RIO DE JANEIRO, July 14 — Argentine star Lionel Messi won FIFA’s Golden Ball award here on Sunday. Germany won 1-0 with substitute forward Mario Gotze scoring the winner in the 113rd minute.
Barcelona forward Messi beat off competition from German’s Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller, team mates Angel Di Maria and Javier Mascherano, as well as Brazil’s Neymar, Netherlands winger Arjen Robben and James Rodriguez of Colombia, who were all named on the short-list.
Messi became the best player of the 2014 World Cup with four goals and one assist to help his nation to their first World Cup final since 1990.
Following are the award winners of the FIFA World Cup by the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG):
Golden Ball: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Silver Ball: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Bronze Ball: Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
Golden Boot: James Rodriguez (Colombia)
Silver Boot: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Bronze Boot: Neymar (Brazil)
Golden Glove: Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Young Player Award: Paul Pogba (France)
FIFA Fair Play Trophy: Colombia
— BERNAMA-NNN-XINHUA
