Ronaldo, the World Cup, Hamilton Academical, Harry Kane – it’s Just Football’s end of year review 2014 is a post from: Just Football
Just Football takes you through the thrills and spills of the 365 days just past with our end of year review 2014. Jonathan Fadugba, Andrew Schofield, Sarah McLean, Nick Harris and Jake Meador pick out their outstanding players, teams and moments of the year gone by.
Player of the Year 2014
Lionel Messi, Barcelona (Jonathan Fadugba – Editor, Just Football)
This may be an obvious one but it would have to be Lionel Messi. We as a football public sometimes seem to take Messi for granted, whether consciously or unwittingly, but he was one of the World Cup‘s central figures, helped carry his team to a final with winners in two games, scored 58 goals with 22 assists, broke Telmo Zarra’s all-time goalscoring record and Raul’s Champions League scoring record.
For me personally, watching Messi break the La Liga record was a great moment. At just 27, and to do it with such a fantastic, typically Messi hat-trick, made me step back and acknowledge again just what an unbelievable player Messi is and what a privilege it’s been for us to live in an era where we’ve been able to watch such a legendary talent develop before our eyes.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid (Andrew Schofield – Sub Editor, Just Football)
2014 wasn’t half bad for Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo. With La Decima and another La Liga title added to his ever-expanding collection, the Portuguese forward posted numbers that would even look silly in a FIFA 2015 box score. And that was just the first half of the year.
The 2014/15 campaign has been even more kind: Ronaldo has swept aside a disappointing World Cup campaign with 32 goals in just 25 appearances. It may not be possible to fully usurp Leo Messi from his throne, but his Portuguese rival has certainly cast doubt upon the ordering of football’s hierarchy.
James Rodríguez, Real Madrid (Sarah McLean – Social Media Manager, Just Football)
James Rodríguez would probably feature, at least, in most people’s top ten. After a stunning performance at the World Cup it was absolutely no surprise whatsoever that he was soon on his way to the Bernabeu (for double the fee Monaco paid for him a year earlier). And he’s done not too badly since then either…
Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich (Nick Harris – Sub Editor, Just Football)
There’s something wonderful to watch about pure, unadulterated arrogance, and it’s something that perhaps no player in the world displays like Neuer. The Bayern Munich keeper has redefined a role he clearly decided did not make enough use of his own abundant talents, spending almost as much time out of his box as in it, and was iconic in Germany’s World Cup win.
Neuer’s consistency is truly remarkable. A keeper who makes so many risky, judgement calls in every game should have been destroyed in a sea of six-second videos of hilarious mistakes, but he has proved infallible so far. It’s also important to say that for all the highlight-grabbing outfield work Neuer does, he is undoubtedly the best pure keeper in the world, a titanic presence in one-on-ones and when claiming high balls. Within their role, no player in the world was as close to perfection as Neuer in 2014.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid (Jake Meador – Columnist, Just Football)
It can only be Ronaldo’s year, surely? His Real Madrid side finally won La Decima, making him one of only a handful of players to win the Champions League with two separate teams. Additionally, his goal-scoring numbers continue to amaze and his flexibility is key to Carlo Ancelotti‘s more pragmatic approach at Madrid, giving him the option to set up his side in a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, or 4-4-2.
Young Player of the Year 2014
Koke, Atletico Madrid
Jonathan Fadugba: It would be stretching it to say the now 22-year-old carried Atleti to the Spanish title, but with 13 assists (the joint second highest in La Liga 13/14) and six goals, not to mention his near telepathic understanding with Diego Costa, he played a huge part in what was an unbelievable achievement and near league and Champions League double.
Memphis Depay, PSV
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Andrew Schofield: For quite some time now, Memphis Depay has been what’s next for the Eredivisie and Dutch football. Scouts and pundits alike have all salivated over Depay’s otherworldly potential – often drawing comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo. But while Depay has been on the radar for quite some time now – making his PSV debut over two years ago at the age of 17, 2014 just might have been the year when “what’s next” became “what’s now.”
Following a strong finish to the 2013/14 campaign, Depay was named to Louis van Gaal‘s national team roster – starting once and appearing on three other occasions in Brazil. That momentum has carried over into a 2014/15 season that has seen Depay score ten goals in 13 league appearances.
Andy Robertson, Hull
Sarah McLean: It’s been a pretty epic year for Scottish youngster Andy Robertson. In the summer, the 20-year-old left-back signed for Premier League side Hull from Dundee United for £2.85 million – earning more than a few admiring glances from some of the big guns since then. Later in the year he was man of the match in Scotland’s Euro qualifier against Ireland before scoring against England in a friendly the following week.
Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
Nick Harris: After narrowly missing out on the above award, Kane was the very obvious choice for the young player of the year gong, and if my Just Football colleagues have chosen anyone else then frankly it’s a damning indictment of them, the site and indeed football in general.
After some encouraging end of season displays in 2013/14, Kane has exploded in ridiculous fashion this term, netting 15 goals in all competitions for Tottenham Hotspur. Despite his appearance (I mean, who takes hairstyle tips from Roberto ‘slickback’ Soldado?), Kane is an intelligent, rounded player, who is so far ticking every box for Spurs, and it’s simply lovely to watch.
SEE ALSO: Generation Next – Harry Kane: Spurs’ young English striker with curiously little hype.
Raheem Sterling, Liverpool
Jake Meador: Sterling took the Premier League by storm last year, becoming a key player in an attack that also included Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. Sterling has shown an impressive flexibility in his early career, being used as a wing, number 10, wingback, and striker by Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.
Whether being moved around that much at this stage of his career is another question, but you can’t deny that Sterling has shown an impressive level of versatility for such a young player.
Favourite Match
Brazil 1-1 Chile, 3-2 pens (World Cup)
JF: Everton 2-0 Manchester United was the best game I attended – David Moyes’ last game in charge and a game filled with plot lines, drama and intrigue (and one of the most memorable press conferences I’ve ever witnessed) and Chile 2-0 Spain was hard to forget as it brought down the curtain on arguably the greatest international side in history in stunning style (and prompted one of the finest newspaper front pages and on-the-whistle match reports I can remember in 2014 – both from Marca.
But, while Brazil 1-7 Germany will live forever, I found Brazil v Chile to be my favourite game at the World Cup. It had almost everything – a packed stadium full of passionate supporters on both sides, great drama, unpredictibility, good football, extraordinary tension and a penalty shootout like no other (including Neymar’s cool as f*** penalty).
The razor sharp tension in the stadium, tears of Julio Cesar before the shootout and Thiago Silva refusing to take a penalty all showed signs of a host nation living on the brink of an emotional precipice. As we would all soon find out, the emotional strain would get the better of them days later in extraordinary and crushing style.
New England Revolution 2-2 New York Red Bulls (MLS Cup Semi-Finals Leg 2)
AS: MLS Cup matches can be rough on spectators. Especially when they’re played in the subzero temperatures that characterize New England weather in November. But those that endured the marginal risk of frostbite were treated to one of the best matches’ in MLS history.
With the New York Red Bulls trailing on aggregate, the Thierry Henry-led side (in what would turn out to be the famed Frenchman’s final professional match) needed to defeat the New England Revolution on their home turf while scoring at least twice. The Red Bulls’ front line obliged with Tim Cahill and Peguy Luyindula both hoping on the scoring line.
View image | gettyimages.com
But the Revolution – who have never won a MLS Cup – fought back behind strong performances from Jermaine Jones and Lee Nguyen as Charlie Davies‘ brace carried the Boston-based club to a Cup Final against eventual champions LA Galaxy.
Montrose 1-5 Arbroath (Scottish League Two)
SM: In terms of bizarre this one was an absolute winner. It’s been a season to forget for Montrose so far anyway but this Angus derby just added complete insult to injury. A second half goal from Arbroath ‘keeper David Crawford was swiftly followed by home keeper Lucas Birnstingl getting sent off. Not sure if this is the only game where one keeper scores and the other is sent off in the course of the 90 minutes but I’ve not heard of it if it has.
Liverpool 3-2 Man City (Premier League)
NH: As I was based in Nepal for most of the year, I didn’t get to see any live football unfortunately, but one thing that certainly wasn’t lacking in my Himalayan hideaway was love for the Premier League.
This match, the most exciting of the English season by some distance, drew the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced in a pub anywhere, with Nepali locals – nearly all of whom were backing Liverpool – launching into song seemingly whenever a player clad in red touched the ball.
Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid (La Liga)
JM: This match, sadly forgotten by many after Atletico‘s heartbreaking Champions League final defeat, summed up so much of what made last year’s Atletico interesting. They went down 1-0 at the Nou Camp in a match they had to draw. They played for most of the match without star striker Diego Costa and key playmaker Arda Turan. And yet they found a way to get the result they needed via–what else?–a set piece goal.
Favourite/Funniest Moment
Alejandro Sabella’s fake faint
Steven Gerrard‘s slip was poetic in its ironic hilarity (though faintly tragic for a man who has embodied Liverpool and represented the club well for so long) and watching Liverpool throw a 3-0 lead away at Crystal Palace was laugh out loud funny if for nothing else than seeing Mr. Redemption Himself Luis Suarez in floods of tears. But Alejandro Sabella‘s fake faint against Belgium was brilliant, and the ensuing memes made me chuckle way more than I should have.
Luzenac’s brief promotion to Ligue 2
AS: On the 18th of April, Luzenac – a club based in Southern France in a village of just 600 inhabitants – defeated Boulogne-sur-Mer 1-0 and clinched a place in the 2014/15 Ligue 2 season. With their impending promotion, Luzenac became the smallest club in the history of professional football in France.
The Direction Nationale de Contrôle et de Gestion (DNCG) would later rule that Luzenac’s home stadium failed to meet the league’s minimum requirements and thus would be refused entry into Ligue 2. Their failed appeal meant my favourite moment of the year was quickly followed by my least favourite moment. But regardless, in a time when petro-dollars and Galacticos reign supreme, the Luzenac story remains irresistible.
Robin van Persie’s goal v Spain in World Cup 2014
SM: Maybe this is cheating a little as I’m technically picking two goals of the year but I hope this one can be forgiven because it’s a peach – Robin van Persie’s header for the Netherlands against Spain in their opening game of the World Cup. Incredible.
Gareth Bale’s winning goal v Barcelona – Copa del Rey final 2014
NH: There are people who think Bale only really has one trick. It isn’t true, but even if it was, when it’s a trick this good who would give a care anyway? After his world-record move to Real Madrid, it was hard to see how Bale could live up to that billing at the Bernabeu, but match-winning goals in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals will go some way to proving his value.
The first of those was glorious, a blurred dose of genius from a player whose outrageous physical gifts are matched with an undeniable ability to produce at the most important of moments. At one point Bale is so far off pitch even the autotune bods at the X Factor lost him, but he couldn’t be denied, in a cup final, against Barcelona. Welcome to Spain.
Erik Lamela’s rabona
JM: I’m a Spurs fan so I’m hardly objective, but Lamela’s rabona goal in the Europa League was such a wonderful combination of skill and absurdity that I had to pick it. It may not even be the best goal Lamela scores this year–his match winner against Burnley was more meaningful and similarly difficult–but it was a goal that reminded Tottenham supporters of the sort of player Lamela can be.
Goal of the Year
Gareth Bale v Barcelona
JF: Bale in the Copa Del Rey final against Barcelona. A stunning goal and the moment a genius was truly recognised.
Tim Cahill v the Netherlands
AS: A dipping volley off a long-ball from midfield? In the World Cup? Don’t mind if I do.
Lewis Macleod v Livingston
SM: There’s not been a lot to be happy about at Rangers this season – but Lewis MacLeod was one of them and so was this cracker of a goal eight minutes into a Championship clash with Livingston in October.
James Rodriguez v Uruguay
NH: Skill, stage, ambition. Basically this is perfect.
Gareth Bale v Barcelona
JM: When Xabi Alonso, a player who has won multiple Champions League titles and who has competed with or against every major star in world football at some point in his career, says he has never seen its equal, you know you’re looking at a special goal. And that’s exactly what Bale’s Copa del Rey winning goal was. Often marginalized at Madrid by his idol Ronaldo, the Copa del Rey final was a reminder to everyone of what the Welsh wonder is capable of. There isn’t another player in the world who could combine such power and pace and to do it on such a grand stage… we won’t see many goals better than that.
Team of the Year
Atletico Madrid
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JF: Led by the Don Simeone, they won the title with roughly one-tenth of Real Madrid and Barcelona‘s budget, on team spirit, talent, single-mindedness and determination alone. A reminder that even modern football is not without fairytales.
Southampton
AS: From the transfer window punchline to the surprise Premier League contender, few clubs have enjoyed a reversal of fortunes over the past few months than Southampton. With club icons like Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert moving to Liverpool, many were convinced that Southampton’s “sell-first” strategy was just another piece of evidence pointing towards a ever-expanding gap in resources amongst Europe’s top divisions.
Six months later and Southampton sit at fourth-place – a tremendous accomplishment for new manager Ronald Koeman and underrated commodities like Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama.
And while, yes, Southampton lacks the silverware to bolster their “Team of the Year” credentials, their success in the 2014/15 Premier League campaign accomplishes more than any trophy could. For it fosters hope – however slight that hope might be – that there remains a place at the table for the smaller clubs of Europe.
Hamilton Academical
SM: There’s absolutely no denying it’s been an epic year for the Accies. They earned their sensational promotion to the Scottish Premiership with a victory against Hibs following penalties on the last day of the 2013/14 season. They’ve since followed this up with some stellar performances in the first half of 2014/15 giving Alex Neil’s side a decent run at the top of the Premiership. They’re currently sitting fourth in the league six points behind leaders Celtic – a place few would have predicted they would be this side of Christmas.
Germany
NH: They were the favourites going into the tournament in Brazil, and they rode their luck along the way at times, notably against Algeria and in the final, but just like Spain before them, Germany set a new template for the game by winning the World Cup.
Technical class allied with cultured physicality, with a comprehensive plan for the structure of football in the country yielding legions of excellent youngsters, Germany are what every other country should aspire to, and they proved it time and time again in Brazil, most comprehensively against the hosts themselves in the semi-final.
Atletico Madrid
JM: I love an underdog story and Atletico‘s season had it all. The title-securing draw at Barcelona was remarkable, but so were their steely performances against both Spanish giants throughout the season. And while Real were deserving winners in the UCL final, it’s easy to forget how close Diego Simeone‘s men came to winning last season. In the end they wore down as the accumulated stress of a long season broke them in the final moments of the campaign. But it was a remarkable run made even more special by the rarity of a side other than Barcelona or Real Madrid winning in La Liga.
One to Watch in 2015
Paolo Dybala, Palermo
JF: If his performances this season in the Rosanero of Palermo are anything to go by, Dybala is going to be some player. Keep an eye on the spritely Argentine, whose close control, eye for goal and sheer audacity to surprise goalkeepers with shots from the unlikeliest of angles and distances mark him out as one to watch.
Latest #The10Series young talents table now up http://t.co/wDoENKSA92 (via @maxrandall) @UltraPalermo @staderennais_ pic.twitter.com/94WwZg1vlv
— Just Football (@JustFootball) December 18, 2014
Youri Tielemans, Anderlecht
AS: Tielemans may only be 17 years old, but you certainly wouldn’t know it from watching him. And you certainly wouldn’t know it from perusing a list of clubs that he’s attracted interest from. Having trained at Anderlecht since the age of five, the talented playmaker doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to move on. But if he keeps flashing his precocious skill set, then it shouldn’t be too long before one of Europe’s elite clubs come calling.
Lewis MacLeod, Rangers
SM: Macleod has been one of the most exciting youngsters to come through the ranks at Rangers since Barry Ferguson burst onto the scene almost 20 years ago. But now the diamond in the rough of the 2014/15 campaign so far is understood to be on his way down south to Championship side Brentford – much to the absolute misery of the majority of the Rangers support. At just 20, and not exactly playing at the top level in the past few seasons, he has a long way to go in his development but he should definitely be one to look out for in the future.
Aleksander Mitrovic, Anderlecht
NH: I’ve had a soft spot for the 20-year-old ever since he spearheaded a decade of unprecedented success for my Spurs team on Football Manager, and the Anderlecht player seems close to a major breakthrough in real life as well.
Mitrovic’s powerful display in the Belgian side’s comeback to draw 3-3 with Arsenal in the Champions League demonstrated his talent, and a big summer move beckons for the striker.
Antoine Griezmann, Atletico Madrid
JM: It’s taken him time to settle in at Atletico, but he just scored a hat trick in their last league match against Athletic Bilbao, which is no small accomplishment. If the Atleti are going to start scoring the counter-attacking goals that were there trademark last season, they’re likely to come through Griezmann, a powerful runner with a good eye for goal. Fernando Torres and Mario Mandzukic, both former European champions, will attract more attention at the Vicente Calderon, but Griezmann is likely the most important attacker in Simeone’s squad.
Coach of the Year
Carlo Ancelotti
JF: Stepped into a post-Mourinho bearpit, calmed everyone down with his customary cool, charm and charisma, turned chaos to harmony like an alchemist turns base metals to gold, brought home La Decima and set the club on a 23-game record breaking winning streak. A vintage year for a true boss.
Jose Mourinho, Chelsea
SM: I’ll love him unconditionally until the end of time and forever more just because.
Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid
NH: I’ve not shown Atletico enough love in my answers (luckily Jake has more than made up for that), so I’ll big up Simeone here. What a man.
Who was your standout player of 2014? Why have the other members of the Just Football team bizarrely left out Harry Kane from their answers? Is it a deliberate ploy to play down the hype surrounding England’s next great player, or have they simply not watched any football this year? More importantly is this hit to its credibility the end of the site as we know it?
Let us know below, or get involved in the debate on Twitter @JustFootball.
Photo credit: Scott Cresswell via Flickr.
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The post Ronaldo, the World Cup, Hamilton Academical, Harry Kane – it’s Just Football’s end of year review 2014 appeared first on Just Football.