Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham: How Fifa's bewildering World Cup award has distorted reality

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham: How Fifa's bewildering World Cup award has distorted reality. The article criticizes FIFA’s “Superior Player of the Match” selections at the 2026 World Cup, arguing that online fan voting can turn awards into popularity contests. It highlights Casemiro receiving the honor after Brazil’s Monday win over Japan, despite a first-half spell described as error-prone, with the piece noting his equalizing header as the redeeming moment. The article also questions Ronaldo’s award after Portugal’s narrow victory over Croatia in Toronto, citing that his only registered box touch was the penalty equalizer before he was substituted. It references Lamine Yamal being honored after Spain beat Austria 3-0, even though Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice and Marc Cucurella provided two assists. Jude Bellingham’s acknowledgement that he “didn’t deserve it” is contrasted with Messi winning in another case. The piece says the system rewards star power and social media momentum, not necessarily team performances.