Di Maria has carried his end-of-season form at Real Madrid into the Albiceleste fold, and has now become Argentina’s second most important player, behind Messi. No wait, that’s not quite right, is it? Karim Benzema and Paul Pogba are still finding flakes of Honduran studs in their legs, the Honduras manager is tired of answering the question of why Honduras have barrels filled with wine grapes instead of a football pitch in their training complex. Casillas was directly responsible for at least 3 of the 7 goals Spain have conceded so far, being haplessly caught in no man’s land for Van Persie’s equalizer, hopelessly fumbling a Soccer-101 pass from Sergio Ramos on Van Persie’s second, and then inexplicably choosing to punch a rather tame Alexis Sanchez free kick straight back into the goalmouth melee, leading to Chile’s second goal.
Paul Pogba (France)
Three of these were the genuine superstars for their countries, and were the primary outlet for the team’s attacks, while Mller once again scored a quintet of goals at the World Cup, including a hat trick against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. Many players shine on highlights reels and custom-made videos designed to show off their skills, but the audacity, invention, and self-confidence to plan and pull off the move in the heat of a World Cup game is what sets James Rodriguez apart.
Van Persie scored two, including one World Cup classic, Benzema should have scored a hattrick against Honduras, and Mller did, against Portugal.
Player of the Week
As for Wayne Rooney, his cross for Sturridge’s goal was sumptuous, but so must have been the nine-course meal he presumably had had before putting on the jersey. Perhaps it was because of the pressure of the occasion, but Higuain dragged his mishit shot wide of Manuel Neuer’s right hand post, drawing a collective moan from his country and an angry tirade from Javier Mascherano. Though it shackled Messi and reduced his influence to sporadic bursts, the rest of the squad looked much better and more comfortable in their own skins in the latter stages of the World Cup, and it should be interesting to see which way this talented Argentine unit heads off after the World Cup.
Pablo Zabaleta
Right Back
Argentina
Week 2
Robben went close with a shot that the tigerish Mascherano did ever so well to block, and Gonzalo Higuain in particular was denied several times by the Dutch defenders. However, just as the rest of the world was getting ready for another penalty shootout, the little maestro broke free of the Swiss markers thanks to a slip-up by Stephan Lichtsteiner, and released a perfectly weighted pass for ngel di Mara to stroke home. The reliable defender, though, recovered to make a timely block.
The most fascinating story in the first week of the World Cup, both for its value as a marketing tool for media outlets and as something for the football nerds to ruminate upon, is the utter destruction of the defending champions Spain.
Countless football experts had pointed out before the World Cup that the heart of the Spanish machine, which had won the Euro 2008 and 2012, with the World Cup 2010 sandwiched in between, was aging and replacements hadn’t been groomed in the national team. Alejandro Sabella, on the other hand, must have been taking copious notes.
Switzerland’s compact defensive shape was so well-maintained in their match against Argentina that the two-time world champions resorted to putting in 53 crosses into the Swiss box. Fred was mercifully spared the boos of the home crowd due to him being on the bench, but he will remember this tournament as…oh, let it go, we don’t like to kick a fallen man. Alireza Haghighi, Jalal Hosseini, Amir Hossein Sadeghi, Pejman Montazeri, and Mehrdad Pooladi are not exactly members of soccer’s Hall of Fame, but they were responsible for one of the most determined, well-drilled, and resilient defensive performances seen at this World Cup tournament. Once it became obvious that the Benzema-Giroud combination had failed to carry on their understanding developed during the group stage, Deschamps was quick to bring off the misfiring Arsenal striker Giroud for Antoine Griezmann. Jermaine Jones scored only his third international goal with a piledriver against Portugal, while James Rodriguez scored a scorcher of a volley against Uruguay.
The winner, though, came from the right foot of the second most (behind Dani Alves) absent-minded defender in Brazilian football, David Luiz. Algeria, like Ghana in the group stage, were quick to exploit the space left behind the lumbering Arsenal defender, and Manuel Neuer had to repeatedly bail his team out by charging off his line. Colombia’s attractive, creative football will come under the microscope in the knockout round, where, if they overcome the defensively set up Uruguay, they will encounter either Chile or hosts Brazil.
The Best Save
The Best of the Week
Sami Khedira
Center Mid
Germany
An admittedly goal-centric selection in center back forced by the absence of truly spectacular rearguard action. Fred was arguably Brazil’s worst player, including the train wreck Paulinho, of the tournament; how Big Phil Scolari must be wishing he had turned on the charm a bit more to persuade Costa to join the canary yellow brigade.
Costa’s Career Killer
Tim Howard
Goalkeeper
Country: USA
Golden Boot
Tim Cahill’s over-the-shoulder volley against the Dutch comes in a very close second. Gonzalez and his Yankee band can be very proud of their performance in the 2014 World Cup, proving to be more than a match for Germany in the group stage and then almost forcing a penalty shootout against the talented Belgians. Brahimi then played a one-two with Feghouli, and buried the consequent assist between the legs of the Korean keeper.
The Worst Howler
James Rodriguez (Colombia, 6 goals)
Miroslav Klose
Striker
Germany
The Best Goal
Biting and the subsequent ban aside, Surez’s return from injury was spectacular. Regardless of the laziness in his performance and the well-deserved criticism he has attracted due to that, the cross from Rooneydelivered by his weaker left foot, lest we forgetwas absolutely gorgeous.
Argentina’s Defense Finally Gives Way
The veteran Louis van Gaal wins this week’s Manager of the Week award thanks to the expertly orchestrated demolition of defending champions Spain.
Costa Rica pulled off a major upset with their win over Uruguay, and Jorge Luis Pinto’s progressive tactics have won them quite a few neutral admirers. More goals were scored in the group stage of the tournament than any other edition, eclipsing the earlier record of 130, set in 2002, by 6. 171 goals were scored in the tournament, tying with the 1998 World Cup held in France.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup is now concluded. The penalty was well struck, unlike those saved by Jlio Csar in Brazil’s defeat of Chile. It’s the latter, rather underrated due to his juxtaposition with the sometimes-demonic Pogba, who has been France’s most consistent player in this tournament.
Mats Hummels
Center Back
Germany
Angel di Maria
Right Mid
Argentina
Rodrigo Palacio had a golden chance to seal the deal for Argentina late in the second half of extra time, as he ran onto a lofted through ball without a Dutch marker. Cameroon have been arguably the worst team in this World Cup, closely followed by Honduras. It’s a cliche to say that it would have been easier to score, but it would have been easier to score! There went the last hope for the formerly world beating Spanish.
James Rodriguez
Attacking Mid
Colombia
The Best Goal
The French team has followed a curious pattern in recent World Cups: Champions in 1998, they crashed out ignominiously in 2002, reached the final in 2006 as one last hurrah for the Zidane-Vieira-Thuram generation, before redefining ‘ignominy’ through the player revolt in 2010 and once again exiting at the group stage. Dani Alves’ cross was accurate, Neymar’s leap perfectly timed, the goal seemingly inevitable. Click on the respective week to read about the matches in that week.
Week 1
Ezequil Garay
Center Back
Argentina
The Netherlands, coached by the adaptable and pragmatic Louis van Gaal, set out to deny Spain any time on the ball, and employed a three-man central defense aided by two energetic wingbacks as well as two holding midfielders. He had been ignored up till then by his home country Brazil, and was now eligible for Spanish citizenship, which would allow him to join the ranks of the reigning world and European champions. Old, rugged players were discarded and younger, more technically proficient players were incorporated into the squad. Navas’ heroics, as they have for virtually the entire tournament, have allowed Costa Rica to keep punching firmly above their weight. France’s second goal against Honduras was the first to be decided by goal line technology (discounting, of course, the countless goals that were miles inside the goal but were still pointlessly and annoyingly replayed on the screens), and would almost certainly have not been given through traditional refereeing. This blocked off the preferred channel of attack of the Argentines, who in turn did a great job keeping Arjen Robben quiet by not allowing him space on the ball. The Swiss defense was similarly watertight for all but three minutes of their match against Argentina, and Arsenal defender Djourou was a huge part of it.
A Semifinal Worthy of the Name
Lionel Messi
Striker
Argentina
Best Move
The Bastian Stands Unconquered
Player of the Week
Simulation is Here to Stay
Daley Blind
Left Back
Netherlands
Karim Benzema
Striker
France
Didier Deschamps and Karim Benzema will be thanking their stars that FIFA finally decided to choose precision over tradition this time. Musa should have been closed down quicker for the first goal (though to be fair, it was a brilliant drive and deserves all the plaudits), while another counterattack later in the game, down the left flank, almost earned Nigeria a third equalizer, with Musa turning inside Pablo Zabaleta to make space for a shot. He got virtually nothing right in a match where the World and European champions were torn to shreds.
However, it’s one of the Spain captain’s junior teammates that wins this prize. Displaying the kind of rash decision-making that should be weeded out in defenders from an early age, Silva conceded a penalty to hand Netherlands the perfect start. As it happened, Brazil also happened to play a very similar brand of football, one that would have maximized the strengths of both Brazil and Costa. This may sound weird to amateur followers of the English Premier League, but Demichelis is actually an excellent defender, his early struggles at Manchester City notwithstanding. Iker Casillas, legend as he is in Spain, hadn’t had the best of seasons at Real Madrid, being firmly demoted to the bench by the impressive Diego Lopez, and making a few high-profile howlers when he was played in goal. Jasper Cillessen couldn’t replicate Krul’s heroics, and Sergio Romero became the darling of Argentina with a couple of penalty saves.
Manager of the Week
Gonzalo Higuain
Striker
Argentina
In an action-filled World Cup tournament, there are numerous candidates for this one. As Van Persie wheeled off to perform a high-five with Louis van Gaal (which was hilariously awkward), the Spanish team stood shellshocked. Halliche was instrumental in coordinating the Algerian defense against overwhelming favorites Germany. Brazilian legend Ronaldo had the misfortune to be commentating on the match in which his record of 15 all-time World Cup goals was broken by Miroslav Klose, but that was the least of the host nation’s worries.
The defeat, though emphatically secured by Germany, revealed more flaws in the Brazilian unit than aces up German sleeves. Messi then reclaimed the lead for Argentina in first half stoppage time with a glorious free kick, but Musa equalized again moments after the second half started. What would you do?
Really, what other option did poor Pepe have? Not headbutting Mller? Not forgetting that his teammates were up against one of the best teams and some of the very elite individual talents in the world? Not losing his cool? Your heart truly bleeds for him, doesn’t it?
Week 3
Is It Rude to Point and Laugh?
Del Bosque’s curious loyalty to a few players, and puzzling decisions with regard to a few others, raised quite a few questions. However, while Costa Rica soldier on, all the rest have bitten the dust thanks to cruel circumstances or the lack of talent to complement the often-perfect tactics.
Like Argentina, the hosts Brazil still rely on one particularly talented individual to bail them out, and fortunately for them, Neymar has obliged. Players with a lineage from outside Germany, such as 2014 heroes Sami Khedira, Jerome Boateng, and Mesut zil, were included in the German team based on merit. Having already caused a major upset by beating Urugauy, Pinto’s Costa Rica pulled an even bigger bunny out of the hat by beating Italy, and topping Group D. Dirk Kuyt has now transitioned from a striker at club level to being a wingback on the international stage, and has performed remarkably well in whatever position he has been asked to fill. Scolari’s innate conservatism led him to rein in Fernandinho to a defensive role, in stark contrast to German coach Joachim Lw, who pushed up Khedira into a more attacking role. Playing upon the defender’s ‘hard-earned’ reputation, Mller went down, which must have been awkward once he realized mid-fall that he was already lying on the ground. The action is over, though the dust will take some time to settle, especially if you are Brazilian. In spite of missing the first penalty in the semifinal shootout, he makes the team for his exceptional defensive contribution. Unfortunately, the suppressed edge to his character rose through in Uruguay’s key match against Italy. The recipient of the Golden Ball award, Messi will look upon this World Cup as a missed opportunity, when he so nearly ascended the pedestal to Maradona’s celestial place in Argentine hearts, but slipped and fell at the last step.
Stalwarts such as Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas, Brazil’s captain Thiago Silva, Germany’s metronomic Bastian Schweinsteiger, Colombia’s assist-king Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, and Toni Kroos, miss out due to the astonishing collection of talent in the World Cup.
Player of the Tournament
If you are still in Brazil and want to get home alive, probably yes. The Swiss and their outgoing manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, must have thought they had totally negated Messi’s influence on the game with a double-marking system being applied whenever he got on the ball. Having never progressed to the knockout rounds of the World Cup before 2014, los Cafeteros are now in uncharted waters, and in James Rodriguez they have just the captain they would have asked for.
Tim Howard, who was absolutely irreplaceable for the USA against Belgium, gets a very honorable mention, as does fellow goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who is adding to his transfer value with every passing game.
… Who had thought England would be one of the better teams to watch in the World Cup? Better yet, who knew Roy Hodgson had been taking secret tuitions from Brendan Rodgers, Roberto Martinez, and Arsene Wenger on the art of not caring about the defensive side of the game? May the exuberance continue!
Like the best goal, there are countless worthy candidates for this one. The “typically German” style of results-oriented, rough football was replaced by a more technical, more attractive philosophy. Notching up the unusual statistic of being on the losing side in the last two World Cup semifinal penalty shootouts, the Netherlands exited the tournament with pride.
Here’s a wrapup of the pertinent facts about the 2014 World Cup, before we dive into the intangibles.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Striker
Netherlands
Keylor Navas was spectacular in the Costa Rican goal, and seems to be heading to Bayern as competition to the Golden Glove winner, but Neuer’s influence on this German side can’t be overstated. Huntelaar, like Lukaku, first set up Holland’s equalizer with a headed assist for Wesley Sneijder, and then scored the winner from a contested but correct penalty awarded after tricky winger Arjen Robben was fouled in the penalty area.
Did You Know?The 2014 World Cup ranks joint first in terms of the total number of goals scored in the tournament. Raheem Sterling was surging all over the place, belying his tender years, Jordan Henderson ran his customary marathon before the sapping rainforest humidity of Manaus got the better of him, Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard continued their excellent Liverpool form (though Gerrard was running on fumes for a long time before the final whistle), and Danny Welbeck managed to get in the mix on more than a few occasions. And if you didn’t watch either of the games, no, that was not a misprint. Algeria’s 4-2 win over South Korea helped the African country make their passage into the knockout round near-certain, and the best move of the week comes from Algeria’s fourth of the game, scored by Yacine Brahimi. Krul went on to save two Costa Rican penalties, guessing correctly on each and every one, and sent the Netherlands into the semifinals. The entire Iran defense, absolutely heroic for the full 90 minutes against Argentina (the goal coming in added time), gets a very honorable mention.
Moussa Dembele
Center Mid
Country: Belgium
Didier Deschamps is not the biggest name in the managerial pantheon in the World Cup, but his tactical understanding of the game has been crucial for France thus far. Marcos Rojo concluded the crazy scoring sequence with a fortuitous tap-in with his knee, scoring what turned out to be the winner.
Like against Iran, the Argentine defense was caught out many times against Nigeria, and Musa’s second goal was a result of a disorganization within the defensive line that should have been avoided. Brazil once again needed some Neymar Magic to get back on track, which they eventually did. And don’t even think about the possibility of Argentina winning in the Maracana!
Brazil’s 1-7 defeat to Germany wasn’t so much a defeat as a methodical dissection performed by an experienced, battle-hardened surgeon. And the glorious late free kick that Joe Hart so nearly caught. Led by the seemingly Liverpool-bound Divock Origi, the Belgians have started to come good at just the right time. The dismissal ruined Italy’s plans, and their nervousness started to show. There may not be another goalkeeper in the world who’s better than Neuer at playing this keeper-sweeper role, but it could blow up in Joachim Lw’s face against the speedy and technically proficient French attackers.
However, the aggression of Costa Rica and Chile has at least given hope to football purists that the boring, defensive, counterattacking football in vogue at the 2010 World Cup is well and truly a thing of the past.
Referees Need to Toughen Up
Champions
Luis Surez
Striker
Uruguay
Thomas Mller
Striker
Germany
If entire matches can be considered, Iker Casillas’ performance against the Netherlands undoubtedly wins the gong. With time running out on Switzerland’s World Cup dream, Demaili connected with a free kick, but the ball crashed onto the post from six yards out. All three dazzled at various points, and lit up the tournament with moments of brilliance. The save was the second of a double save, having already blocked a cross-shot from Luis Surez.
The Best Move
Mascherano Towering Above All Others
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Week 4
James Rodriguez
Center Mid
Colombia
Okay, so England lostnobody was expecting anything else. Netherlands will need their talismanic forwards at their best to beat the Levante stopper.
The Best Move
It’s almost impossible to discern between the misses of Blerim Demaili for Switzerland in the dying moments of their defeat against Argentina and Chris Wondolowski’s almost identical miss in the USA’s defeat to Belgium, but I’ll plump for the former due to its timing. Deftly skipping a challenge where almost everybody else would have gone down, Messi advanced into the danger zone, drawing defenders with him. With all due respect, even a fully-fit and gamma-ray-infused Costa is not Messi, let alone a Costa who had only been fit enough to play less than twenty minutes in the last two matches of the season put together. He has kept the engine room ticking in a deadly unit, and has controlled games at perfect pace in virtually the entire tournament, It seemed as if, at 29, he knew this was probably his last shot at World Cup glory, and he was determined to make it count at any cost.
Golden Glove
Once again, the winner, though obvious, deserves all the plaudits. Cahill scored the volley, Van Persie scored the header, make no mistake!
Best of the Tournament
Without Neymar to bail them out of tough spots, Brazil folded their World Cup campaign with two straight losses and now hold the unwanted record of having conceded the most goals by a host nation ever14. Their play was based around passing triangles, valuing possession above their own lives, and a fear of the lofted ball. Only 7 group stage matches, constituting about 15% of the total group stage games played, were draws, and only 5 were goalless. The Manchester United-bound manager leaves the Dutch camp with his reputation enhanced and his incorrigible ego rightly inflated.
Oh Pepe, When Will You Learn?
Without any doubt, Sergio Romero’s dive to his right to keep out Wesley Sneijder’s powerfully struck penalty wins out this week. The absence of the suspended captain Thiago Silva was used as an excuse for the humbling 7-1 defeat against Germany, but the return of the PSG skipper hardly made Brazil invulnerable. Enyeama was not at fault for any of Argentina’s goals, though he could have done a bit better with the initial save off Di Maria’s shot for the first goal. Many thought he was just simply being unnecessarily modest and trying to include more people in the halo of success. The best chance of the match had just been wasted, and Germany would go on to win the game in extra time.
To say that Costa Rica’s progress was a surprise is a massive understatement. Still, the Africans were able to equalize against the five-time champions, albeit with the help of an unfortunate deflection off Dani Alves. Uruguay also bounced back in spectacular fashion after losing the opening game, though they will be severely tested without their talismanic striker, who seems to be is on his way to ‘having an old friend for dinner’ soon (more on that later).
Javier Mascherano
Center Mid
Argentina
It feels weird to include traditional heavyweights France and the Netherlands in the same category as upstarts Costa Rica, but all three teams have gloriously overachieved at the 2014 World Cup, going way beyond their initial expectation.
France and Holland, traditionally racked by internal disputes, displayed model behavior in this tournament, exiting graciously in the quarters and the semis, respectively. The tactically flexible and adaptable Daley Blind was a consistent defensive as well as offensive performer for the Netherlands, regularly bombing down the left to provide crosses, but returning dutifully to his defensive duties.
Javier Mascherano
Defensive Mid
Country: Argentina
While the choice of FIFA’s technical committee was Lionel Messi, yours truly would award the Golden Ball to Colombia’s James Rodriguez. Neymar was put out of the remainder of the tournament in the quarters in a violent match against Colombia, but he had done enough to justify his tag as Brazil’s golden boy up till that point.
Mascherano was the beating heart of the Argentine team, often assuming the role of a one-man midfield, snapping up opposition attacks and passing the ball on with characteristic calmness. It is a close tussle between Louis van Gaal and Pinto for the title of the ‘Manager of the World Cup’ so far.
Niko Kovac, with his refreshingly straight and honest talk gets an honorable mention, while Jrgen Klinsmann has done an excellent job with a frankly mediocre USA squad. Since that incident, though, he had been an absolute good boy, not giving the notorious English press any chance to hound him like before. Mascherano has been monstrous for Argentina in their knockout games, and has risen to prominence in a Messi-worshipping squad.
Martinez’s goal was certainly a brilliant move, but the winner comes from an unusual source. Though the miss had no effect on the outcome of the match, which France won 5-2, it was still a golden chance.
German Decade of Labor Pays Off
Italy Right to Feel Aggrieved
Philipp Lahm
Right Back
Germany
Zabaleta and Rojo have been the consistent performers in the Argentine defense, while the central axis has looked very suspect. Luckily for him, the miss didn’t come back to haunt him, as Argentina prevailed in the subsequent shootout.
While we are on the subject of Palacio, is his hairstyle a candidate?
Sergio Romero
Goalkeeper
Country: Argentina
Neymar
Left Winger
Brazil
The Best Goal
It’s tempting to rank Messi’s delicious free kick, or Fred’s offside goal just because of the identity of the scorer (poor Fred is this close to becoming the new Wayne Rooney in the world’s eyes). It’s only slightly ironic, though, that his anonymity during the World Cup has now led to him seeking it after it.
Switzerland came so close to shackling Messi with their double marking tactics, with the rest of the Argentine team unable to pick off the spaces left by Messi’s movement. The tackle was high, but it was clear that there was no malevolent intent, and a yellow card would have sufficed. Though Neymar’s injury gained more notoriety, the tackle that caused it was relatively tame in comparison to most other tackles in the game.
The Overachievers of 2014
Team of the Week
Guillermo Ochoa
Goalkeeper
Country: Mexico
Mats Hummels
Center Back
Germany
Lionel Messi came close, but the ingenious James Rodriguez takes home the prize this week. Holland’s high pressing hurt the Spanish badly, particularly in the second half, when Arjen Robben ran rings around the Spanish defense.
Brazil were never the favorites for this tie, having scraped through the previous rounds by the skin of their teeth, but nobody was expecting such a meek capitulation. Yes, the man we know as Guillermo Ochoa could have actually been a time-traveling Gordon Banks, but that is no excuse for Fred dithering like a six-year-old wallflower, and Hulk and Danny Alves forming one of the worst right flanks in Brazilian history.
Let us know what you thought about the action in the four mad weeks of the World Cup. The Australians biting the Dutch in the backside barely a minute after going behind was a pretty good move, though.
Of course, one of the best moves, even though it came from a corner kick routine, was the dummy from the Beard.
For the first half of their match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Argentina were looking far from the championship favorites everyone (including yours truly, admittedly) has made them out to be. Kovac maintained that though Mexico’s performances in the tournament had been impressive, Croatia’s creative talent would find a way past them. Messi, though he fizzled out in the knockout stages, lit up the tournament early on with his goals against Iran and Nigeria (the freekick). The ban will most probably be appealed by Liverpool, who have a fair case of being the unfortunate victims of an action in which they had no part to play, but Surez will still miss the opening of the league season. Pepe’s part in the whole drama will be elaborated upon (with a lot of pointing and laughing), but it must be said that the headbutt was, in itself, not at all a bruising contact. His first card, shown to Thiago SIlva for impeding the Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, wasn’t even for a tackle. If Sabella continues with this formation in the rest of the tournament (and he should), it would be interesting to see how the attack-heavy formation would fare in the knockout rounds.
Favorites Faltering?
2014 FIFA World Cup: Review and Analysis
The Best Save
Daley Blind
Left Back
Netherlands
It’s not my fault that Neymar is classified as a midfielder instead of a forward, so he firmly stays in this section. Higuain finally came good against Belgium, and, emboldened by his goal, almost scored another brilliant one by nutmegging Belgian skipper Vincent Kompany before crashing the shot onto the crossbar.
The fact that all four defenders come from losing sides shouldn’t dent their efforts in what were heroic defensive performances. It is yet another step to ensure that the decisions are as accurate as possible every time.
No, wait, that’s not quite right, is it?
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Like France, Colombia’s supremacy in Group C has not been challenged at any point, and the team has coped with the absence of Radamel Falcao in style. Hummels had the game of his life in the quarterfinals, scoring the winner and then imperiously protecting Manuel Neuer’s goal. Plucky Belgium await!
Major Talking Points
The lack of coordination between Costa and Spain’s other players was painfully easy to spot, and the lack of coordination between Fred and his limbs was even more so. Declared by FIFA as the best player of the group stages, Rodriguez’s star continues to shine brightly.
Manager of the Week
Team of the Tournament
Final Group Standings
The 2014 edition is claimed by many to be the best and most exciting World Cup tournament, and now there is some statistical proof to support that theory.
As mentioned before, this World Cup has already seen more goals before the quarterfinals than the last World Cup had in total. Neuer has been by far the standout goalie of the tournament so far. No, seriously!
Week 1
James Rodriguez once again takes the plaudits after a thoroughly delectable and crucial pair of goals in Colombia’s Round of 16 defeat of Uruguay. He missed the Surez incident, and more importantly, refused to acknowledge the teeth marks on Chiellini’s shoulder; Marchisio, of course, didn’t deserve red; Edinson Cavani also had a legitimate claim to a penalty obstinately turned down.
The match will rank alongside the opening Brazil-Croatia game as one of the worst officiated, and Rodrguez doesn’t even have the excuse of the pressures of the opening match in front of the raucous Brazil fans.
Lahm was a calming influence for Germany, whether playing in defensive midfield or at right back. His misplaced defiance towards the ‘false 9′ system adapted by many other nations (including Germany in many games) meant that he could only choose between Fred and Jo, a dilemma that would even give a certain Sophie some sense of perspective over hers. The 30-plus players in the Netherlands team, such as Arjen Robben, Nigel de Jong, Robin van Persie, and Dirk Kuyt, have been absolutely vital to the team’s performance, and replacements need to be found for these player, who will most probably have hung up their boots by the time the World Cup moves to Russia.
The 2014 World Cup saw the emergence of several well-drilled, well-coached teams that were also easy on the eye; the always-running Forrest Gumps of Chile and Costa Rica immediately spring to mind.
Sadly, though, this tournament has also been the perfect stage to illustrate that football is also cruel. A bigger surprise was that he missed, and an even bigger surprise came when Mathieu Valbuena scuffed the rebound on to the post.
Benzema’s weak and low penalty had been blocked by the Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio, and the rebound went to the left side of the Swiss penalty area. Coming into the tournament, this Argentina side was described by many (including yours truly) as a top-heavy side with a nonexistent defense. Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain, both excellent for Manchester City and Napoli, respectively, are looking like lost boys in their unfamiliar quasi-winger roles, and only Di Maria and Messi have been consistently good in the group stage.
We’ll come to the enthralling game against Nigeria a bit later, but Iran’s performance in the 1-0 defeat against favorites Argentina must have made manager Carlos Quieroz, renowned for his understanding of the defensive side of the game, very proud indeed. The end had begun for the all-conquering Spanish side.
Hulk
Left Mid
Brazil
Romelu Lukaku
Striker
Belgium
Is there even any scope for debate with this one? James (James? Hames? Hamez? Whatever.) Rodrguez has lit up this tournament like wildfire, and his first goal against Uruguay in their Round of 16 game was a goal of astonishing technical quality, vision, and precision.
With his back to the goal, Rodrguez calmly took a touch on a knockdown, and in one fluid motion, swiveled around to direct the shot under the crossbar and beyond Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Khedira scored a goal, and Kroos grabbed a quickfire brace. After the host nation were infamously destroyed in the semifinal by Germany, they were again dismantled by Central European opposition in the third place playoff, this time in the form of the Netherlands.
Germany won its first FIFA World Cup title since the reunification of the country, and its fourth title in total. In the end, the lottery of the shootout (and cruel, cruel Tim Krul) denied them a dream ride into the semis. This was in stark contrast to the other three semifinalists, all of whom relied on technical maestros (Neymar for Brazil, Messi for Argentina, Robben for Netherlands) for their attacking impetus. ngel di Mara had had a tiring afternoon with little to show for it, but with a stroke of Messi’s left foot, he had the chance to make the day memorable. Casillas’ horror show against the Netherlands was an endless series of errors, Sergio Busquets somehow managed to miss an open goal from 3 yards out against Chile, Igor Akinfeev’s many errors have become notorious, Josip Durmic had a brain freeze as he approached Sergio Romero and tried to chip the goalkeeper even before he had started to go down, Thiago Silva’s yellow card-worthy foul on David Ospina was just plain stupid, and PSG’s off-field decision to pay an eye-watering 50 million GBPno typo there, I promisefor David Lulzsorry, Luizis a humdinger.
But considering its direct impact on the championship deciding game, Gonzalo Higuain’s miss from Toni Kroos’ unwittingly perfect pass to the Napoli striker will undoubtedly go down as one of the worst howlers in the World Cup. Whereas Spain focused on carving open teams with finesse and precision, with players drifting across various positions to bamboozle opposing defenders, Costa was brought up in a school where the striker stayed true to his name and did little beyond scoring and providing layoffs for oncoming midfielders. This same defensive pairing, which had, to be fair, been exemplary before the 2014 World Cup, is suddenly lookingknee-jerk reaction alertlike a terrible investment.
In last year’s Confederations Cup, the at-times-breathtaking interplay between Brazil’s front four, Fred, Neymar, Hulk, and Oscar, was instrumental in their eventual victory in the tournament. But for Ron Vlaar, who was rock-solid at the back for Netherlands, Argentina would have wrapped up the game by half time, with crosses from the right side finding both Higuain and Messi in space, only to be denied by last ditch blocks from the Aston Villa (yeah, Aston Villa! No, I don’t know why, you’ll have to ask his agent) defender.
After half-time, Louis van Gaal switched the willing runner Dirk Kuyt (who has now played in every position but central defense and goalkeeper in the 2014 tournamenttalk about Total Football!) to the left side of the defense and switched the equally adaptable Daley Blind (who has played at wingback, center back, as well as defensive midfield) to central defense. The introduction of the Real Sociadad winger allowed Benzema to move to his favored central zone, and he immdiately began to influence the proceedings.
Week 4
Spain, Brazil, Germany, and Argentina were among the heaviest tournament favorites before the World Cup. You are 29 years old and have been playing the game for close to fifteen years. However, alternative options such as Manchester United’s David de Gea and Napoli’s (on loan from Liverpool) Pepe Reina (Victor Valdes being injured and Lopez, weirdly, never really being in the picture) weren’t tried out in friendlies, and were denied a chance to play in the World Cup. He is absolutely critical to Argentina’s chances in the final against Germany, whose midfield trio ran riot against Brazil.
Messi Must Be Rather Cross
James Rodriguez
Center Mid
Colombia
Team of the Week
Vincent Enyeama
Goalkeeper
Country: Nigeria
Robin van Persie
Striker
Netherlands
The World Cup has an obvious tradition of the referees favoring the host nation (South Korea in 2002 springs to mind), but one can’t but feel sorry for Croatia, who could have pulled off a fantastic upset in the opening match if not for the intervention of the Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura. Louis van Gaal’s adaptive, pragmatic leadership has carried the team through some rough patches, but attacking reinforcements are badly needed. James Rodriguez, meanwhile, knows no limits, as he became the first player since the great Jairzinho to score in his first five games at a World Cup tournament. His fearless confidence on the ball has made him one of the very best sweeper-keepers ever, and it’s very hard to point out any obvious flaws in his game.
Week 3
What the Hell Happened to Spain?
Karim Benzema has been effervescent in the World Cup so far, and thus surprised nobody when his lively play earned France a penalty against Switzerland. Spurred by the humiliation, Germany undertook a campaign to improve its efforts to improve the youth game, to safeguard the future. Guillermo Ochoa, stationed a bit too much to the left than he would otherwise have chosen, leapt to his right, palming the header away. Soon after the first M had given Argentina the lead with a thumping followup to Vincent Enyeama’s first of many saves from Angel di Maria (yet another M, weirdly enough), the second M equalized for the Africans with a scorching drive. First coming in against Belgium in the quarterfinals, Demichelis’ calming influence made the side much more balanced. The usually-excellent Kroos had one terrible moment of weakness in the Final, and he could and should have paid a dear price for it. Wilson Palacios, meanwhile, is still trying to come to terms with the revelation that the weird round ball is actually the thing that’s supposed to be kicked.
Week 2
Benzema, Robben, and Van Persie were all excellent in the striking department, whereas Mller scored the first hattrick of the 2014 tournament. Sadly, Fred and Hulk seem to have been replaced by Shaggy and Bruce Banner since the Confederations Cup, going by the tame, listless performances the two have given in the World Cup. Though it wasn’t exactly ‘Dream Team’ stuff, the attack-and-defense drill against a curiously defensive USA went quite well for the Belgians, and the fans got a glimpse of exactly why this team is favored by so many analysts and experts. The latter’s compatriots now stand in his way in the quarters.
Before diving into the action, let’s take a look at how things stood at the end of the group stage.Group AName
Played
Points
GD
Brazil
3
7
+5
Mexico
3
7
+3
Croatia
3
3
0
Cameroon
3
0
-8
Group BName
Played
Points
GD
Netherlands
3
9
+7
Chile
3
6
+2
Spain
3
3
-3
Australia
3
0
-6
Group CName
Played
Points
GD
Colombia
3
9
+7
Greece
3
4
-2
Ivory Coast
3
3
-1
Japan
3
1
-4
Group DName
Played
Points
GD
Costa Rica
3
7
+3
Uruguay
3
6
0
Italy
3
1
-1
England
3
1
-2
Group EName
Played
Points
GD
France
3
7
+6
Switzerland
3
6
+1
Ecuador
3
4
-1
Honduras
3
0
-7
Group FName
Played
Points
GD
Argentina
3
9
+3
Nigeria
3
4
0
Bosnia-Herzegovina
3
3
0
Iran
3
1
-3
Group GName
Played
Points
GD
Germany
3
7
+5
USA
3
4
0
Portugal
3
4
-3
Ghana
3
1
-2
Group HName
Played
Points
GD
Belgium
3
9
+3
Algeria
3
4
+1
Russia
3
2
-1
South Korea
3
1
-3
Tactical Highlights
<Insert Your Cliched Teeth Meme Here>
After the utterly unprecedented mauling in the first semifinal, a tight, tense affair was expected in the second one, and Argentina and the Netherlands duly delivered, with one of the most cagey, tactical battles of the tournament.Louis van Gaal’s charges did a great job of keeping Lionel Messi quiet, and apart from the occasional pass or free kick, the Argentine captain was nowhere to be seen. Pitted in a group against three fading-but-formidable former world champions, Costa Rica sent shockwaves through the footballing world by topping the Group of Death and advancing to the quarterfinals. Garay grew into the tournament as Argentina progressed, and, especially when paired with Martin Demichelis, looked like a top notch defender. Each goal was constructed by uncomplicated, one-touch passing, with off-the-ball movement opening up gaps in the Brazilian defense. The ban doesn’t extend to transfers, though, which should send the transfer rumor mills into overdrive.
Colombia are always good on counterattacks, and propelled by the brilliant James Rodriguez, they are fast becoming the best team to watch at this World Cup.
Enner Valencia
Right Winger
Ecuador
We Are With You, Niko!
Incidentally, if the Surez-to-Barcelona rumors do come to fruition (which they won’t, says the Liverpool fan who is not in denial), we will even get to see this dream partnership at club level next season, along with the ‘midfielder’ Neymar.
Di Maria and James Rodriguez were the heroes of the Round of 16, scoring vital goals for their country. The game-changing moment came from an error by Stephan Lichtsteiner, who was being weirdly possessive of the ball while still in his own half, but the run that led to the goal was pure Messi magic. Gigi Buffon was composed for Italy and made quite a few good saves, but on balance, and especially considering the disparity between the opposition they faced, Enyeama wins out. Perhaps not realizing he had more space and time than he thought, he made haste to get a shot away, and ended up heading the ball straight at Cillessen from just outside the six-yards box. The Chileans were incomparably fitter and sharper than the Spaniards, and didn’t give Spain any room to execute their preferred game plan.
The Netherlands started off with a ragtag band of plucky young colts, augmented by just three genuinely world class players, all of them concentrated in the freestyle attack. Did the deserving country win? Do you agree with the choice of the tournament awards? What was your best XI?
Honduras Need to Toughen Up…
Argentine hearts were broken in the heart of Brazilian football, the glorious Maracana stadium. As a result, you are one of your country’s most experienced players. Jurgen Klinsmann and current coach Joachim Lw have persisted with a brand of football relatively novel to Germany, and were rewarded with consecutive semifinal appearances in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and the 2008 and 2012 Euro Championships. Should that travesty occur, though, the protesters will have the easy option of pointing to the Amazon Arena in Manaus.
When Switzerland’s match against Honduras was completed at about 6 pm local time on June 25, a grand total of five games had been played at the Amazon Arena, one of them being the meaningless opening game. While Costa’s shot, hit from the left side (from Chile’s point of view) of the Chilean penalty area, was going wide, Sergio Busquets, standing alone on the other side with no Chilean player within miles of him, should have buried the shot. Hulk finally came good on his potential against the diminutive midfielders of Chile, rousing the Brazilian fans packed into the Mineiro.
The French side is blessed to have three midfielders with legitimate claims to being the most complete midfield players in the world right now. That two of the latter three scored in open play was no surprise at all. With the newfound liking to the game (albeit many Americans are still confused by the intricacies of the game), allied with new star entries into the cash-rich MLS, maybe there is a bright future for soccer in the USA after all.
A Litany of Heartbreaks
FIFA World Cup 2014: Cliff Notes
Brazil Found Wanting Again
Joachim Lw won deserved plaudits for his tactical understanding and tinkering with the German team. Jorge Luis Pinto is also a very close runner for his mightily impressive run to the quarterfinals with the unfancied Costa Rica.
But the winner is the wily old fox Louis van Gaal, who molded the ragtag Netherlands into a formidable, efficient, and adaptable unit. The ever-quotable Croatian coach Niko Kovac dared to claim in his press conference that his team was confident of beating Mexico.
No, that is really all that happened, but you wouldn’t think so, with headlines such as Croatia “talking a ton of trash” being published in response. Costa was used to being the focal point for crosses and a target for long balls that he could run on to. The albiceleste fans, so joyously reveling in taunting Brazil over their semifinal humiliation, were themselves undone by an excellent German unit.
While Keylor Navas has been stunning and more consistent, Howard’s one-man show against Belgium will go down as one of the great goalkeeping performance in the World Cup. Sabella’s 3-man central defense was being wasted on Bosnia’s solitary striker, and the Bosnians were using their numerical advantage in other zones to keep Argentina at bay.
In the second half, though, Sabella came to his senses and unleashed the trio of Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, and Sergio Aguero on the Bosnian defense; things soon started to click together. With youthful talents such as Paul Pogba, Rafael Varane, and Mamadou Sakho coming to the fore in this World Cup, the future seems to be bright for Les Bleus.
What to Make of Belgium?
The White Elephant of Manaus
Croatia eventually lost the match, but Kovac was steadfast in his confidence in his team, and why the hell shouldn’t he? God save us if a coach dared to have confidence in his players!
Lahm has been influential in this German team, whether it be as a deep-lying midfielder or as a right wingback. He then went on to star in the Round of 16, where he won a controversial penalty, which sent the Netherlands through. It’s fair to say that these two groups have given some of the most incident-filled and lively games in this tournament.
The ‘clash of kings’ in Group D threw up a huge surprise when Costa Rica, coached by the professor-like Jorge Luis Pinto, beat two former world champions in enthralling fashion and easily held the third (to be fair, it was only England) at bay to secure top spot, while Ghana’s 2-2 draw with Germany had one of the best second halves the World Cup has ever offered. The surprise run to the 2002 World Cup Final, founded on the legendary Oliver Kahn and Michael Ballack, was the last hurrah for many of those players.
But such is the nature of the knockout rounds, and it is part of what makes this quadrennial football extravaganza the cynosure of all eyes around the world.
Player of the Week
Rafik Halliche
Defense
Algeria
Total Goals Scored
Seriously, they have all been used. Colombia, with their battery of creative midfielders and well-organized defensive unit, could and should cause Brazil some serious problems in the quarterfinals.
Miroslav Klose’s goal against Brazil wins out due to his intelligent, poacher’s dart into the box that opened up the space for the ball to be released to him. In the semis, though, the Netherlands had used up all three of their substitutions before the shootouts, and had to go with the shaky Cillessen. As Blind launched the cross, Van Persie was rushing inside the Spanish penalty area with an instinctive burst, well clear of Ramos and Pique. But like I said, we have been spoiled by the continual magnificence of the imperious Pirlo and his beard, and we have come to expect these things from him.
What nobody expected to see was England attacking like they did. Deschamps even went to the extreme measure of not picking potential troublemaker Samir Nasri in the World Cup squad, and few except those in Nasri’s closest circle are complaining. He is firmly on his way to becoming the next global superstar.
Manager of the Tournament
Messi Needs a 4-3-3
Jorge Luis Pinto is the undoubted choice for the best manager of the second week of the World Cup. While Lionel Messi sparkled in the group stages, and he did, to be fair, create the most number of chances in the tournament, he fizzled out in the knockout stages, and still remains without a single goal in the World Cup knockout rounds. The referee, following the letter of the law, sent off Pepe for the headbutt, but surely there can’t be a stipulation that meant Mller couldn’t be booked for simulation as well! Germany, of course, profited hugely from Pepe’s dismissal and went on to thrash Portugal 4-0.
Ron Vlaar
Center Back
Netherlands
One round ago, Louis van Gaal was being hailed as a tactical geniuswhich, to be fair, he isfor his daring substitution of Jasper Cillessen for penalty shootout specialist Tim Krul. Presumably trying to nod the ball back to his goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Kroos didn’t realize that Gonzalo Higuain was returning from an offside position, and unknowingly teed up a golden chance for the Argentine number 9, who already was behind the German defensive line. But having said that, oh, the brilliance of that dummy! You could watch it over and over again, masticating over the subtleties of Pirlo’s inscrutable expression (and the un-ruffle-able beard). Initially, it seemed as if he had headbutted Chiellini, but replaysand Surez ludicrously feeling his own teethsuggested that the offence had been much more serious. If this is a half-fit Surez, Liverpool (or possibly Barcelona, going by the transfer rumors) fans will be looking forward to his return from the four-month ban with bated breath.
Lionel Messi was the lone shining light for Argentina in both of their victories in Week 2, scoring a late, late goal to break Iran’s dogged spirit and then scoring two sumptuous goals against Nigeria. Maybe if Diego Costa, ironically playing for a team oriented towards a false nine forward, had picked his country of birth, this World Cup could have been very different.
We’ll get to the World Champions in a moment, but Brazil’s capitulation has been arguably the bigger story of this World Cup. Iran’s Alireza Haghighi also ran Argentina close, but he was also aided by a completely defensive setup, something Nigeria markedly lacked.
Thomas Mller
Attacking Mid
Germany
The Best Save
Manuel Neuer
Goalkeeper
Country: Germany
Marcos Rojo
Center Back
Argentina
Omar Gonzalez
Defense
USA
German football’s reinnovation after a tragic phase is a lesson for fallen giants such as Brazil, England, and Spain. Mexico’s Miguel Herrera has also been spot-on with his tactics, and he also wins the award for the ‘Most Watchable Person in Brazil’ thanks to his now-famous exuberant reactions to his team’s performance on the field.
Lionel Messi
Striker
Argentina
Messi was the shining light for the runners up Argentina, having a hand in all but one of their goals in the group stage, and then laying on an assist for Angel di Maria in the Round of 16 match against Switzerland. Wesley Sneijder, captain Robin van Persie, and Arjen Robben were left up front in an interchangeable front three that would focus almost completely on counterattacking when the Spanish attacks broke down. This team has now found a wonderful balance between attack and defense, knowing just when and how to go all-out and when to fall back on German football’s genetic memory and keep infuriating the football purists.
The defeat of Brazil was notable for its virtually complete absence of technically proficient ‘wunderkids’ going on solo runs. Starting off as a team soaked in the Guardiola-edition Bayern Munich’s adherence to tiki-taka, Germany ended up looking like the love child of tiki taka and the Italian catenaccio, however contrasting those concepts may seem. Messi’s first goal was a masterclass of a slightly nerdy variety; most players would have overhit their shot from the position he was in, and the technique to do what he did is quite difficult. Daryl Janmaat came on to take Kuyt’s place at the right side of defense, with the volatile Bruno Martins Indi coming off for him. However, because of the effect his first goal had on the match, the award goes to the Dutch skipper, SuperVan Persie.
Manager of the Week
The Best Goal
The USA is Well and Truly Here
Best Young Player
171 (2.67 PG)
The decision to persuade Diego Costa to abandon his Brazilian roots and play for his adopted country seemed a stroke of brilliance, as he would offer Spain an alternative route against defensively set teams. Even a dizzying clash of heads, which nearly saw him lose consciousness on the field, couldn’t shake him off. As Casillas stopped in his tracks, too close to Van Persie to save the header but too far to cut out the cross, the ball looped over him and nestled safely in the top corner. Okay, so the English defense was often a shamblesonce again, no surprises. Ivorian Aurier, though, justified rumors linking him to some of the top clubs across Europe, including Arsenal and Liverpool. After taking the lead via a fortuitous combination of Gonzalo Jara and David Luiz (‘s T-shirt), they were immediately pegged back by a defensive lapse, which allowed Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez to draw them level. If Mauricio Pinilla’s last-minute shot had been a couple of inches lower, the resultant elimination would not have come as a major shock. Definitely one to keep an eye on!
Something unthinkable and obviously absolutely unacceptable happened in Recife before Croatia’s Group A game against Mexico. But Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo took things to an extreme by choosing to keep his cards firmly in his pockets for 64 minutes of the abrasive quarterfinal encounter between Brazil and Colombia. The internet was soon awash with overworked memes and parodies, and Surez had once again become the world’s favorite villain.
FIFA, taking swift action, handed down a 4-month ban on Surez for all footballing activities, including even training for his club Liverpool. The offside goal aside (Fred scoring being more of a marker of Cameroon’s inadequacy than his own ability), Brazil were good value for the win in the second half, but will need to improve massively for their knockout tie with the dynamic Chile.
France and Colombia Are Ominously Good
James Rodriguez
Center Mid
Colombia
Week 1
Blaise Matuidi
Center Mid
France
Robin van Persie’s Superman header simply has no rival, especially considering the momentous occasion and the effect the goal had on the outcome of the game.
When Daley Blind prepared to send a diagonal ball from close to the left byline and just inside the Spanish half, the Spanish central defensive pair was busy thinking they were operating an offside trap, some fifteen yards in front of the Spanish penalty area, for the Dutch captain Robin van Persie. Hummels’ two crucial goals complemented his impressive defending through the tournament. Rodriguez’s turn and volley against Uruguay was one of the best World Cup goals ever scored, while Robben got full revenge for Casillas’ famous save in the 2010 Final with two very well-taken goals against Spain. The loss of Angel di Maria in the same match took away the driving force behind Argentina’s attacking triumvirate, and forced a more defensive setup for the rest of the tournament. Trying to reclaim the ball after a clumsy first touch, Marchisio barged into the knee of Uruguayan midfielder Egidio Arvalo, and was shown a straight red card by the flaky Mexican referee Marco Rodrguez. With Martinez’s former clubmate James Rodriguez leading the charge on the right side of the pitch, the Porto striker made an arcing run to the edge of the Japanese penalty area. Ahmed Musa’s first goal against Argentina, a lovely curler hit into the left corner of Sergio Romero’s net, David Villa’s cheeky backheel in his final appearance in the Spain shirt, and Xherdan Shaqiri’s second of his three goals against Honduras were also great to watch.
However, the winner is Jackson Martinez’s second goal in Colombia’s 4-1 win against Japan. Most players would have taken a touch to set themselves up for the shot, but Higuain took a swipe at it from just outside the penalty area, connecting perfectly. The Brazilian league is in terrible condition at present, and could badly use a cash inflow and a well-regulated football calendar instead of the confusing jumble of state and central league matches.
It is ridiculously close between the goalkeepers of the two finalists, Manuel Neuer and Sergio Romero. The modern game is so cluttered with coaches taking a defensive tone in pre-game post conferences and talking about “respecting the opponent” that Kovac’s confidence was a refreshing change. The defense was the toughest section to fill, and hopefully the bar will be raised in week 2.
Best World Cup Ever?
Week 3
Toni Kroos
Center Mid
Germany
We all laughed at David Moyes when Manchester United launched an epic 81 crosses in an EPL match against Fulham. While Fernandinho was magnificent alongside Yaya Toure in Manchester City’s title-winning run in 2013-14, he couldn’t strike up an understanding with Gustavo, Paulinho, or Oscar. His tigerish, domineering performance in the tournament was arguably even more important for Argentina than the Little Flea himself.
Arjen Robben
Right Winger
Netherlands
Mats Hummels
Center Back
Germany
Sofiane Feghouli
Center Mid
Algeria
Van Gaal’s Fortune Runs Out
Andrea Pirlo
Center Mid
Italy
After yearsdecades, really of being taunted over their preference of faster, more action-filled sports than soccer, the US national team has done the country proud, reaching the knockout stages and giving an excellent account of themselves in the defeat against Belgium. Mller is seemingly on a mission to overtake Klose as quickly as he can, considering the Bayern Munich forward’s strike rate in World Cup games. Consi