FIFA World Cup – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Football
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Posted: Jul 14, 2014 | Updated: 5 months ago

The World Cup in Brazil 2014 is done and dusted, and it was a great show. The pre-tournament fears, of the tournament being regularly affected by failed infrastructure and protests, proved to be way off and Brazil 2014 will be remembered almost entirely for events on the field.

Having said this, there was no shortage of talking points on events that went on the field, including great matches, boring matches, great players, players who didn’t quite live up to expectations, great goals, controversies, and in many ways the World Cup was a complete package.

There was something for everyone. So now that the curtains have come down on the World Cup, lets take a look back at some of these highs and lows.

TEAM BASED

Biggest Over-achievers – Costa Rica

Biggest Under-achievers – Spain

Most Entertaining Team to Watch – Germany

Most Boring Team to Watch – Iran

Team With Best Attacking Prowess – Germany

Team With Most Defensive Stability – Costa Rica (Let in just 2 goals in the 5 matches @ 0.4 Goals per match)

Schweinsteiger – Overall the Best Player of the Tournament

PLAYER BASED

Best Player Overall – Bastian Schwiensteiger (Germany)

Most Disappointing Player Overall – Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina)

Surprise Package – James Rodriguez (Colombia)

Best Goalkeeper – Manuel Neuer (Germany) [Hon’ble Mention – Keylor Navas (Costa Rica)]

Most Disappointing Goalkeeper – Iker Casillas (Spain) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Igor Akinfeev (Russia)]

Best Right Back – Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina) [Hon’ble Mention – Cristian Gamboa (Costa Rica)]

Most Disappointing Right Back – Glen Johnson (England) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Maicon (Brazil)]

Best Central Defender – Mats Hummels (Germany) [Hon’ble Mention – Ezequiel Garay (Argentina)]

Most Disappointing Central Defender – David Luiz (Brazil) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Pepe (Portugal)]

Best Left Back – Benedikt Howedes (Germany) [Hon’ble Mention – Ricardo Rodriguez (Switzerland)]

Most Disappointing Left Back – Jordi Alba (Spain) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Leighton Baines (England)]

Best Midfielder (Primarily Defensive) – Bastian Schweinstiger (Germany) [Hon’ble Mention – Javier Mascherano (Argentina)]

Most Disappointing Midfielder (Primarily Defensive) – Steven Gerrard (England) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Paulinho (Brazil)]

Best Midfielder (Primarily Attacking) – James Rodriguez (Colombia) [Hon’ble Mention – Toni Kroos (Germany)]

Most Disappointing Midfielder (Primarily Attacking) – David Silva (Spain) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Luka Modric (Croatia)]

Best Wide Player – Arjen Robben (Holland) [Hon’ble Mention – Lionel Messi (Argentina)]

Most Disappointing Wide Player – Danny Welbeck (England) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Edison Cavani (Uruguay)]

Best Striker – Thomas Muller (Germany) [Hon’ble Mention – Neymar (Brazil)]

Most Disappointing Striker – Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Diego Costa (Spain)]

Super Sub – Andre Schurrle (Germany)

Best Player From Teams That Did Not Get Past The Group Stages – Gervinho (Ivory Coast)

Best Individual Performance as Goal Keeper in a Match – Guillerme Ochoa (Brazil vs Mexico – Group Stage)

Worst Individual Performance as Goal Keeper in a Match – Iker Casillas (Spain vs Holland – Group Stage)

Best Individual Performance as Defender in a Match – Mario Yepes (Colombia vs Ivory Coast – Group Stage)

Worst Individual Performance as Defender in a Match – David Luiz (Brazil vs Germany – Semi Final)

Best Individual Performance as Midfielder (Defensive) in a Match – Javier Mascherano (Argentina vs Holland – Semi-Final)

Worst Individual Performance as Midfielder (Defensive) in a Match – Steven Gerrard (England vs Uruguay – Group Stage)

Best Individual Performance as Midfielder (Att) in a Match – James Rodriguez (Colombia vs Uruguay – First Knockout Rd.)

Worst Individual Performance as Midfielder (Att) in a Match – David Silva (Spain vs Chile – Group Stage)

Best Individual Performance as Wide Player in a Match – Arjen Robben (Spain vs Holland – Group Stage)

Worst Individual Performance as Wide Player in a Match – Danny Welbeck (England vs Uruguay – Group Stage)

Best Individual Performance as Striker in a Match – Thomas Muller (Germany vs Portugal – Group Stage)

Worst Individual Performance as Striker in a Match – Fred (Brazil vs Chile – First Knockout Round)

Rodriguez – His Opening Goal vs Uruguay was the Goal of the Tournament

MATCHES

Best Match of the Tournament –  Australia (2) vs Holland (3) [Hon’ble Mention – Germany (2) vs Ghana (2)]

Most Boring Match of the Tournament – Iran (0) vs Nigeria (0) [(Dis)Hon’ble Mention – Costa Rica (0) vs England (0)]

GOALS

Best Header – Mats Hummels (Germany vs France – Q-F)

Best (Direct) Free-Kick – Lionel Messi (Argentina vs Nigeria – Group Stages)

Best Team Passing Goal – Miroslav Klose (Brazil vs Germany – Semi Final)

Best 1-2 Pass Goal – Yacine Behrami (South Korea vs Algeria – Group Stages)

Best Long Range Goal – James Rodriguez (First Goal) (Colombia vs Uruguay – First Knockout Round)

Overall Best Goal – James Rodriguez (First Goal) (Colombia vs Uruguay – First Knockout Round)

Best Assist – Andre Schurrle (To Mario Gotze) (Germany vs Argentina – Final)

MANAGERS’ RELATED

Best Manager – Joachim Low (Germany) [Hon’ble Mention – Jorge Luis Pinto (Costa Rica)]

Most Effective Substitution – Marc Wilmots (Belgium) – Against Algeria with Belgium trailing, brought on Fellaini and Mertens and both for them scored to give Belgium a 2-1 win.

THE UGLY

Instances Just Ugly and Full of Madness – Luis Suarez Bite. [Dishon’ble Mention – Pepe Headbutt Against Germany which had him be dismissed and Portugal suffered a heavy defeat.]

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