"Lionel Messi Was Not World Cup's Best Player" - Diego Maradona Speaks Out

Argentina legend, Diego Maradona says Lionel Messi's Golden Ball win was "unfair" and should have gone to Colombia's James Rodriguez and that the Argentine won Fifa's Golden Ball award for marketing reasons, Maradona explains. A dejected Messi picked up the gong for outstanding player of the tournament minutes
after Mario Gotze's extra-time winner condemned Argentina to defeat in the World Cup final.
"I would give heaven and earth to Leo, but when marketing people want him to win something he didn't (deserve to) win, it is unfair," said Maradona, the winner of the Golden Ball when Argentina won the World Cup in 1986. "I could see that he didn't want to go up and collect it (the award)."

Argentina coach, Alejandro Sabella defended the decision to award his captain the award, claiming that it was richly deserved despite the South Americans' defeat. "He deserves it because he played an extraordinary World Cup," said Sabella. "He was a fundamental factor in the team making it to the final, along with everything done by his other team-mates.
"The World Cup is a highly demanding tournament and as for his reputation, he is in that pantheon among the greats. But he was there before - he has been there for quite some time."