The Fifa
president has also expressed his sympathy for Luis Suarez following the
Uruguayan's four-month ban for biting
By Greg
Stobart in Rio de Janeiro
Fifa
president Sepp Blatter has admitted he was “surprised” that Lionel Messi was
voted the best player of the World Cup and has expressed his sympathy for Luis
Suarez following his four-month ban for biting.
Messi was
awarded the Golden Ball following Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Germany in the
final on Sunday after he scored four goals in the tournament but failed to
register a strike in the knockout stages.
“I was a
little bit surprised when I saw Messi coming up as the best player in the
competition,” Blatter said in a post-tournament press conference at the
Maracana.
Suarez was
banned by Fifa’s disciplinary for biting Georgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s victory
over Italy in the group stage.
An appeal
was dismissed last week to get the new Barcelona man’s four-month ban reduced,
but Blatter hopes to see the 27-year-old back to his best now he has moved to
the Camp Nou.
Blatter
said: “Concerning the Suarez matter I feel for him that such a punishment
hurts. But as the president of Fifa I have to accept the decision of the
committee.
“This player
will come back to football on the pitch and what he has shown on the pitch, we
saw his tactical and technical capacity and his smell for goal.
“I hope he
will be back. He is now at one of the greatest clubs in the world.”
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