada Hegerberg.
Matthijs de Ligt, Ajax defensive bastion that marveled the world last season and now Juventus central, was awarded the Kopa trophy for the best soccer player under 21 years old. While Alisson Becker, champion of the Champions League with Liverpool and the Copa América with Brazil, was awarded the Yashin trophy for the best goalkeeper, beating Ter Stegen, second, and Ederson, third. France Football tried to alleviate the historical injustice of the Golden Ball with the goalkeepers.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more- sports
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- FC Barcelona
- Leo Messi
ChampionsGriezmann and Dembélé, face and cross
LaLigaThe pain of Barcelona
ChampionsMessi denies the twilight of Barcelona