BUENOS AIRES (AP) ― Riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a group of rock-throwing vandals who disturbed a rally by Argentines celebrating their team’s gutsy performance in a 1-0 loss to Germany in the World Cup finals.Thousands of Argentines, saddened but proud, had gathered peacefully at the iconic Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires to applaud their team’s best World Cup performance in 24 years.Police initially remained on the sidelines as fans poured into downtown Buenos Aire

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ― Lionel Messi’s final act in the 2014 World Cup was lifting a free kick high over the bar, wasting Argentina’s last chance to equalize in the final against Germany.It was far from a fitting finish for the four-time world player of the year.This was supposed to be Messi’s World Cup, just like the 1986 tournament belonged to another Argentine great, Diego Maradona.But after carrying his team through the group stage in Brazil with four goals, Messi seemed to run out of steam.In

BERLIN (AP) ― A quarter of a million German football fans reacted with unbridled joy, mixed with shock, on Sunday when Mario Goetze struck late in extra-time for Germany to win the World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Argentina.The supporters, packed into the “fan mile” in front of the German capital’s famous Brandenburg Gate, screamed as one when Goetze took the ball on his chest and let fly inside the far post from a narrow angle.Fans cheered, clapped and shouted, with groups of fans hugging and

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ― Vladimir Putin chatted with Angela Merkel, and David Beckham hugged Pele at the World Cup final on Sunday.Tom Brady looked on from the VIP seats when his wife Gisele Bundchen brought the trophy on the field before the game.Mick Jagger and LeBron James were also in the Maracana Stadium to see Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time. Celebrities rubbed shoulders at the stadium, starting with Shakira singing and Carlos Santana playing guitar during the closing ceremony.At the

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ― Lionel Messi and Neymar are among the 10 players nominated for the award given to the World Cup’s best player.Seven of the candidates announced by FIFA play for finalists Argentina and Germany. Messi is nominated along with Argentina teammates Angel Di Maria and Javier Mascherano. Germany provides four candidates: Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Mueller.Neymar is the only candidate from Brazil among the players selected by FIFA’s technical study group of c