Just call him the Golden Baller

Class on the field and class off of it, Diego Forlan exudes it.

Going into the World Cup final Sunday four players had separated themselves from the rest in terms of their play throughout the tournament and were the only real contenders for the Golden Ball or the best player in the World Cup - David Villa, Wesley Sneijder, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Diego Forlan. I also thought the player from the winning team in the final would take home the Golden Ball.

However, I commend the media and voters for selecting Forlan a player that scored five scintillating goals and had one assist while helping this not so well known Uruguayan team, the second smallest country in the tournament with a population of around 3.2 million people, win Group A.

In the process Uruguay got two notable scalps, they're tie with France in the opening match helped send that team into turmoil before going home in complete disgrace, and they're win over South Africa in the second match ultimately meant that for the first time in the history of the World Cup the host nation would not advance past group stage into the knockout round. Once into the knockout round, Uruguay found themselves in the most favorable draw to get the semifinals playing South Korea in the round of 16 match before having to take on Ghana in the quarterfinals. Forlan and company took care of business in both matches and even though they would fall short against the Netherlands in the semis and Germany in the third-place game, 3-2 both times, Uruguay had its best finish in the World Cup since 1970 when Forlan's father was playing for La Celeste.

In fact Uruguay are the forgotten world soccer power. Having won two of the first four World Cups in 1930 and 1950, more recently failed to qualify in 2006, ranked 26th in 2002 failing to get past the group stage, and also failed to qualify in 1998 and 1994. Not exactly great credentials.

Like his home country, this tournament was all about redemption for Forlan. A famous flop at Manchester United after coming over from Independiente in Argentina, it took Forlan eight months to score his first goal for the club as fans became restless with his performance. He would go on to score several big goals there, but it was not until he moved to Spain where he became a household name leading La Liga with 25 goals at Villarreal before he moved on to his most recent team Atletico Madrid.

But enough about his biography, Forlan for me was one of the most pleasurable players to watch in this tournament. He never looks like he's going to do much, but all of the sudden he will make a deft-cutback move, take one more touch and then unleash his deadly accurate shot from either foot. Getting better as the tournament progressed, Forlan scored in each of Uruguay's last three games in the knockout round, all of which were world class.

Unselfish as well, Forlan may have only had one assist, but his ability to pick out teammates on free kick or switch the point of attack to people like striking partner Luis Suarzo was incredible all tournament long. He was also one of the few in the tournament to have figured out the Jabulani Adidas ball scoring one of the most memorable free kicks against Ghana, the only goal for Uruguay in regulation.

I think going back to the fact that Forlan continued to perform and may have even gotten better as his opponents got better speaks to why the voters selected him.

Neither Sneijder nor Villa exemplified themselves late in the tournament. Sneijder did score two in the quaters against Brazil - probably his crowning moment in the tournament - and then one more against Uruguay in the semis off a deflection, but in the final he was could not inflict his will on the game as Spain essentially shut him down with Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets marking him throughout. Villa also fell off track because his coach Vincente Del Bosque had to put him into Fernando Torres's center forward position with Torres failing to live up to expectations. Villa simply just does not play as well in the middle as a smaller player often playing against giant center defenders as opposed to when he is slotted on the wing, and he did not score another goal after the switch of positions.

And lastly no team depended on one player more than Uruguay depended on Forlan to score goals and be "the guy." Sneijder had Robben, Kuyt, Van Persie and even both Elia and Van der Vaart off the bench to act as side kicks. Villa had Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Torres, Puyol, Pique, Alonso, and Casillas all to protect him. Spain and the Netherlands and even Germany were all vastly more talented than Uruguay, who did also have Suarez and a few other decent talents, but again Forlan was the marked and still came through.

Taking a look at Forlan's work, I think you will see why I think the voters chose "wisely."

Start backing up the brinks truck for Forlan

In every World Cup there are players and teams that come out of nowhere and provide countless thrills to you. For me, Uruguay midfielder Diego Forlan was the top revelation in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Formerly property of Manchester United, the Atletico Madrid man is about to get paid big time. He scored five goals in South Africa and nearly every one was vital to his team and spectacular in nature. Uruguay has some other fine players: Luis Suarez, Diego Perez, Martin Caceres to name a few but more than any other player in South Africa, Forlan carried this team to a fourth-place finish that nobody could have predicted.

Uruguay won Group A and won two absolute thrillers to get to the semifinals: 2-1 over South Korea and a penalty kick win over Ghana. They lost 3-2 to Netherlands and 3-2 to Germany but in both cases they went down swinging and never gave up until the last whistle against superior opponents.

Uruguay

Best Moment: Sebastian Abreu's cheeky PK which was the clincher against Ghana was one of the top moments of the 2010 World Cup. It's tough to quantify how big your balls have to be to take (and make) a shot like that with so much on the line.

Worst Moment: Giving up Arjen Robben's header which gave Netherlands a 3-1 lead at the time. Uruguay added a second goal in injury time but that was the one that sent them to the third place game and ultimately fourth place.

Best Result: This is going to sound way too ra ra for my liking but their 3-2 losses to Netherlands and Germany were proof that Uruguay is a legitimate team and weren't simply lucky to be where they were. Granted, their path to the semifinals (could have been you U.S.) was sugar-coated but you can't blame them for that.

Worst Result: Again no shame in losing to Netherlands but it doesn't take even a bobo like Alexi Lalas to figure out that's the match they'll be thinking about for the next four years.

Final Tally: 4 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw. 11 goals scored, 8 goals conceded

Best Player: I've written enough about him to be sent to therapy so I won't write another love letter to Forlan. He's my man.

Worst Player: Fernando Muslera. There is probably no bigger fraud in the 2010 World Cup in terms of goalkeepers. Yes that is harsh and Muslera is only 24 but talk about a front-runner. He started off the 2010 World Cup with three straight clean sheets. Incredible right? It was against decent teams too (France, South Africa, Mexico) for the most part, sorry French. Uruguay only gave up one goal to South Korea and Ghana and advanced past both but when the going got tough, namely by facing Netherlands and Germany, Muslera disappeared. Off the top of my head, I can't remember him giving up any real weak goals to the Dutch but today was a nightmare for him. The first two goals were directly his fault (giving up a cheap rebound right to Germany and whiffing on a cross) but there wasn't much he could do on the third.

Forlan says "don't you, forget about me"

It has been an unbelievable tournament for Diego Forlan and he just topped even himself with one of the top goals of the 2010 World Cup.

In the 51st minute, he one-timed and half-volleyed a cross past Butt, who was completely frozen.

Cavani ties it up 1-1

In the 28th minute, Diego Perez started it off by tackling the ball away from Schweinsteiger, never an easy thing to do. He worked it to Forlan who put it to Cavani in space.

Cavani scored his first goal of the 2010 World Cup (and he didn't have one in qualifying either) with a nice toe poke around Neuer.

1-1 in the 31st minute.

Forlan out, Sebastian Fernandez in

For some unknown reason, Uruguay took out Forlan (who appears healthy) for Sebastian Fernandez.

3-1 Netherlands in the 85th minute but with that puzzling move, it's all over.

Forlan's free kick stopped

Forlan had a free kick from outside the box (28 meters away) and he hit it low to the near side corner.

Stekelenburg did well to push it wide.

1-1 in the 68th minute. Things are getting tense here with every chance taking on more importance.

Wow! Van der Vaart's first shot was stopped by Muslera and it fell right to Robben who hit the rebound over with his right foot. Most other players probably would have buried it but Robben is the most one-footed player on the field.

Forlan ain't going out like that son

Forlan answered with a goal in the 41st minute. He had the ball outside the box on his right foot then cut back to his left foot. His long shot had some spin on it which is why I don't think it was that horrible a mistake by Stekelenburg.

1-1 in the 44th minute with a free kick by Forlan stopped by Stekelenburg.

Forlan now has four goals so he's currently tied for second in the 2010 World Cup.

Get out of the way Van Persie

Sneijder had a shot at the top of the box hit Van Persie, who was directly in the path of it.

Forlan had a chance on the other side but he was offsides.

0-0 in the 15th minute.

All yellow cards are wiped out at this point.

It's been a big day for Shimer's top 11

Not to toot our own horn but after Shimer's boy Wesley Sneijder's tour de force over Brazil earlier today, his best 11 choices were further validated as Uruguay's Diego Forlan tied it up in the 55th minute with a goal off a direct free kick.

It was lined up to the left side of the Ghana box and Forlan hit a wicked shot that took a crazy spin, leaving Kingson with no chance to stop it.

Forlan almost made it 2-1 a few minutes ago as his ball to Luis Suarez was hammered wide.

1-1 in the 65th minute.

Uruguay midfielders Egidio Arevalo and Diego Perez have both picked up yellow cards in the second half and Ghana defender John Pantsil was also booked with a yellow.

Uruguay used its second substitution to take midfielder Alvaro Fernandez out for Nicolas Lodeiro.

This smokeshow is happy, Uruguay wins

It's all over with Uruguay winning 3-0.

Hard to believe after that systematic takedown but it was only Uruguay's second win in its last 18 World Cup matches. Forlan had one of the best individual performances so far and his team similarly was very impressive.

South Africa is buried now and they'll have to beat France in their final match next Tuesday (10 a.m.) by a bunch of goals. That's not going to happen.

Uruguay meets Mexico on Tuesday (7:30 a.m.) and I'm calling it, that will decide the winner of Group A. I think Mexico will beat France tomorrow (2:30 p.m.) setting up a nice matchup.

Forlan says goodnight South Africa

Forlan cooly put home the penalty kick, just like you knew he would. High and to the left corner with some pace on it.

2-0 Uruguay in the 86th minute. There will be a ton of extra time from that goalie substitution but South Africa is cooked. That was illustrated by all their fans leaving after the last goal.

A host country hasn't lost in the Group stage since the U.S. in 1994.

Forlan is quickly becoming one of my faves

Diego Forlan is making plays all over the field and he's clearly lethal on his set pieces.

He just put another beauty in the box and defender Diego Lugano was there but he completely butchered the header as it hit his back.

1-0 Uruguay in the 56th minute. South Africa hasn't really made any forward runs yet this half. Not a good sign.

Remember the name: Diego Forlan

I was just going to post about Luis Suarez's decent shot but his forward partner Diego Forlan easily trumped it with a deflected and dipping shot that hit the crossbar as it went in.

1-0 Uruguay on a pretty goal in the 24th minute. Forlan isn't a big name worldwide but he could be soon; he plays for Atletico Madrid and had 18 goals in La Liga last season.

South Africa will be pressing because they cannot lose this game or it will be a short stay at their own tournament. They still have to play Mexico in their last match.