Barça coach Valverde gives strong opinion on FIFA's The Best
Ernesto Valverde voiced his opinion on the growing number of individual awards
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde offered his opinion on FIFA's The Best, which took place on Monday, and his comments on the award and the organisers will leave no one indifferent.
Asked who he would have voted for, given the chance, he gave an obvious response: "I would have voted for three of my players, but I won't say who so that I don't make anyone angry!"
However, he offered a less diplomatic response when asked for his general take on individual awards in football.
“These days there are a lot more awards, a lot more galas… everything is magnified because of that," he added. "All these ceremonies are self-promotion for those that are hosting them.
“There’s a lot of noise from the media and they like to stir up controversy. This is a sport but it’s becoming more and more similar to show business.”
Luka Modric won The Best, ending Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's decade-long dominance of the prize.
“Everyone has their own opinion,” Valverde responded when asked if the Real Madrid man was a worthy winner. “It’s not the moment to compare players. Modric had a great year, but it’s an award which says The Best and the best is not there… For us, it’s Leo [Messi].”
