2014 FIFA World Cup: Final Thoughts Before It All Begins Again In Russia

The 2014 FIFA World Cup final was held yesterday and now the tournament is over. Let me take a moment for that to sink in. After seeing 171 goals in the tournament, I still feel there is more to come or it might just be because the World Cup final saw only one goal. Mario Gotze shall be exalted when the Germans get back to Berlin. As the World Cup final results get plastered across different media and non-media avenues, I go back to the days when it all started.

German Engineering

We all love their cars and automobile engineering. Joachim Loew trained arguably the best World Cup team Germany could field, in the virtues of precision. The much talked about Brazil’s humiliating defeat at the feet of Germans was a testament to the surgical aspect of their football skills. I agree, they were tested by the little fella at no. 10 and his team, but when the final whistle sounded, they were ahead. When Philip Lahm lifted the 18 carat trophy towards the heavens, they were living Gods (well, at least for the Germans).

Argentinian Stripes And The Dutch Flair

When Argentina fans were singing songs about Maradona being better than Pele, they might have had some doubt about their country’s performance in the final. They managed to pull one over the Dutch in the semi-final, but the final was a different ball game. A lot was spoken about Messi’s fitness before the game and the concerns might have been true. Higuain missed a clear goal and then Messi took a wide shot towards the goal. Surprisingly, Messi won the Golden Ball award. The Dutch started with an explosion by defeating defending champions Spain. After that win, they were touted as favourites, but they faltered in the semis against Argentina. They did win the third place match up against Brazil, but I feel that they could have tested the Germans more. Arjen Robben was like a gust of wind sweeping the opponents and Persie was indeed the ‘Flying Dutchman’.

Brazilian Heartbreak

For a country that is passionate beyond logic about its football, not winning the World Cup crown was a national heart break. The jeers against Fred, Dilma Rousseff and Scolari made the general emotion evident. They and I hoped that the Brazilian team will not let the trophy leave their shores, but alas, the result was a complete humiliation, first at the feet of Germans and then the Dutch. Hulk was ineffective while Jo and Fred were just shirts on field. The saving grace was the poster boy, Neymar, along with David Luiz (barring the semis and third place match-up) and Oscar.

Of Bites, Unruly Tackles And Questionable Umpiring

I thought during this World Cup, I would just see Suarez play despite missing out on Uruguay’s opening match. And he did, more so, he scored the winners. But as they say, ‘Old habits die hard’, Suarez did bite as well. I’m still trying to understand why he does that, but despite all my logical thinking, I can’t think of a single reason. He needs to see a doctor and a good one. The World Cup was marred by unruly tackles and shoddy umpiring (at least in the group stages). An unruly tackle dealt Brazil a blow, they did not recover from. Neymar was out of the World Cup after Columbia’s Juan Zuniga put his knee to the back of the Brazil’s hope after his unruly tackle against Neymar.

The Rise Of The Underdogs And The Fall Of Titans

The title suggests a Hollywood movie, and indeed it was one. Chile, Ghana, Costa Rica, USA, and Columbia did more than they were touted to do. Spain, Italy, England and Uruguay could not even make it out of the group stages. This World Cup definitely had its surprises and they were welcomed by the viewers and fans (of the winning sides).

Goalkeeping Legends

If you have watched the World Cup, you know the people I am talking about. USA’s Tim Howard created a goal keeping record against the belligerent Belgium and inspired US citizens to suggest him to NASA as a barrier against asteroids. Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa produced some humanly impossible saves. What can I say about the Golden Glove winner, Emmanuel Neuer? The ease with which he makes a save makes me feel that he is not of our planet.

Shining Stars

First on my list and everybody else’s list is James (pronounced as Haa-mez) Rodriguez. The Colombia forward will be a big draw at EPL auctions (if Napoli wants to make a profit) due to his brilliance on the field. The 23-year-old won the Golden Boot award for most number of goals. Germany’s Toni Kroos, Andre Schurrle, Thomas Mueller and Mario Gotze (just for the goal in the final), Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas, Holland’s Arjen Robben, Brazil’s Neymar and Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri will be remembered as the stars of this World Cup.

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What Next?

Till the Premier League begins on August 16, I am going to watch the replays to fill the void that this World Cup has left in my life. You can help me when I take my first half-time break. Let me know your favourite World Cup moments?