Chengdu sports photographer wins coveted award for World Cup Soccer coverage

A young Chinese photojournalist received the best gift for Lunar New Year - first prize in the Sports Singles category of the 2015 World Press Photo contest.

Bao Tailiang, 28, who works at the Chengdu Economic Daily in Sichuan province, won the prize last week with his photo The Final Game, which perfectly captured Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi staring at the World Cup trophy during the final celebrations at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 13.

Messi and his team lost to Germany 1-0 in extra time at the World Cup final last summer.

"I think this is the best photo I have ever taken," Bao said in an interview with his newspaper.

Bao was the only photographer sent by his newspaper to Brazil, but knew no Portuguese and only a smattering of English. He got by with the help of a translation app on his mobile phone during his 40-day trip on the other side of the world.

As journalists from non-participating countries for the World Cup did not have access to the infield, Bao made sure he was the first journalist in the stands for the final game, and waited eight hours for the final celebrations.