Lionel Messi named Golden Ball winner
Argentina star came up short in World Cup final
It wasn't the award he wanted most, but Argentina's Lionel Messi was named the Golden Ball winner at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil on Sunday.
Messi failed to score in the final contest as Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time to capture the World Cup.
Messi, 27, had four goals in the tournament and looked dangerous for most of Sunday's final. He is a four-time FIFA Ballon d'Or winner as player of the year.
Messi also won four successive man-of-the-match awards against Bosnia, Iran, Argentina and Switzerland.
While some pundits thought Messi looked jaded after the Group stage and didn't influence his team as much, Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said he was a deserving winner.
"I think that Lionel is already in the Olympus of the great ones some time ago," Sabella told reporters. "Yes, I think he deserved it. He played a great World Cup to get us where he did.
"I think it's very deserved."
Germany forward Thomas Mueller was runner-up to Messi and Dutch winger Arjen Robben was third.
With files from Reuters