First lets all get past the greatness of this thread title... Now: Arguments about the Golden Ball or best player of the world cup almost always end in an argument about criteria: the best player or the most valuable player. On the 'most valuable player' side are those who insist that winning is the only true object of the game. Golden Ball winners should be the player who is most critical to the championship teams conquest. They are often famous players, players with a narrative built around them, players who have a signature moment in the tournament. On the 'best player' side are those who want to divorce player performance from team success. The best player would be decided by individual performance. If you had the time to watch every game and rate every player in every game the award would go to the layer who had the highest rating regardless of position, fame, or team success. In reality most awards have been a compromise of these two ideals, and are usually slanted heavily towards the 'valuable player' criteria. Modric winning got me thinking about this. He clearly fits many of the valuable player ideas. The narrative of the diminutive star leading the small country to the final. He has the reputation as the engine behind Real's team and bigger stars like Ronaldo and has a lot of sentiment on his side, representing the idea of the type of player many would like to see win more awards, as oppose to just goalscorers. On the 'best player' side of things he does not fair poorly, but I do not think there is anyone doing player ratings that has him rated as the best player of the tournament. Some of his teammates have received similar ratings and in my view have played to a similarly high level, but are not getting a sniff for major awards. Looking at the tournament from an absolute performance standpoint from my point of view he was likely in the top ten to twenty players, but I know a handfull players of the top of my head I would rate higher. I think it would be interesting to make a podium or top five players for two different awards for each world cup. A most valuable player award. Heavily influenced by contribution to winning, big moments, perceived leadership, narrative etc. The winner would always be from the championship team and players on podium would have to at least be from a semifinalist. A best player award open to all players looking strictly at individual performance. My attempt at 2018 Most Valuable Player 1) Kylian Mbappe (FRA) 2) Luka Modric (CRO) 3) Antoine Griezmann (FRA) 4) Paul Pogba (FRA) 5) Eden Hazard (BEL) HM) Raphael Varane (FRA) HM) Samuel Umtiti (FRA) HM) N'Golo Kante (FRA) HM) Harry Kane (ENG) Best Player 1) Eden Hazard (BEL) 2) Coutinho (BRA) 3) Diego Godin (URU) 4) Kasper Schmeichel (DEN) 5) Kevin Trippier (ENG) HM) Paul Pogba (FRA) HM) Kylian Mbappe (FRA) HM) Ivan Rakitic (CRO) HM) Raphael Varane (FRA) HM) Luka Modric (CRO)
Modrić easily in the conversation(is) for the best player. You have to watch him play off the ball as well. He is not the highlight player like Hazard who does stuff on the ball when all eyes of an average spectator are on him. His intelligence and decision making throughout the whole game is what made the difference for Croatia. He is a glue that hold that team tactically together. Take him off and Croatia doesnt even get to extra time with Denmark, i am serious. It's certainly not coincedence that Real enjoys their best days with Modrić being the key player (in 2015 season when he struggled with injuries, how many thropies Real won?). In this kind of form Modrić is easily top 5 player in the world, if not top 3.... more than deserved winner
I don't have a problem with Modric winning the official award. I think he is an appropriate melding to the two different criteria above to be an acceptable choice in a year where the winning team did not have a single standout player but a complete team effort, similar to Germany four years ago.
2014 Most Valuable Player 1) Thomas Muller (GER) 2) Lionel Messi (ARG) 3) Manuel Neuer (GER) 4) Arjen Robben (NET) 5) Toni Kroos (GER) HM) Mat Hummels (GER) HM) Phillip Lahm (GER) HM) Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER) HM) Javier Mascherano (ARG) HM) Best Player 1) James Rodrigeuz (COL) 2) Arjen Robben (NET) 3) Keylor Navas (COR) 4) Manuel Neuer (GER) 5) Thomas Muller (GER) HM) Javier Mascherano (ARG) HM) Lionel Messi (ARG) HM) Guillermo Ochoa (MEX) HM) Mat Hummels (GER) HM)
2010 MVP 1) Xavi (SPA) 2) David Villa (SPA) 3) Wesley Sneijder (NET) 4) Diego Forlan (URU) 5) Thomas Muller (GER) HM) Carlos Puyol (SPA) HM) Andreas Iniesta (SPA) HM) Iker Casillas (SPA) HM) Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER) BP 1) Diego Forlan (URU) 2) Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER) 3) Wesley Sneijder (NET) 4) David Villa (SPA) 5) Thomas Muller (GER) HM) Xavi (SPA) HM) Iker Casillas (SPA) HM) Maicon (BRA) HM) Arjen Robben (NET)
Welcome back Tom, Maybe add to criteria, that eligible players must be played at least 4 matches, considering that SF teams played 7 matches with the current format.