@AniediObot@markklfc You should understand it's almost impossible for group stages to be intense for any big team .the plan of the organisers is to make bigger teams meet in knockout stages to generate more ticket sales . It still baffles me you guys still use this as an excuse during arguments
Ángel Di María on Lionel Messi missing out on the Best Player of the Tournament award to Rodri.
🗣️ “I’ve shared a dressing room with Lionel Messi for almost two decades, and I can say this without hesitation: what FIFA did is one of the most disrespectful decisions I’ve ever seen in football.”
“At 39 years old, Leo wasn’t surviving at this World Cup he was leading it. He carried Argentina, decided the biggest matches, inspired every player around him and proved, once again, why he’s the greatest footballer in history. If that’s not the tournament’s best player, then I honestly don’t know what is.”
“This has nothing to do with Rodri. He’s a fantastic footballer and deserves respect. But anyone who watched this World Cup knows who the face of the tournament was. Every stadium waited for Messi’s next touch. Every opponent feared him. Every Argentine believed because our captain was on the pitch.”
“Sometimes football gets it wrong, and this is one of those moments. You can’t watch everything Messi did at his age, under that pressure, against the best teams in the world, and then tell me someone else defined the tournament more than he did. That’s impossible for me to accept.”
“They can keep the trophy. They can keep the votes. History won’t remember a voting panel it will remember that a 39-year-old Lionel Messi walked into another World Cup, dominated the biggest stage in football and reminded the entire world why no one has ever reached his level. For me, he’ll always be the real Golden Ball winner.”
@azakegrn With 1m, I can start my trade which I've been yearning for and help my family and others as well. I wish I could be selected. God bless you sir #TCMOTY2026
Samuel Eto’o on the claims that Argentina robbed Egypt at the World Cup :
“Enough with the excuses. I have listened to people crying about the referee, VAR, and conspiracy theories for hours. Where was all that energy when Egypt were 2–0 up? Nobody was screaming ‘fixed match’ then. The narrative only changed because Argentina came back and won.
“People need to stop insulting football. Every time a big team wins a difficult game, some fans immediately shout ‘robbery.’ That’s becoming embarrassing. If you lose concentration, stop defending properly, and allow a team like Argentina back into the game, don’t blame the referee for your own collapse.
“And let’s talk about that so-called penalty everyone keeps mentioning. For me, it wasn’t even a penalty. I’ve seen much stronger challenges ignored without VAR getting involved. Yet somehow people want to build an entire conspiracy around one decision. That’s emotion, not analysis.
“What really decided the match? Argentina started playing with intensity, personality, and belief. Egypt stopped controlling the game. That is football. Momentum changes. Great teams punish mistakes. You cannot throw away a two-goal lead and then pretend the whistle is the only reason you lost.
“I’m tired of hearing that the World Cup is being ‘handed’ to Argentina. If you truly believe FIFA chooses champions before the tournament starts, then why are the players running, fighting, and sacrificing everything for 90 minutes? Those accusations disrespect every footballer on that pitch.
“The easiest thing after defeat is to attack the referee. The hardest thing is to look in the mirror and admit you lost control of the match. Egypt were brilliant for part of the game, but Argentina were better when it mattered most. That’s the truth many people don’t want to hear.
“Criticize decisions if you want that’s part of football. But don’t hide behind referees and VAR every time your team loses. Sometimes the real reason is simple: the opponent was stronger in the decisive moments. Accept it, improve, and come back better instead of creating stories that have no evidence behind them.”