As the World Cup draws to a close, there is an awful lot to look back on. A slow start, compounded by issues with altitude and the now infamous Jabulani ball, has been forgotten in an exciting knockout phase that has thrown up a final with the potential to be a classic. With only Spain and Holland left standing, it’s time to look back at the last four weeks.
Team of the Tournament:
Ultimately, this honour can only go to one team, and we won’t know who until Sunday evening. Both Spain and Holland may end up lifting the trophy with question marks over the manner of victory - Germany, Argentina and even Ghana have gathered greater praise throughout the tournament. Personally, any criticism would be unfair - there has surely never been a World Cup winning team that did not deserve it. Holland have not looked fluid but are clinical when they get a chance - putting 3 past a Uruguay team that had let in only 2 goals in its first four games. Spain, meanwhile, have controlled play to the extent that one chance is often all they need to take.
Honourable mentions go to Uruguay, the pantomime villains who sent out the hosts and the people’s champions, but were a match for the Dutch finalists until the last kick on Tuesday; Germany, who became the first team since Brazil in 1970 to knock four goals past three teams, and unleashed a youthful, attacking team that could be unstoppable in years to come. Ghana won the hearts of many fans, only to exit in the cruellest and most dramatic way imaginable. Finally, if the Netherlands lose on Sunday, only one nation will have gone through the World Cup unbeaten. Take a bow, New Zealand.
Player of the Tournament:
A number of players have practically hauled their teams through to the latter stages - David Villa, Wesley Sneijer and Diego Forlan are still vying for the Golden Boot, whilst Miroslav Klose sits just one goal away from Ronaldo’s all time scoring record. In less stellar line-ups, names like Keisuke Honda and Alexis Sanchez have become a lot more famous. This one is still too close to call - for me, I have a feeling that one of David Villa or Wesley Sneijder will be clutching all 3 trophies on Sunday: the World Cup, Golden Boot and Golden Ball. The title of world’s greatest player may follow shortly, I would be amazed if these guys DIDN’T get a whole lot of advertising contracts for sports equimpment, running gadgets, and anything else sports clebs are flogging these days.
Flop of the Tournament:
Many of the world’s greatest names had poor tournaments - both players and teams. France imploded in horrific, hilarious fashion - sadly, this was all too predictable going into the tournament. An aging Italy seemed to give up the ghost, sliding out against Slovakia practically relieved to avoid a sterner test. England were not so lucky, scraping through a comfortable-looking group before being outclassed by their oldest rival, on the biggest stage of all. Messi, Kaka, Rooney, Ronaldo, Drogba and Torres have all suffered varying degrees of disappointment, whilst plenty of individuals and teams showed a frustrating lack of ambition. Maybe I’m biased, or I expected too much, but England have to take this honour. Unlike France and Italy, and indeed unlike many teams that progressed much further, they appeared to have the squad, the form and the manager to at least make it beyond the quarter-finals. It’s a shame that ultimately, they didn’t seem to want it.
Goal of the Tournament:
South Africa has not been witness to as many screamers as past World Cups, but there is a decent selection to choose from. A goal becoming great has a lot to do with context: Tevez’howitzer against Mexico would probably get my vote, were it not for Argentina’s rather limp exit in the next round. Sulley Muntari’s spontaneous slap-shot against Uruguay, as well as any number of well-worked German counter attacks, also stand out. Personally, the circumstances of a goal are crucial - Grosso’s last minute winner in the 2006 semi-final will stay in the memory long after some of the more eye-catching goals have been forgotten. For that reason, I’m picking Gio van Bronckhorst’s goal against Uruguay. As the ball hit the net, you could feel the Dutch mindset shifting from avoiding defeat to taking their rightful place in history. Also, for all the criticism of the bending, ballooning Jabulani ball, Gio couldn’t have hit it straighter if he’d had a cannon.
Moment of the Tournament:
Whilst the quality of football and levels of excitement have been far from consistent, one thing this World Cup has repeatedly delivered is magic moments. Switzerland’s perfectly executed ambush of Spain; Slovakia somehow holding on for a shock win against Italy. In the later stages, it got even better: Germany still attacking two former world champions whilst holding 4-0 leads; Brazil unravelling spectacularly in the space of 15 minutes; Lampard’s phantom goal that may finally see goal-line technology introduced. Carles Puyol’s bullet header which separated probably the two best teams in South Africa is my personal runner-up; there is certainly still time for a late change on Sunday.
But for now, my moment of the tournament is the intense drama at the close of the Uruguay-Ghana quarter-final. Both teams had been in a quarter of the draw with USA and South Korea, knowing one team would go to the semi-finals at least. The tension and desire of both sides was evident throughout an intriguing game, but the denouement was sensational. Luis Suarez punched a ball off the line, denying a certain goal. He was sent off and Asamoah Gyan had a penalty to put Ghana through. He missed, and Ghana crumbled in the subsequent shootout; in truth, they were beaten the moment Gyan’s spot-kick clipped the top of the bar. There has been anger directed at Suarez and calls for a rule change; it appears very difficult (and impossible without goal-line cameras) to determine in many cases whether the ball would have definitely crossed the line. Ultimately, Suarez was punished correctly, and Ghana had their opportunity. The sight of Gyan recoiling in horror, and Suarez’s delighted reaction, as Uruguay were handed a lifeline, may not have seen justice served. But by God, it was exciting.
