“Messi did not deserve to win the Golden Ball award” – Maradona

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Diego Maradona has admitted that his compatriot Lionel Messi, did not deserve the Golden Ball award he received, after the 2014 World Cup ended on Sunday.

FIFA announced the Argentina forward, ahead of Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and James Rodriguez, as winner of the prestigious individual award.

Messi scored four times in seven matches, but Maradona says it is not enough and he won it for commercial reasons.

“Messi? I would give him heaven if possible,” Maradona said during his show on Telesur.

“But it’s not right when someone wins something that he shouldn’t have won just because of some marketing plan.”

Maradona could not also hide his disappointment, after his country were beaten 1-0 in the final played at the Maracana, thanks to Mario Gotze’s goal.

“I feel sorry for my country. Mario Gotze’s goal really hurt. There’s a huge sadness in my heart that we lost the final.

“All things put together, I think Argentina deserved at least penalties. That Germany won was the result of a misunderstanding in the Argentine defence.”

The 1986 World Cup winner, also criticized Alejandro Sabella’s decision to sub off Ezequiel Lavezzi for Sergio Aguero at half-time.

He said: “I don’t understand the substitution of Lavezzi. He was phenomenal down the wing. Kun Aguero didn’t have the same impact. It was not his tournament.”

-ynaija