[pekingduck]

 
Oh, and the Adidas-sponsored Ballon d'Or being awarded to the Adidas-sponsored Lionel Messi? Hmm...

 
Yeah I was like What when the announcement was made. Messi wasn't bad but there were far better players such as Robben, Muller... This golden ball is basically a consolation prize for Messi/Argentina.

 

[oqvist]

The gold glove, shoe and ball all went to adidas sponsored players funny coincidence isn´t it?

 

[PalJoey]

  The gold glove, shoe and ball all went to adidas sponsored players funny coincidence isn´t it?

The rather hilarious-looking Golden Glove trophy did go to the right man, though. Some great contenders throughout the tournament, but Neuer was awe-inspiring at times.

 

[leogodoy]

Even Messi looked baffled when they gave him the award.

In the end, the better team won. Football is a fantastic sport because that doesn't happen always, there's always room for an individual play breaking all predictions. I really think Messi's history would be complete with a WC title, but hey, we are still privileged to be witnesses of his genius. And Germany is a top team. What a World Cup this was. Maybe the best we will watch in our lifetimes.

 

[vertical]

What a World Cup this was. Maybe the best we will watch in our lifetimes.

Yeah, it really was a great tournament!

 

[oqvist]

One of the better since -94. South Africa was a Vuvuzela disaster.

 

[JakeJack_2008]

Yeah, Germany's best team in the world! Congratulations.
 
Although I am not German I am happy because finally a European team won FIFA World Cup 
outside Europe -  in South America -  more importantly,  in Brazil.
 
In the final, Argentina tamed Germany. I was surprised. I thought that Germany would repeat 4:0, the 2010-result,
with Messi playing and Maradona coaching.
Then I considered 3:0 or 3:1 or at least 2:0 for Germany.
 
Anyway, Lionel Messi is not  Diego Maradona. He lacks Maradona's charisma  and brilliance (creativity, vision, ..).
Even in Argentina Diego Maradona is considered a (much) better player than Messi.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Yeah, Germany's best team in the world! Congratulations.
 
Although I am not German I am happy because finally a European team won FIFA World Cup 
outside Europe -  in South America -  more importantly,  in Brazil.
 
In the final, Argentina tamed Germany. I was surprised. I thought that Germany would repeat 4:0, the 2010-result,
with Messi playing and Maradona coaching.
Then I considered 3:0 or 3:1 or at least 2:0 for Germany.
 
Anyway, Lionel Messi is not  Diego Maradona. He lacks Maradona's charisma  and brilliance (creativity, vision, ..).
Even in Argentina Diego Maradona is considered a (much) better player than Messi.

 
I'm too young to have watched Pele, but Maradona was the best player I ever saw play the game. 

 

[leogodoy]

Maradona has tons of charisma, no other player combines his skill and his history. I haven't seen Pelé except for archival footage. In my lifetime, Maradona was the best. Messi is not far from that, though. And if was a little bit more charismatic, the discussion on who's best between the two of them would be hotter. Nowadays I still hold my allegiance to el Diez.

 

[oqvist]

Suarez and Balotelli is just as mad as maradona if that counts
 
Anyway I think a lot of todays players are better then Maradona ever was if we look at the actual football stuff . 
 
It get harder if you take into account at what time they all play  though.

 

[PalJoey]

Among Brazilians, many prefer Garrincha to Pele, as the former was not just a great player, but a bit more of a "man of the people". His ball skills were mesmeric at times too.

 


 

 

[oqvist]

What a slow football they played then and where is the pressure from the defenders

 

[PalJoey]

Defenders were scared of him leaving them for dead or on their backsides. Because that's what he did, again and again.
 
Back in those days, if a defender could line you up, they could get away with a lot more violence in the tackle. Think of the Leeds team from a slightly later era, or Chopper Harris' worst excesses. Or Norman "bites yer legs" Hunter, for that matter.

 

[oqvist]

In this WC the defenders could get away with murder. Same goes for the swimming attackers. I dunno if it´s that much of a difference honestly. But I wasn´t born in the -58 so only seen the occasional regular stuff like this

 

[PalJoey]

  In this WC the defenders could get away with murder. Same goes for the swimming attackers. I dunno if it´s that much of a difference honestly. But I wasn´t born in the -58 so only seen the occasional regular stuff like this

Players are much more limited in what they can get away with now. You used to be allowed to barge the keeper into the net if he caught the ball. The crackdowns on various tackling techniques in recent years have removed most of the more obvious hatchetmen.
 
There's some mild and sly violence in the modern game, but nothing like 'The Battle of Santiago' or the 1970 FA Cup Final replay.