Ouch. Argentine football great Maradona says awarding Lionel Messi the World Cup's golden ball was just a marketing ploy.

The losing World Cup teams and fans are licking their wounds while Germany will celebrate for at least four years.

Angela Merkel does not want to complete her full term as German Chancellor and plans to resign before elections in 2017, according to reports.

With one sublime moment yesterday Germany broke a 24-year drought - and saved the World Cup for Brazil.

Ten-year-old Kiwi Will Richardson's dream of meeting Argentine football star Lionel Messi came true yesterday in front of 80,000 screaming fans.

Kiwis bet more than $2 million on the 2014 Fifa World Cup final, making it the TAB's third most popular sporting event in history.

What did we learn from Germany's 1-0 World Cup final over Argentina in Rio this morning? Michael Burgess analyses the big result.

Germany claimed their fourth World Cup title after Mario Goetze scored in the second half of extra time in a 1-0 win over Argentina.

The World Cup provides many lessons for anyone looking to perform at the highest level and that includes those in the challenging world of trading financial markets.

German supporters have outnumbered Argentine fans at The Fox in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour.

Marcelo looked wide-eyed, stunned when he scored the first goal of the World Cup ... against his own team. Hardly the most auspicious of starts for Brazil.

Now we know why the rest of the world glories whenever the All Blacks crash out of the Rugby World Cup at the hands of France.

If you feel like this World Cup has been more dramatic than most, you're right.

The party is over. The carnival that has gripped Brazil over the past month has come to a shuddering, embarrassing halt.

The "hand of God" proved decisive when Maradona's goal put paid to England's World Cup dream in 1986.

Little things have every chance of winning or losing the World Cup final. But first, let's address the big things.

For brothers Liam, 10, and Ryan, 7, sibling rivalry has reached its peak ahead of Monday's World Cup final. Liam is backing Germany while Ryan is supporting Argentina.

Editorial: The past month has shown once again the hold of the tournament, even on people who spare not a thought for football at any other time.

The FIFA World Cup final is upon us. Football fans across the world will be biting their nails when Germany go head to head with Argentina.

Herald football writer Steven Holloway and his father Bruce, two-time NZ football writer of the year, argue over whether the 2014 World Cup is the best edition ever

For Adidas, the World Cup has already been won, whatever the outcome of Monday's final in Rio de Janeiro.