By Alejandro Lopez Vega


By Alejandro Lopez Vega
As 2024 draws to a close, the latest edition of The Best awards, where FIFA honors the most outstanding players in both men’s and women’s soccer, is fast approaching. This week, the nominees for each category were announced, and many were surprised by the omission of an Inter Milan star who played a pivotal role in leading Lionel Messi’s Argentina to the 2024 Copa America title.
Lautaro Martinez was the top scorer and MVP of Serie A during the 2023-24 season, helping Inter to a dominant league title. He also played a pivotal role in Argentina’s triumph in the 2024 Copa America, scoring five goals, including the match-winner in the final against Colombia. Despite these accomplishments, Lautaro was not included in the list of eleven players nominated for the coveted The Best award.
“It is surprising and disappointing that Lautaro Martinez has not been considered among the candidates for FIFA’s Best Player after such an exceptional season,” said Giuseppe Marotta, president of Inter Milan, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Lautaro deserves more respect and recognition.”
Marotta went on to highlight the striker’s impressive achievements: “His extraordinary performances helped lead Inter to a historic season and the Argentine national team to victory in the Copa América. Moreover, in both competitions, he was the top scorer.”
The Inter Milan president also sent a strong message to FIFA: “This exclusion seems to disregard not only his numbers and successes, but also the impact he had in crucial matches. It sends a negative signal—players who stand out in such an important way should be rewarded.” He concluded, “Let’s hope that in the future, proper recognition will be given to those, like Lautaro, who continue to shine on the field.”
Lautaro Martinez of FC Inter
Despite his outstanding year with both Inter Milan and the Argentina national team, Lautaro Martinez has struggled to receive the recognition he deserves. At the Ballon d’Or ceremony, many believed he had a chance to compete for the prestigious award, but he ultimately finished in seventh place, with Rodri claiming the title.
The decision to award the Ballon d’Or to the Manchester City midfielder sparked controversy, with Lautaro Martinez and other stars such as Vinicius Junior and Toni Kroos, expressing their disagreement with the Ballon d’Or results.
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Although Lautaro Martinez was absent from the list of finalists for The Best award, he was included among the top strikers of the year and could still earn a spot in the 2024 Ideal XI, depending on the votes from fans and experts. The same fate befell Cristiano Ronaldo, who was also snubbed by FIFA but included in that minor nomination. On the other hand, Lionel Messi is one of the eleven players that will compete for the main award.
Alejandro Lopez Vega is a seasoned sports journalist who joined Bolavip US in October 2024. With more than thirteen years of experience in news writing, sports analysis, and event coverage, he specializes in soccer and basketball. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Alejandro has worked with various media outlets in Rosario, Argentina, such as Radio La Red and Radio Mitre. He has also been part of the Communication and Press Department for the soccer teams Newell's Old Boys and Central Córdoba. In addition to his journalism career, Alejandro is a lawyer, having graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, which brings a unique legal perspective to his sports analysis, going beyond the athletic aspects of events.
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