Messi Golden Ball ‘surprised’ Blatter

Manuel Neuer won the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper, while Lionel Messi was given the Golden Ball

Fifa president Sepp Blatter says he was “a little bit surprised” Lionel Messi was named the World Cup’s best player.

Messi was awarded the Golden Ball after Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Germany in Sunday’s final in Rio de Janeiro.

All the goals from World Cup 2014

Blatter believes Messi was given the award on the strength of his four goals during the group stage.

Argentina legend Diego Maradona also felt Messi was a surprise choice, claiming Colombia’s James Rodriguez performed better in Brazil.

Maradona, who was named the best player when Argentina won the World Cup in 1986, said “marketing people” had chosen the wrong man and called the decision “unfair”.

The Golden Ball and other individual prizes, such as the Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper, are decided by Fifa’s Technical Study Group, a panel including former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier.

The Golden Ball and other individual awards are chosen by Fifa’s Technical Study Group, a 13-strong committee which analyses matches at international tournaments.

The group was set up after the 1966 World Cup to monitor trends and developments in the game.

Current members include former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier and ex-Hibernian boss Mixu Paatelainen.

Former Nigeria midfielder Sunday Oliseh and Ricki Herbert, who managed New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup, are also on the committee, which has no British representative.

Roy Hodgson was due to be invited into the Technical Study Group before he was appointed England manager.

Messi set up his side’s winner against Switzerland in the last 16 but was only a sporadic threat in the semi-final against Netherlands, which Argentina won on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

Highlights: Germany 1-0 Argentina

The Barcelona star then missed a clear chance in the final, when put through on goal by Lucas Biglia.

Messi told Spanish newspaper AS: “Right now I don’t care about the prize. I wanted to take Argentina to the World Cup for all the people.”

Rodriguez finished as the competition’s top scorer, with six goals from five games as Colombia reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to hosts Brazil.

Fifa’s Technical Study Group awarded the Silver Ball – for the tournament’s second-best player – to Germany forward Thomas Muller, with Netherlands attacker Arjen Robben winning the Bronze Ball.

Germany’s Manuel Neuer collected the Golden Glove, while France midfielder Paul Pogba was named the tournament’s best young player.

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Messi ‘deserved World Cup Golden Ball’

Argentina’s Lionel Messi deserved to be named as the best player at the World Cup despite their 1-0 final defeat by Germany, said coach Alejandro Sabella.

Messi, 27, won the Golden Ball after scoring four goals in Brazil, but was subdued in Sunday’s final in Rio.

Former England captain Gary Lineker was disappointed by the Barcelona forward’s performances during the tournament.

Sabella said Messi’s award was “very deserved”, adding: “He played a great World Cup to get us where he did.”

“I had a feeling watching Messi for Barcelona this season that he was saving himself for the World Cup, but he has clearly not been in brilliant physical condition in Brazil.”

Messi said of the award: “The truth is it doesn’t interest me at this moment.

“We wanted to win the World Cup for all the people in Argentina and we couldn’t do it.

“We tried, but we didn’t have the luck we had in other games.”

All of Messi’s goals at the 2014 Fifa World Cup came during the group stage, with a double against Nigeria following goals against Bosnia-Hercegovina and Iran.

Gotze scores winner for Germany in final

But the four-time world player of the year failed to score in the knockout stages, and he and Gonzalo Higuain were guilty of being wasteful in Sunday’s final.

“I’m not sure we saw the best of Messi,” said Match Of The Day presenter Lineker. “In the final he was largely suppressed.”

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand added: “Messi did some fantastic things but he wasn’t doing it consistently.”

But Sabella said Messi was “a fundamental factor for where we ended up”.

The 59-year-old added he was proud of his players, and admitted they had paid the price for missing chances.

Mario Gotze scored the only goal in Rio, volleying home with seven minutes of extra time remaining.

“Beyond the pain of the defeat in the final they can look themselves in the eyes and say they gave everything for Argentina,” Sabella said.

“I’m sure Argentina will get a good welcome back home, but they will be thinking they could have won this game. They had all the chances. After so many misses you start thinking if Germany get a chance, they will get the goal, and that’s what they have done.”

The former Leeds and Sheffield United player refused to discuss his future amid reports he was preparing to stand down. 

He said: “I cannot speak about the future, the future for me now is to be with the players and my people – the coaches and my family – and to rest a bit.”

Midfielder Javier Mascherano said: “The pain is immense. We wanted to win this for the people of Argentina, for those who came here to support us, but we lost.

“We have represented our country the best we could.

“We have to lift our heads despite the pain. We gave everything we could out there.”

Mario Gotze’s strike is the first World Cup goal Argentina have conceded in extra time

Only Maradona and Jairzinho completed more dribbles in one World Cup than Lionel Messi

Argentina trailed for only seven minutes at the 2014 World Cup

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Low told Gotze to outshine Messi

Germany coach Joachim Low told Mario Gotze to show the world he was better than Lionel Messi, minutes before he scored the goal that won the World Cup.

Bayern Munich forward Gotze, 22, came off the bench to volley home in extra time as Germany beat Argentina 1-0 to win the World Cup for the fourth time, 24 years after their previous triumph.

Low said he told Gotze at half-time in extra time: “Show them that you are better and can decide the World Cup.”

He added: “Gotze is the miracle boy.”

World Cup 2014: Germany 1-0 Argentina (aet) highlights

Gotze began the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Germany’s starting line-up but only started three of their seven matches, and came on as an 88th-minute substitute for Miroslav Klose in Sunday’s final.

His goal came with seven minutes of extra time remaining, volleying home after taking Andre Schurrle’s cross on his chest.

Low said: “He is the wonder who can play in numerous positions, he is the decider who can come on and make a difference and that is what he did.

“We are proud to become the first European country to win the title in South America. In Brazil, in Rio, in this football-loving country.”

Gotze, who joined Bayern from Borussia Dortmund for £31.5m last summer, said: “It is an unbelievable feeling, you just score that goal and you just don’t really know what’s happening.

“It’s indescribable, you are having a party with the team, with the country, the dream has become a reality. It is absolutely sensational.”

Germany fitting World Cup winners – Lineker

Despite being on the losing side in the final, Messi was named as the tournament’s best player.

Coach Alejandro Sabella said the award was “very deserved”, adding: “He played a great World Cup to get us where he did.”

Germany counterpart Low, meanwhile, said victory in Brazil was the result of a 10-year project.

Germany were knocked out at the group stage of Euro 2004 without winning a game, but have since reached three semi-finals and two finals at five major championships.

They had not won a tournament since Euro 96 in England.

Low said: “We started this project 10 years ago and what has happened is the result of many years’ work.

“We’ve made constant progress and believed in the project. We worked a lot and, if any group deserves it, it’s this team.”

After a dismal Euro 2004, coach Rudi Voller resigns and Jurgen Klinsmann takes over.

Germany host the 2006 World Cup and surpass expectations, losing to Italy in the semi-finals and finishing third.

Lose the Euro 2008 final to Spain after Fernando Torres scores the only goal.

Beaten by Spain again at the semi-final stage of the 2010 World Cup, before finishing third.

Beaten by Italy in the semi-finals of Euro 2012.

Win the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil, beating Argentina 1-0 in the final.

Manuel Neuer, who won the Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper in the tournament, hailed an “unbelievable” moment as the national side lifted the trophy.

He said: “The team has done superbly, not only the players, but also the team behind the team. At some point we will stop celebrating, but we will always stand up again with a smile.”

Captain Philipp Lahm added: “What we have done and how we have worked is incredible.

“It was a gripping tournament and in the end I think we have got the right winners. Germany performed consistently and they’ve got some great players. I think they are going to be around for a long time to come and we could be going back to some kind of German dominance.”

“Whether we have the best individual players or whatever does not matter, you have to have the best team.

“At the end you stand there as world champions – an unbelievable feeling.”

Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle added: “This is the best moment of my life. I had to cry because I was so overcome. I couldn’t stop it.

“It was always a dream to be a world champion. We are so looking forward to celebrating with fans in Berlin.”

Centre-back Mats Hummels admitted the players were beginning to think about a penalty shootout before Gotze’s late goal.

“I am still completely trapped in another world, physically too exhausted to be able to rejoice euphorically. But that will come in the coming days,” he said.

“You can only be world champions when you act as a team. We wanted to make that clear to everyone the whole time and we achieved that, even if we got that little bit of luck in the final as we were already a bit waiting for penalties.”

Germany’s last World Cup win was in 1990, when they again beat Argentina 1-0 in the final

Three of Germany’s squad – Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski – play for Arsenal

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VIDEO: Score first, stop Messi – Van Gaal

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Messi gives us water in desert – coach

Argentina captain Lionel Messi gives the World Cup semi-finalists “water in the desert” when they are struggling, says coach Alejandro Sabella.

Messi led his side to a first semi-final since 1990 as Gonzalo Higuain’s strike defeated Belgium.

“That a player like Messi almost never loses the ball is water in the desert,” said Sabella after Saturday’s 1-0 win.

“Today, when the terrain was dry he gave us that breath of fresh air every time he had the ball.”

Four-time world player of the year Messi rarely threatened the Belgium goal as he failed to add to his tournament tally of four strikes. But he was the architect of most of Argentina’s attacking play.

The 27-year-old Barcelona star helped create the only goal, winning back possession inside the Belgium half before picking out Angel Di Maria, whose deflected pass was fired in by Higuain.

The Napoli striker’s winner set up a semi-final tie against Netherlands in Sao Paulo on Wednesday.

“We were able to reach a semi-final which we haven’t achieved for many years,” said 26-year-old Higuain.

“We gave our all, it’s a World Cup, it doesn’t happen every day. Now we need to play well and try and reach the final. There are two matches left to achieve this beautiful dream.”

Ex-Sheffield United and Leeds United midfielder Sabella said his players had created history after reaching the last four for the first time since finishing as runners-up at Italia 1990.

“After 24 years this is a good tribute to this squad. They will go down in history as one of the best four teams in the world and we will see if they can go one step more,” he said.

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Sabella nearly falls over after chance

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Nervous Messi feared Argentina exit

Lionel Messi said he feared Argentina would be knocked out of the World Cup before he set up Angel Di Maria’s late extra-time winner against Switzerland.

Di Maria fired in Messi’s pass to clinch a 1-0 win, ending stubborn Swiss resistance and setting up a quarter-final tie against Belgium.

“I was nervous towards the end because we couldn’t score and any mistake could have knocked us out,” said Messi, 27.

“The minutes were passing and we didn’t want the match to go to penalties.”

Two-time champions Argentina dominated possession in Wednesday’s last-16 tie against the Swiss but were unable to break through until Di Maria converted in the 118th-minute.

“We were suffering but had a special play,” added Argentina captain Messi, Barcelona’s four-time World Player of the Year.

Switzerland defender Blerim Dzemaili headed against the Argentina post then prodded wide after Di Maria’s strike.

But Real Madrid winger Di Maria said victory was “more than deserved”.

“It wasn’t me, the heroes are 23 players and the technical staff,” the 26-year-old added. “We gave our lives, our souls.”

Defeat marked the end of Switzerland boss Ottmar Hitzfeld’s managerial career. The 65-year-old, who discovered shortly before the match that his brother had died, is now retiring.

Argentina attempted 29 shots over the 120 minutes, while the Swiss did not manage an effort on target after the 50th minute.

But Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side created the best chances of the first half.

Argentina keeper Sergio Romero saved in quick succession from Granit Xhaka and Stephan Lichtsteiner, before denying Josip Drmic shortly after.

“It was a game that we deserved to win in 90 minutes,” said Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella.

“It was even during a first half in which they had two clear chances to score, but in the second half we were clearly superior. We had five or six shots at goal and, in extra-time, we also had more chances.”

Defeat marked the end of Hitzfeld’s 31-year managerial career.

The 65-year-old German is a two-time World Coach of the Year who won 19 major club trophies for Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Grasshoppers, before taking charge of the Swiss national team in 2008.

“I have a quiet life in front of me,” he said.

“I was very fortunate to coach some marvellous clubs and the Swiss national team. It has been a great honour and I am proud to say goodbye to the Swiss team with my heart full of emotions.”

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Too much talk about Messi – Swiss striker

Lionel Messi is not the only threat in the Argentina team, according to Switzerland’s Admir Mehmedi ahead of Tuesday’s last-16 World Cup clash.

Former world player of the year Messi, 27, has inspired Argentina in Brazil.

The Barcelona forward has scored in all three games and is one goal shy of Maradona’s 1986 five-goal haul, but Mehmedi says it is not all about Messi.

“With all due respect for his qualities and class, I think too much is talked about just Messi,” said Mehmedi, 23.

Lionel Messi the best since Maradona – Gary Lineker

“He is exceptional, no question, but that is not all, he has very good players around him. We will not neglect the preparation nor in the game itself,” the Freiburg striker said ahead of their last-16 clash.

Argentina are unbeaten in their six previous games against Switzerland but Mehmedi says his side are not heading into the game at Corinthians Arena just to make up the numbers against one of the pre-tournament favourites.

“Swap jerseys with Messi? I’m not here as a tourist,” he said. “Switzerland is in the second round of a World Cup.”

Mehmedi knows if his side can defeat Argentina in Sao Paulo they will cause one of the biggest shocks of the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

“I know the quality and potential of this team,” he continued.

“If we defeat Argentina, we write a piece of World Cup history and many people in Switzerland will be proud of the team.

“I even think such success would see the world take notice, but we are not naive.

“It will take an absolutely top performance of each one of us. And I assure you, everyone will do everything we can to provide these and tearing for Switzerland.”

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Two-goal Messi ‘is from Jupiter’

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said Lionel Messi “is from Jupiter” after the Argentina forward scored twice in their 3-2 win over the African nation.

The 27-year-old scored a half-volley and a free-kick as Argentina recorded a third win to finish top of Group F.

“Messi is one of heck of a player. He’s blessed. You can’t take it away from him,” said Keshi, whose Nigeria side still qualified despite the defeat.

“There are good calibre players in the team but Messi is from Jupiter.”

World Cup 2014: Nigeria 2-3 Argentina highlights

Keshi, whose team advanced to the last 16 of the World Cup after Iran lost to Bosnia-Hercegovina, added: “I feel honoured and happy it’s going our way, I want to thank the players and the fans and some of the media.”

Messi is now joint top scorer at the 2014 tournament with four goals, alongside Brazil’s Neymar. Prior to Brazil 2014, he had scored just once in eight World Cup matches.

The Barcelona star paid tribute to Nigeria, who equalised twice through Ahmed Musa before Marcos Roja scored a second-half winner for the two-time champions.

“We played against a team that wanted to play,” Messi said. “I think we saw a good Argentina. We need to continue on this path.”

Messi had previously only scored one World Cup goal in 571 minutes, but former England striker Gary Lineker believes he is now comparable to Argentine compatriot Diego Maradona.

Maradona inspired Argentina to their 1986 World Cup triumph, scoring twice to eliminate Lineker and his England team-mates in the quarter-finals.

“I don’t think since Maradona we’ve seen anyone quite like Messi on the field,” said the Match of the Day presenter.

“They’re very similar players in many ways: both have that mercurial left foot, balance, precision, the ability to beat players very easily and make the game look simple.

“And he scores goals as well. Diego was an unbelievable player, certainly the best of my generation, and he was unbelievably creative, he could do all those sort of things, but he wasn’t as prolific as Messi is, he didn’t score quite as many goals.”

The South American side will now play Switzerland in the last 16, while Nigeria will face France.

“As we advance we start improving our structure, in general I saw improvement today,” said Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella.

“We’ve got nine points, but we can always get better.”

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