A World Cup like no other: The good, the bad, the sheiks and the shocks

The best player has to be Lionel Messi. Raging against the dying of the light with all of the glorious grace he has given us for 16 years now. A treasure

THE BIG ONE: Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after being presented with the Golden Ball award. Pic: Mike Egerton/PA Wire

BEST PLAYER

It feels like it has to be Lionel Messi but this has been a tournament that said to hell with your feelings. So let’s explore the alternatives. Antoine Griezmann is the primary one. What a tournament, a French army knife who has done everything and all of it superbly well. Robbed of Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, Griezmann somehow covered for all three. No one emptied themselves more impressively than Sofyan Amrabat and Luka Modric was stellar. But it has to be Messi. Raging against the dying of the light with all of the glorious grace he has given us for 16 years now. A treasure.