WELCOME BACK FOR PART TWO OF THE WORLD CUP AWARDS
Sorry for the delay in coming back for part two. It was already written but I just wanted to prolong my World Cup experience for just a little bit longer! Now it’s time to turn the attention from individual stars to team brilliance
TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT
The likes of James Rodriguez, Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller helped to light up this summer’s global spectacle but all-round team effort is equally, if not more, important. The likes of Costa Rica, Chile and Algeria surpassed expectations to delight their own fans and many of the neutrals but there can really be only one winner of this award.
WINNERS: GERMANY
Although the above teams were strong candidates, it is hard to argue a case for any of the two to take this award instead of Germany. The Germans started their campaign in blistering style with a 4-0 win over Portugal. Ghana made them work hard for a 2-2 draw before Joachim Low’s men ended the group stages with a narrow 1-0 win over USA. Narrow wins over Algeria and France followed and, although they were not at their best at all times, they professionally got the job done and got results when it mattered most. The Germans really played as a close unit throughout the tournament, with the 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil in the semi-final underlining their superiority. Germany needed extra time to beat Argentina 1-0 in the final but they were still more than deserved winners. As an England fan, I should dislike the German football team but I couldn’t help but admire them this summer. A team full of stars working hard for each other and, at a young age, have a very bright future ahead of them.
SURPRISE PACKAGE
WINNERS: COSTA RICA
Without a shadow of a doubt Costa Rica were the ultimate surprise package of the 2014 World Cup. Jorge Luis Pinto's men were expected to be the whipping boys of Group D. Not only did they exceed expectations by topping the group with wins of Uruguay and Italy, but they remained unbeaten during regular time. Only a penalty shoot-out defeat to Holland in the quarter finals prevented Costa Rica from reaching the final four. That is just crazy, but it doesn't appear to have been a fluke! Costa Rica produced
enough good results along the way to prove they deserved to get as far as they did.
WORST TEAM
WINNERS: BRAZIL
Host Brazil may not have won the trophy but they can have this award! There were some weak showings in some of the groups but some of these were expected. Australia failed to get a point but their gutsy displays let them off the hook for this award. Spain went into the tournament as holders and finished with just one win but this award must go to Brazil. They put on a superb tournament and did reach the last four, which to some may not seem too bad, but when one of the globe's biggest sides concedes more goals than any other side at its own tournament, including a 7-1 defeat, it is hard to argue that Brazil were the worst performers, sorry!
MANAGER OF THE TOURNAMENT
3) JORGE SAMPAOLI - CHILE
The Chile boss did superbly to guide his side to qualification despite being in a group with European giants Spain and Holland. Only penalties prevented the South Americans from beating the hosts in the round of 16 and Sampaoli's men can be proud of their efforts.
2) JORGE LUIS PINTO - COSTA RICA
I was just a whisker away from giving Pinto first prize as Costa Rica's performance at the World Cup was nothing short of superb. Pinto's men performed well above expectations and they became a favourite among many of the neutrals. Simply, a joy to watch!
1) JOACHIM LOW - GERMANY
I don't want to be giving most of the awards to Germany but it is hard to argue against this one. Germany weren't always in top gear but to be able to lead his side to World Cup glory, along with masterminding a 7-1 win over Brazil, is a huge achievement. Not to mention a fantastic group of players he has developed. Low really does deserve the award as top boss!
BEST MATCH
This is so hard to choose. For pure surprise and spectacle Germany's 7-1 thumping of Brazil is right up there alongside Spain's implosion in their 5-1 defeat by Holland. Costa Rica's 3-1 win over Uruguay was an immense result for the underdogs, while many of the knock-out games including Chile 1 Brazil 1 and Belgium 2 USA 1 provided great drama. As a close second place, I'll give huge credit to Algeria, who kept me on the edge of my seat in their 2-1 defeat by Germany.
WINNER: HOLLAND 3 AUSTRALIA 2
If there was ever a game to epitomise what is great about a World Cup this was it. Those were my words in my blog after this pulsating match and I stand by them. The game was full of great drama, top quality goals, end-to-end action, and a mammoth effort by the underdogs as Australia came so close to causing a major World Cup upset.
QUOTE OF THE WORLD CUP
Rather vain award this but I am going to give this award to myself! In the first half of the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina there was a moment when a goal was ruled out for offside. It wasn't clear at first if it was a goal and a huge clap in Wetherspoons, where I watched the first half, was heard around the room. I text a friend to say 'whole of spoons erupted in a sophisticated clap, but was offside' and then the quote of the tournament was born.
Going back to the actual commentators and Clark Carlisle, often dubbed as Britain's brainiest footballer, came out with a daft yet amusing comment. During the Ecuador vs Switzerland group match he former Burnley man said 'when Jackson Martinez can't get in the side, they must be pretty good'. Carlisle could've maybe had a good point had it not been for the obvious fact that Martinez is Colombian!
CRAZY MOMENT
The most bizarre moment of the tournament has got to be when Luis Suarez bit Giorgio Chiellini in Uruguay's 1-0 win over Italy, an incident that ultimately saw the striker receive a lengthy ban. But there is no way I am letting Barcelona's newest recruit anywhere near an award, regardless of what it is for. Brazil's horror show in the semi-final, Cameroon's players fighting among themselves, a goalkeeper being substituted before a penalty shoot-out and a locust landing on the arm of Rodriguez are just some of the many other crazy moments this summer. Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella falling over was a highly amusing moment but for me there is one winner, and an excuse to let England win at least something in this tournament.
WINNERS: ENGLAND
England thought they had opened their World Cup account with a goal from Raheem Sterling after just four minutes of their Group D opener against Italy. Even the BBC flashed up 'goal' and temporarily had the scoreline at 1-0, only for fans to be left momentarily confused as the shot had actually crashed into the side netting. It is a shame it wasn't the 'goal' that could have made our World Cup turn out so differently, but at least I can just about see the funny side of it now.
BEST WORLD CUP OF MY LIFETIME
WINNER: WORLD CUP 2014
Some have questioned whether or not this is the best ever World Cup and I have debated whether or not this is the best one of my lifetime. I loved France 1998 and Japan/South Korea 2002, but this one has to be the icing on the cake. England were not as good in this tournament, which was obviously disappointing, but that aside this tournament definitely had that little something extra about it. The others were more dramatic and allowed England fans to enjoy some knock-out football they were involved in, but this was different. Plenty drama and enough surprises to keep you on your toes, I loved every moment of it.
On that note, we bid the 2014 World Cup in Brazil a fond farewell. Only German fans will be truly happy with the end result but almost all neutrals can have enjoyed at least some aspects of the tournament. I have loved watching and blogging about every match and, if Russia can come anywhere near this great spectacle, 2018 will be a year to look forward to.
The tournament was already over on the pitch, but now my blogging World Cup is also officially over! It is sad to see the World Cup come to an end, but it’s only four years until the next one!
Let the drama continue in every World Cup from here on in!
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