Mixed Reactions Trail Messi’s Emergence As World Best

Soccer fans in Nigeria have expressed mixed reactions to the emergence of Lionel Messi as the Best Player of the World for the second consecutive year.

 The Barcelona striker was voted the FIFA Ballon d’Or on Monday in Zurich, Switzerland.

The Argetine beat his Spanish club team mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez to clinch the crown.

While Barcelona fans are happy that Messi won the award, others are questioning his emergence, particularly as he failed to sparkle at the World Cup and ouster of Argentina in the quarter-finals in June in South Africa.

Former Rangers International player, Arthur Nwankwo, in Awka wondered why Messi should win the award when he failed to score at the World Cup following the early exit of his country in the competition.

 “Since it is a World Cup year, I just do not know why Messi should be chosen ahead of those that performed well at both club and World Cup in South Africa.

“What do you say of the accuracy of Xavi Henandez and his consistent passes  that earned him a double. His team, FC Barcelona won the league, FA Cup and Spain his country also won the World Cup,” said Nwankwo.

 From Aba, two members of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Mike Umeh and Felix Anyasi, said Messi deserved to win the award.

Anyansi, who is the Chairman of Enyimba FC, said.

“It’s an award well deserved,” and noted that his consistency for club and country earned him the award.

“He has become a role model to many who watched him play at the club and the Argentina national team.”

He, however, expressed regrets that no African player had won award after Liberia’s George Weah clinched the award in 1995.

He noted that many African players, including Samuel Etoo of Cameroon and Didier Drogba of Cote d’Ivoire, had performed creditably for their respective countries and clubs to deserve the award.  

Umeh said that Messi’s scintillating skill gave him the award.

“The young man improves with each game, which helped Barca to be among the best teams in the world,’’ he said.  

The Chairman of the Ebonyi FA, Obinna Ogba, told our source that Messi took soccer entertainment to an art form in 2010, especially with Barcelona “as his contributions ensured that the club excelled in club competitions.

“Though Argentina flopped at the World Cup in South Africa, he was the only bright spot in the  team which showed his immense talent,” he said.

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Adol Awam,  described the award as a gain of youth development in football.

“At 23, Messi had shown with his exploits that if adequately nurtured, the future of football in the world lies with the youths,” said.

Vincent Okpalaka, former Enugu Rangers International FC defender, said the award was previously won by players who excelled during the World Cup year and expressed surprise Monday’s award did follow the criteria.

“Players who held the world spell bound at the World Cup in South Africa, such as Diego Forlan  of Uruguay, Wesley Sneidger of Holland among others, were not even nominated for the award,” Okpalaka said.

A female youth activist, said it was a wake-up call to soccer authorities in Africa to develop football to ensure players from the continent were short-listed for future awards.

Football fans were seen arguing among themselves at newspaper stands in Onitsha.

They said FIFA should be consistent in giving the award to players whose national teams won the World Cup.

John Obosi, a football analyst, with Contact Sports newspaper, said that there was no need in arguing over whether Messi deserved the award or not.

“It was done by national team coaches selected around the World which clearly shows that FIFA had no hand in the decision,” Obosi said.

Osita Unachukwu, Anambra Pillar FC Secretary, said that he least expected somebody such as Messi  to be given the World Footballer of 2010.

“There is sometime amiss; if not, the tradition should have continued. I can see some politics in the whole show,” Unachukwu said.

Ike Okeke, an ardent fan of Barcelona FC, said that Messi had made an indelible mark in all the matches he played for his club in 2010.

“For me, Messi has no rival, he deserves the award; and his outstanding performance had improved  the game in 2010.

“He has dwarfed other efforts made by the other players at the World Cup in South Africa,” said Okeke.