Messi did not deserve golden ball say Maradona and Blatter

Was Argentine star only named as player of the World Cup for 'marketing' reasons?

 Lionel Messi of collects the Golden Ball trophy in Rio
(Image credit: Clive Rose/Getty Images)

After a forgettable performance for Argentina in the World Cup final, Lionel Messi may have been hoping to lick his wounds in private this week. However, he now finds himself at the centre of a storm over the 'golden ball' award for the player of the tournament, which was presented to him on Sunday night.

Messi looked pretty sheepish as he collected the gong after the final, and now the man he failed to emulate in Brazil, Diego Maradona, says the Barcelona forward was only picked because it fitted in with Fifa's "marketing plan".

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