Lionel Messi refuses to accept Copa America best player award
10:51, 6 July 2015
YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS: Copa America officials were forced into removing their 'best player of the tournament' award due to Lionel Messi's refusal to claim the prize, according to reports in Argentina, Armenpress reports, citing the Daily Mail.
A video has emerged of an official appearing to remove the trophy from a stage after Chile's penalty shootout win against Argentina.
Messi is said to have instructed officials not to award him the trophy during the presentation at Chile's National Stadium in Santiago.
The Barcelona superstar failed to impress at the tournament despite Argentina's relative success in Chile.
Messi failed to score from open play during Argentina's six Copa America games.
His only goal of the competition came from the penalty spot during Argentina's 2-2 draw with Paraguay.
Messi has been criticised in the past for failing to replicate his Barcelona form when he represents his country.
Following a season in which Messi was often unplayable as Barcelona claimed the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, Messi was hoping to round things off with a first senior international accolade.
For all his club success, Messi has never won a World Cup or a Copa America winners medal, with his Olympic Games gold medal for Argentina at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing coming at under 23 level.
And it wasn't to be in Chile as the host nation upset the odds to record a historic first Copa triumph and leave Argentina the nearly-men once again.
At the 2014 World Cup, a sullen Messi was forced to go up on stage and receive the Golden Ball trophy for Player of the Tournament after their 1-0 loss to Germany in the Maracana.
Following a sub-par performance from Messi in the final, he was forced to pose alongside victorious German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who claimed the Golden Glove accolade.
- 04.16-21:21 Erdogan says Netanyahu to blame for Iran's attack on Israel
- 04.16-19:57 Putin expresses hope for restraint in Middle East in conversation with Raisi
- 04.16-17:45 His Holiness Garegin II receives the Head of EU observer mission in Armenia
- 04.16-17:42 AIM Startup Workshop to Prepare Participants for 2024 AIM Congress in Abu Dhabi
- 04.16-17:24 Armenian Foreign Minister to visit Saudi Arabia
- 04.16-16:52 Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals - 16-04-24
- 04.16-16:50 Asian Stocks - 16-04-24
- 04.16-16:47 BTA. IMF Managing Director Georgieva Talks to BTA on Her Second-Term Priorities, US Economy, Bulgaria in Eurozone and Tax Reform
- 04.16-16:21
Martyrdom of Sinjar Yazidis: French Ambassador to Armenia compares it to Armenian
Genocide a century later - 04.16-15:50 Armenia designates August 3 as Day of Remembrance for 2014 Sinjar Yazidi Genocide Victims
- 04.16-15:29 Nikol Pashinyan extends congratulations to Prime Minister of Iceland
- 04.16-13:53 Azerbaijani attempts to put equality sign between Armenia and Azerbaijan are cynical - Yeghisheh Kirakosyan
- 04.16-12:37 Ucom continues network modernization in regions of Armenia
- 04.16-12:08 Mélanie Joly welcomes the joining of Canada's first expert to EU mission in Armenia
- 04.16-11:45 The delegation led by Alen Simonyan is departing for Lithuania on an official visit
- 04.16-10:57 The Marriott family opens its 4th hotel complex in Armenia
- 04.16-10:02 European Stocks - 15-04-24
- 04.16-10:01 US stocks down - 15-04-24
- 04.16-09:59 NYMEX: Precious Metals Prices - 15-04-24
- 04.16-09:58 Oil Prices Up - 15-04-24
- 04.15-20:50 Italian consulate in Tehran temporarily closed
- 04.15-18:10 Two Armenian satellites registered in UN Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space
- 04.15-17:47 Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals - 15-04-24
- 04.15-17:46 Asian Stocks - 15-04-24
- 04.15-17:33 Iranian Foreign Ministry warns Israel of swift response in case of escalation
08:00, 04.10.2024
4065 views
Rwandan children singing Armenian songs hope to visit Armenia one day - Morioxkids
founders share exclusive details
17:35, 04.13.2024
3345 views
Earthquake registered in Armenia
13:11, 04.12.2024
3298 views
Anti-Armenian school olympiad in Azerbaijan proves Azerbaijani invasive aspirations
against Armenia
16:54, 04.15.2024
2259 views
Several Armenian-made weapons pass internal tests, will be included in the Armenian
Armed Forces
18:10, 04.10.2024
2247 views
Armenia offers Azerbaijan to conduct an investigation into the border incident