Top 10 Stories From The 2014 Fifa World Cup

1.       Spain’s Early Exit

They arrived in Brazil as the World Cup Champions but left with their reputation well and truly in tatters. Spain were without doubt the underachievers at this year’s tournament, after being thrashed 5-1 by the Netherlands in their opening game they tamely surrendered their crown in a 2-0 defeat to Chile and become the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. For all their possession the Spanish lacked a cutting edge upfront, lead striker Diego Costa looked a shadow of player who lead Atletico to the Champions League final last May while the often reliable duo Xavi and Andres Inesta failed to have a huge impact from midfield. The Dutch took advantage of Spain’s weak defence, slicing through at every opportunity, goalkeeper and Captain Iker Casillas was also guilty of a number of errors as Spain failed to reach the knockout stage

 

2.       Manchester United In Safe Hands With Van Gaal

Coming into the tournament the Netherlands were a bit of an unknown quantity, runners up four years ago but left embarrassed after losing all three group games at Euro 2012. The question was could manager Louis Van Gaal, the man set to take over at Manchester United for the new Premier League season, get the best out of a talented group of players which included the likes of Arjan Robben and Robin Van Persie. The short answer- yes he could. Tactically the Dutch were as good as anyone in Brazil, Van Gaal’s 5-3-2 formation not only made his side difficult to beat but also exploited the talents of his key players. On the way to respectable semi-final Van Gaal made several big decisions, not least to change his goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen with Newcastle’s Tim Krul seconds before a penalty shootout which they then went on to win. United fans can at least be reassured that Van Gaal’s strong personality will not allow him to be overawed in the dressing room at Old Trafford.   

 

3.       England Show Promise, But Lack Killer Punch

The expectations of England were supposed to be low but that doesn’t make up for what was a disappointing tournament. There were few complaints about Roy Hodgson’s 23 man squad which brimmed with young, exciting players but after three group games they left with no wins to their name. Admittedly the margins were fine and the 2-1 defeats against both Italy and Uruguay could have easily been different if England had been a little more clinical in front of goal. There were promising signs as the likes of Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley demonstrated why they have been labelled as England’s next generation, but in the end it was the familiar faces of Mario Ballotelli and Luis Suarez who capitalised on England’s defensive lapses to pin them to the bottom of group D.

 

4.       Suarez Madness Yet Still Worth The Money

Technically he is one of the greatest players of all time but the legacy of Luis Suarez may not be one he is proud to remember. After almost single-handedly sinking England in game two the Uruguayan talisman soon found himself back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons when he appeared to bite Italian captain Giorgio Chiellini, not for the first time in his career. His actions resulted in a four month ban from FIFA meaning Suarez won’t be able to play competitive football until October. Nevertheless that didn’t stop Barcelona splashing out £75 million to sign the striker from Liverpool a few weeks later one can only wonder how many chances he will get.

  

 

5.       Keepers Become Stars

One of the features of this year’s World Cup was some of the extraordinary saves and performances from the goalkeepers. Germany’s Manual Neuer deservingly won the golden glove award after keeping four clean sheets and only conceding four goals as the Germans stormed to the title. But it wasn’t just Neuer who was making a name for himself between the posts; Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico, Keyler Navas of Costa Rica and USA keeper Tim Howard were among many who pulled off some dazzling saves for the cameras and won’t be short of interest in this Summer’s transfer market.          

 

6.       Costa Rica Shock Us All

When Costa Rica were drawn in the same group as Uruguay, England and Italy no one gave them a chance. However not only did they escape one of the tournaments toughest groups, but topped it with a game to spare. Manager Jorge Luis Pinto wasn’t blessed with big names like Messi or Ronaldo; instead he had a squad of players who were prepared to play their hearts out for their country. Tactically the Costa Ricans were well drilled and only conceded two goals in five matches with defenders Júnior Díaz and Giancarlo González particularly catching the eye. Captain Bryan Ruiz and Arsenal’s Joel Campbell were also well praised up front, but this was a story of every man playing their part in a run which saw Costa Rica shock the world by reaching the quarter final stage where they were narrowly beaten in a penalty shoot-out by the Dutch    

 

7.       Rodriguez -The New Star Of World Football

His goals were incredible, his celebrations just as good, the classy exuberance of James Rodriguez will live long in the memory of football fans across the world. His Colombia side had style but it was Rodriguez who made them tick scoring at least once in each of his country’s five games. After scoring six goals overall, one more than Germany’s Thomas Müller, Rodriguez received the Golden Boot award for being the top scorer at the tournament, while many voted his exceptional volley against Uruguay in the last 16 the best of the competition.       

 

8.       Brazil Capitulate In Their Own Backyard

It was known before the tournament that Brazil’s squad wasn’t the strongest in the country’s decorated football history. Yet the hosts still believed. Thanks to their vibrant fans and goals from the poster boy-superstar Neymar the Brazilian’s finished top of Group A before scraping past Chile and Colombia to set up a semi-final with Germany. That was where the dream unravelled. Neymar was ruled out for the rest of the competition with a broken back while Brazil’s centre back and Captain Thiago Silva was suspended after being booked in the quarter final. In their absence the German’s tore the nation apart capitalising on Brazil’s defensive frailties to humiliate them 7-1 leaving the scar of the country’s heaviest ever defeat. Upfront Brazil offered little to repel the German onslaught and it was a similar story in the third place play-off as the hosts were once again blown away in a 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands which only added to their misery.  

 

 

9.       Messi Magic Fizzles Out In The Final

There are times when words simply can’t describe the talents of Lionel Messi and yet (in an Argentina shirt) there will still be questions asked of him. How can he be the world’s greatest player without a World Cup winner’s medal his critics will ask? But this was a tournament where his doubters were almost silenced. On paper his Argentina looked the part but in reality Messi was the one who was pulling them through.  In the group stages his last minute winner against Iran and exquisite free kick in a 3-2 victory over Nigeria were acts of genius. However as the completion developed and the opposition became tougher the Argentines had to rely on their solid defence on their route to the final. The stage was set for Messi to write yet another page in football’s illustrious history book but on the night it just didn’t happen for him. He received a small consolation when he was awarded the Golden ball for being the best player at the tournament, it was clear that Argentina couldn’t have reached the final without him.

 

10.   Germany The Best ‘Team’ Won

Argentina had Messi, Portugal Ronaldo but Germany had a team. They were young, ruthless and had a hunger to win, so don’t be surprised if their still around in another four years’ time. Their success was far from out of the blue and has been sculpted ever since Joachim Löw became head coach back in 2006. The majority of the squad who lifted the trophy in the Maracana on finals day had grown up together and been nurtured through a calculated German youth set up. Their work was clear to see and out of the 32 teams the Germans were easily the most complete, their robust midfield which frequently contained the trio of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira was the star attraction. Not only did they demolish Brazil in the semi-final they humiliated them and by all accounts handed out a footballing lesson. In Thomas Muller they had a goal scorer; in Miroslav Klose they had a record breaker as his two goals in the competition moved him up to sixteen World Cup goals one more then the previous record held by Brazil’s Ronaldo. Some questioned their lack of pace in defence but in their seven games on route to the crown the only conceded four goals and in the final the German backline was pivotal. For 120 minutes they neutralised the Argentina attack lead by Lionel Messi before substitute Mario Gotze struck an extra time winner to become the worthy champions.  

 
My Team Of The Tournament

4-2-3-1

Goalkeeper :  Manuel Neuer - Germany
Right Back : Philipp Lahm - Germany
Centre Back : Ron Vlaar - Netherlands
Centre Back : Mats Hummels - Germany
Left Back : Daley Blind - Netherlands
Centre Midfield : Javier Mascherano - Argentina
Centre Midfield : Bastian Schweinsteiger - Germany
Attacking Midfield : Neymar - Brazil
Attacking Midfield : James Rodriguez - Colombia
Attacking Midfield : Lionel Messi - Argentina
Striker : Thomas Muller - Germany

 

 

 

Wimbeldon Day 13 - Djokovic Beats Federer In Wimbledon Epic

In one of Wimbledon’s all time classic’s Novak Djokovic won his first Grand Slam for over a year, ending a run of three straight defeats in major finals.

He did it in the most dramatic way possible and at the expense of eight times Champion Roger Federer, who played his part in what is sure to go down as one of the greatest matches in Wimbledon men’s history.

Djokovic Claims His Second Wimbledon Title 

From the first point till the last 3hours and 56 minutes later the standard was barely believable. A total of 143 winners compared to 56 unforced errors throughout a pulsating match told the story of the vast quality on show.

But it wasn’t just the sheer brilliance which made Djokovic’s 6-7 (7) 6-4 7-6 (4) 5-7 6-4 victory so memorable it was also the drama of it. After two thrilling tie breaks in sets one and three the Serb finally found himself on the brink of victory leading by two sets to one and 5-2 in the forth.

A match point came and went after a Federer serve was originally called out but on review the dependable hawk-eye system overruled and allowed the Swiss to escape.

The chants of “Roger! Roger!” from a crowd craving a fifth set helped inspire an extraordinary Federer revival as he recovered from the brink of defeat to level the match at two sets all.

Djokovic probably didn’t know it but at that point he was a few points away from becoming the first male player in history to lose a Wimbledon final from match point up. Luckily for him he’ll now probably never find out what that feels like instead he celebrated his seventh Grand Slam title with a team led by Coach Boris Becker who now sits one behind Djokovic with six majors to his name.

"After losing the fourth set it wasn't easy to go on and win the fifth set, I don't know how I did it," Djokovic said after the match "This is the best tournament in the world and the one I always wanted to win so to be able to compete at such a high level I am so grateful."

At 32 this was clearly Federer’s best chance to claim an unprecedented 18^th Slam on his cherished Centre Court. A victory in his ninth Wimbledon final would have been a remarkable achievement, even by his standards, after many wrote him off following his second round defeat last year. Nevertheless no one can deny that it has been a privilege to watch Federer back at his vintage best over the past fortnight.

For five sets he went toe to toe with Djokovic, the man renowned for his supreme fitness and resilient resolve. The tactics from Federer and his coach, childhood hero Stefan Edberg, were spot on. There was even room for the occasional “chip and charge” and serve, volley - who said the game is all from the baseline?    

The first set was one of few chances, which was largely down to both players dominance on serve. Out of the two Djokovic looked the player most likely to make a break through and launched an early assault on the Federer backhand targeting it whenever possible.

However Federer was too wise for such a simplistic tactic and kept the points short by approaching the net on numerous occasions. The Swiss saved the only break points of the set in the twelfth game, which also happened to be set points, before taking a gripping tie break 9-7

Djokovic’s character was being put through the stiffest of tests but he came through it like a champion, breaking the Federer serve for the first time in the fourth game of the second set before cunningly closing in to level the match at a set a piece.

It was a contest dominated by both players impeccable serving, Federer led the way with a first serve percentage of 85% in the third set; Djokovic wasn’t far behind finding his mark 83% of the time, another tie break was inevitable.

That was the cue for the poised pendulum to swing back towards Djokovic. After taking the third he raced ahead in the fourth and was a game away from the title, only to be denied by the relentless Federer who reeled off a run of five games in a row to force a deciding final set.

Serving first, Djokovic did everything in his power to try a regain the upper hand and finally managed to shake of the demons which had prevented him winning his last three Slam finals.

He made his move in the tenth game of the set where on Championship point Federer struck his final backhand into the clutches of the net to end his robust challenge. Djokovic on the other hand could celebrate what he later described as his “most special victory” it would be no surprise if it was also his most memorable.

 

 

Wimbledon Day 9 - Federer Restores Order, As Murray Crashes Out

Roger Federer stepped onto the realms of Centre Court fully aware of the situation, two of his main rivals were out, and an unprecedented 18^th Grand Slam was in touching distance.

The timing and manner of his Wimbledon quarter final victory over good friend, fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka couldn’t have been better. After a routine first week Federer overcame his first real hurdle at this year’s tournament, and will advance to his semi-final with Canadian Milos Raonic as a man who been tested but remains unscathed.



Federer hasn't won a Grand Slam since winning Wimbledon in 2012

He arrived on court only minutes after Andy Murray’s defeat and was welcomed by a crowd still in disbelief at the defending Champion’s exit. For a nervy hour it looked like Federer was heading the same way, he trailed a set and was a couple of points away from losing the second but found a way as a champion often does.

He didn’t panic; his calm demeanour reassured his audience that he was still in control. After edging a second set tie break his route to the finish line appeared as he had expected it to and before anyone knew it his 3-6 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4 victory was complete.

“It's tough (playing against a friend)," admitted Federer. "Stan played great especially in the first two sets, until he started to really struggle with his fitness.

"He was hitting it so well so I had to wait for my chance. We know each other's game so well and I wish him all the best for the rest of the season, because he has been great so far this year."

Federer was right to compliment Wawrinka’s start; however it was true that he faded a little towards the end. In the first set it was all about the Swiss number one, these days it’s Wawrinka rather than Federer, as Wawrinka’s played the inspired aggressive tennis which saw him claim his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January.

What happened next was a combination of things, for starters Federer, who had managed to re-engage the saddened crowd, raised his game. While on the other side of the net Wawrinka became distracted suffering from an apparent stomach bug. “I was feeling not great, but nothing that I want or need to talk about," he admitted after the match.

The second set proved pivotal and after taking it on an anxious tie break Federer suddenly remerged as the favourite. His players’ box led by childhood hero Stefan Edberg reacted like their man had won the tournament; they knew the opportunity that had arisen and the obstacle that had just been cleared.

Wawrinka wasn’t the same from that point on and Federer took full advantage and made sure he didn’t follow in the footsteps of Murray and Nadal, by surging back to win in 2 hours 33 minutes and restore order to the men’s draw.  

 

Wimbledon Day 8 - Nadal Stunned By Teenager Kyrgios

When 19 year old Australian Nick Kyrgios strolled into the theatre of Centre Court for the first time he gave the impression of a man who wasn’t going to be overawed.

He emerged from the locker room for his fourth round match against world number one Rafael Nadal with the odds staked against him, he returned barely believing he had just caused one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history.



Kyrgios leaps for joy after taking down the world number one

There were no injuries, no excuses for the 2010 Champion Nadal, not that the humble Spaniard makes them anyway. This was simply a case of a talented young teenager bursting on to the scene in the most dramatic way possible for the first time since Boris Becker’s Wimbledon triumph in 1985.

Kyrgios was fearless as he closed out a 7-6(5) 5-7 7-6(5) 6-3 victory in 2 hours 58 minutes. His serve was like a relentless cannonball, his forehand like a guided missile locked on to Nadal’s supremacy. Time and time again he seared through the Spaniard’s defence like it was nothing more than a practise session, if there was a nerve anywhere near him it didn’t show.

"I was in a bit of a zone out there and didn't really notice the crowd," Kyrgios said after the match. That could have been down to the bright pink headphones he was wearing as he stepped onto court which said as much about his vibrant, energetic style as they did about his laidback approach.

"I was struggling a little on return but I worked my way into it and I served really well throughout, so am very happy”  he added "You have to believe that you can win the match from the start and I definitely did. I am playing really well on grass."

It was clear from the beginning that Kyrgios was no ordinary teenage wildcard, for a start he had made it to the fourth round after winning a five set marathon with Richard Gasquet in round two a match in which he saved nine match points.

Before the match he joked that he and Nadal had won 14 major between them. Of course all 14 had been won by the Spaniard, but that didn’t appear to worry Kyrgios who appeared with his head held high making use of every inch his 6 ft 4 body had to offer.

The Australian played on his terms; a second serve ace in the first game gave the crowd a glimpse of what was to come. Kyrgios dropped just four point on his serve in the whole first set which was played at a speed Nadal simply couldn’t live with.

The World number one managed to save break points on his own serve but in the duel of a first set tie break Kyrgios played some inspired tennis and spurred on by his strong Aussie followers claimed it by 7 points to 5.

It was the fourth match in a row where Nadal had dropped the first set at the Championships and just like in the previous round against Mikhail Kukuskin he took what is becoming a traditional toilet break to go and search for the reset button.

However unlike Kukuskin, Kyrgios didn’t buckle. On numerous occasions Nadal tried to slow him down but the Australian was having none of it, making the most of the rule that states you play at the servers pace.

Both continued to hold serve with relative ease and once again a tie break appeared the likely outcome. But this time Nadal wasn’t ready to leave his Wimbledon fate to chance, he broke the Australian for the first time in the match to steal the second set 7-5. Surely now normal service would be resumed.

Yet Kyrgios wouldn’t lie down, he believed from the start he could win it and once he had edged the third set tie break so did the other 15,000 packed into an intrigued centre court.

From that point the energy visibly drained away from Nadal, as Kyrgios broke the Spaniard early in the fourth. He then powered through to victory finishing the match with with his 37^th ace to book his place in the Wimbledon quarter final where he will face Canadian Milos Raonic.

Wimbledon Day 7 - Murray Takes Down Biggest Test Yet

At a time when the standard of men’s tennis is higher than ever, Andy Murray is making a strong case that he is at the very peak of the game.

His route through to his seventh successive Wimbledon quarter-final has been his simplest one yet, even more so than the one which began his run to the title twelve months ago.

Murray advances to his 6th successive Wimbledon quarter-final

The Brit’s game looks every bit as good, if not better, than it was back then and that’s just about as bigger compliment you can give him considering he only dropped three sets in the whole tournament last year.

This time around it’s a similar story; Murray hasn’t lost a set in any of his first four matches and is building an invincible aura at SW19 which has been formed by his 17 match winning streak at the all England club.

The latest man to challenge Murray’s superiority was his fourth round opponent Kevin Anderson, who proved the Brit’s biggest test of the Championships in more ways than one.

At 6 ft. 8in’s the South African is a tricky match for anyone especially on a grass court. However against Murray, Anderson’s giant serves and thumping groundstrokes were made to look a little ordinary as the Brit progressed 6-4 6-3 7-6(6) in a rain interrupted encounter which required the roof of Centre Court.

“When it was outdoors I played very well and was in a good position, but when we came indoors he was striking the ball better and serving better and I was dropping (the ball) shorter," Murray said after the match. “That meant there was a lot more running at the end because he was playing very well."

At 28 years of age Anderson is playing the best tennis of his career and recently reached his highest ever ranking of 18 in the world. But if the South African didn’t already know he soon found out that playing Murray at Wimbledon if one of the toughest tests in tennis.

Murray is renowned for his brilliant return of serve; time and time again the Brit simply chipped back the menacing Anderson bullet to take away the South African’s biggest weapon. A break of serve for Murray in the third game was decisive as the Brit was impeccable on his own serve, not once facing a break point, as he sealed the first set in 43 minutes.

The second appeared to be going the same way as Murray ruthlessly raced into a 3-0 lead with a double break. His shot selection was exquisite, his dainty slice and pounding groundstrokes were played at just the right time helping him out manoeuvre his opponent from the back of the court.

Anderson needed help from somewhere and he got some from the unpredictable weather which had troubled the schedule throughout the day. Play was stopped, the roof was closed and 20 minutes later the match nearly turned.

They resumed with Murray stuck in second gear and he was broken immediately allowing Anderson back in the set which appeared all but lost before the delay. The South African then held serve to make it 3-2 before squandering a break point chance in the following game which Murray escaped from with his lead still intact.

That proved a missed opportunity for Anderson as the Brit abruptly rediscovered the form he had displayed before the rain interval. Murray broke his opponent when leading 5-3 to form a two set cushion, a position he has only lost from once in his career.

However Anderson wasn’t ready to throw in the towel and under the roof it was as if his game had been transformed. The obvious change was the acoustics created by the indoor area, but as well as the sound Anderson’s shots appeared to carry more purpose  and threat as the South African adopted a more aggressive, approach the net strategy.

 That caused problems for Murray but he remained as confident as ever on his own serve, making the tie-break an inevitable outcome. To both players’ credit the crowd were treated to the best tennis of the match as Murray finally prevailed 8-6. He will play Gregor Dimitrov in the quarterfinal on Wednesday.