James Rodriguez wins FIFA Puskas Award for best goal of 2014

There were a number of wonderful goals scored in 2014, but none were better than James Rodriguez's marvelous tally at the World Cup this past summer.

Now he has the hardware to legitimize that claim.

The Colombian superstar captured the 2014 FIFA Puskas Award at Monday's Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich, Switzerland, beating out fellow nominees Stephanie Roche and Robin van Persie for the right to gloat about scoring the best goal of the year.

Unlike so many other FIFA decisions, it's hard to argue that the wrong choice was made:

"Thanks to those who voted for the best goal of the World Cup. It was a nice goal, a nice moment to never be forgotten," Rodriguez tweeted after his goal was named the best of the World Cup this past summer.

Now he's added the premier honor for any goal, and takes his place among the pantheon of Puskas winners that include Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.

No literary description could ever do the goal justice, so we'll leave that task to the Colombian commentary team that called the match against Uruguay in June.