FIFA World Cup 2014: The analysis

Germany – Argentina 0-0 (1-0 et): Germany deservedly wins the World Cup!

Defence: 1,5 – 1,5

Midfield: 2 – 2

Attack: 1.5 – 1

Interplay: 2 – 2

TOTAL: 7 – 6,5

7. Schweinsteiger (GER) – 1,5

14. Mascherano (ARG) – 1,5

1. Neuer (GER) – 1,5

10. Messi (ARG) – 1,5

20. Boateng (GER) – 1,5

16. Lahm (GER) – 1,5

4- Howedes (GER) – 1

18. Kroos (GER) – 1

9. Schuerrle (GER) - 1

Most goals scored: Germany (18 goals)

Least goals scored: Cameroon, Honduras, Iran (1)

Most conceded: Brazil (14)

Least conceded: Costa Rica (2)

Topscorer: James Rodriguez (COL) (6)

Most assists: Cuadrado (COL) (4)

Top three most beautiful goals:

3. Tim Cahill (AUS) Australia – Netherlands 2:3, 21’

2. Robin van Persie (NED) Spain – Netherlands 1:5, 44’

1. James Rodriguez (COL) Colombia – Uruguay 2:0, 28’

The following 10 players have earned the highest marks for their performances:

11. Robben (NED) – 9,0
10. Messi (ARG) – 6,5
7. Alexis Sanchez (CHI) – 6,5

10. James Rodriguez (COL) – 6,5

1. Neuer (GER) – 6,0
2. Vlaar (NED) – 6,0

14. Macherano (ARG) – 5,5

18. Kroos (GER) – 5,0
13. Mueller (GER) – 5,0

10. Neymar (BRA) – 5,0

The team of the World Cup 2014 is the following:

GOALKEEPER: Neuer (GER)

DEFENDERS: Boateng (GER), Vlaar (NED), Manolas (GRE), Mehrdad Pooladi (IRI)

MIDFIELDERS: Mascherano (ARG), Kroos (GER), James Rodriguez (COL), Mueller (GER)

FORWARDS: Messi (ARG), Robben (NED)

SUBSTITUTIONS: Howard (USA), Moreno (MEX), Schweinsteiger (GER), Alexis Sanchez (CHI).

Overall, the best football of the tournament was played by Germany (42,0).

The full table of marks:

1. Germany	42
2. Netherlands	38
3. Argentina	35,5
4. France	26,5
5. Colombia	25,5
6. Brazil	25,5
7. Belgium	23,5
8. Mexico	20,5
9. Chile	20
10. Costa Rica	19,5
11. Uruguay	17,5
12. England	15,5
13. Algeria	15
14. USA	14,5
15.Nigeria	13,5
16. Switzerland	13
17. Bosnia-Herz.	12,5
18. Greece	12,5
19. Italy	12
Spain	12
21. Croatia	11,5
22. Ghana	11
Iran	11
24. Russia	10,5
25. South Korea	9,5
Ecuador	9,5
27. Portugal	9
28. Japan	8,5
29. Ivory Coast	8
30. Australia	7
31. Honduras	6
32. Cameroon	5,5

The full table of the official ranking of the teams, based on points.

1. Germany	-
2. Argentina	-
3. Netherlands	-
4. Brazil	-
5. Colombia	12
6. France	10
7. Belgium	10
8. Costa Rice	9
9. Chile	7
10. Mexico	7
11. Switzerland	7
12. Uruguay	6
13. Algeria	5
14. USA	5
15. Greece	5
16. Ecuador	4
17. Nigeria	4
18. Portugal	4
19. Croatia	3
20. Bosnia-Herz.	3
21. Ivory Coast	3
22. Italy	3
23. Spain	3
24. Russia	2
25. Ghana	1
26. England	1
27. South Korea	1
28. Iran	1
29. Japan	1
30. Australia	0
31. Honduras	0
32. Cameroon	0

FIFA World Cup 2014: The final between Germany and Argentina

Brazil – Netherlands 0-3: Brazil conceded its 10^th goal in the last two matches.

Defence: 0 – 1,5

Midfield: 0 – 1,5

Attack: 1 – 1,5

Interplay: 0 – 1,5

TOTAL: 1 – 6

11. Robben (NED) – 1,5

2. Vlaar (NED) – 1,5

20. Wijnaldum (NED) – 1

11. Oscar (BRA) – 1

A final is a single match, where the motivation and the playing circumstances can do extraordinary things to players. Therefore it is pointless to discuss who is better or who deserves more. Anything can happen in the final, and both teams have 50% chances to win it.

Here are five reasons why the winner could be Germany:

The best attacking team of this World Cup is Germany. Argentina has scored 8 goals in the whole tournament, while Germans scored 7 to Brazil, and another 10 to the other four opponents they met on the road to the final.

The team has played together for a very long period of time. Joachim Loew has had almost the same players in the starting line-up four years ago in South Africa and two years ago in Poland and Ukraine. Half of the team has been playing together even before, representing youth national teams of Germany.

The German players have got more top-clash experience, most of them being Champions League winners. Argentina has got Messi, Di Maria, Mascherano and Higuain. The rest of the team has not even been closer to winning the biggest trophy of the club football.

Psychological advantage is on the German side. Destroying Brazil by a humiliating 7-1 score gives a huge boost to self-confidence. Don’t forget the quarrterfinals of the South African World Cup, where Germany defeated Argentina 4-0.

Bookmakers think it will be Germany.

And here are five reasons why the winner could be Argentina:

Argentina has got the best defence in the tournament. Although the team has conceded three goals, all of them have been scored in the group stage. Since the Play-off has started the team has played 330 minutes, scoring twice and not conceding at all. Adopting the 4-3-3 formation during the group stage, Alejandro Sabella has surely made the right decision. He introduces four defenders that have a main task of containing the opponent’s attacks. Garay has been more than reliable. His partners in the centre, either Fernandez or Zabaleta, have been solid, too. Sabella moved Zabaleta away from the centre, where the mistakes of the Manchester City defender don’t affect the game so badly. The left back is Rojo, who has also been useful when joining the attackers. His crosses are full of quality. Whenever anything goes wrong, there is the great anchorman Mascherano to save the situation, as he did on the 91^st minute of the semi-final against Netherlands. 

Loew’s Germany has always been very close to win trophies, but lost to Spain in 2008 and 2010, then to Italy in 2012. In all three cases there was an opponent with a solid defence, which hadn’t conceded a single goal during the Play-off. In all of the three matches Germany faced the same scenario: the team was prevented of organizing quick counterattacks, the opponent’s main task was to neutralize German attackers, and somehow score a goal after a counterattack (Fernando Torres 2008), set piece (Puyol 2010) or a genius touch (Balotelli 2012). A very similar scenario is likely to happen on Sunday, taking into account that Loew has got back to the same 4-5-1 in the last two matches.

Argentina is captained by Lionel Messi. The Barcelona-man is one of the few players in the world capable of changing the outcome of any match.

A World Cup in Americas has always been won by a South American team – 1930, 1950, 1962, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994.

There have been two Italian referees in the history of World Cup finals: 1978 (Argentina’s victory) and 2002 (Germany’s defeat).  

FIFA World Cup 2014: 7 reasons why Brazil conceded 7 goals from Germany

So much has been told about this extraordinary match between Brazil and Germany, that it is hard to say anything new. The match ended with a German devastating victory of 7-1. To be honest, it has been coming. Here are the reasons why:

The Official 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ Fact File

Reason 1, named after Thomas Mueller: Brazil had been a mediocre team up until the semi-finals. Its

first match ended with a 3-1 win over Croatia, achieved thanks to a controversial penalty when the score was 1-1. The team had huge problems against Mexico and never managed to score. Arguably the weakest team of the tournament, Cameroon, created some trouble for the hosts, too. Then Chile was very close to eliminate Brazil, but Pinilla’s shot seconds before the end of the extra time was saved by the woodwork, and Brazilians missed two after-match penalties. Chileans were even worse, though. The quarterfinal match against Colombia was also full of controversy, as the referee responded by only two yellow cards to the 31 committed fouls by Brazilians. All of this makes one assume, that Brazilians had been marginal winners in their matches up until the semi-final. This small margin can be written on the account of great Brazilian fans and poor refereeing. Germany scored so many goals, that even 200 million Brazilians in the stadium and a committed referee could do nothing.     

Reason 2, named after Miroslav Klose:

FIFA World Cup 2014: Analysis after the semi-finals

Netherlands – Argentina 0-0 (2-4 pen): Netherlands lost the after-match penalty shoot-out with goalkeeper Cillessen instead of Krul.

Defence: 1,5 – 1,5

Midfield: 1 – 1

Attack: 0,5 – 0,5

Interplay: 1 – 1

TOTAL: 4 – 4

2. Vlaar (NED) – 2

14. Mascherano (ARG) - 2

3. De Vrij (NED) – 1

15. Kuijt (NED) – 1

7. Janmaat (NED) – 1

15. Demichelis (ARG) - 1

11. Robben (NED) – 0,5

10. Sneijder (NED) – 0,5

9. Higuain (ARG) – 0,5

22. Lavezzi (ARG) – 0,5

There are two matches left to be played in the 20^th FIFA World Cup. For the third time in the history the

final match will witness Germany and Argentina. Germany will challenge its 4^th World Cup title, while Argentina will equal to Germans, if they end their World Cup campaign with a win. Brazil, the 5-time World Champions and hosts of the tournament was smashed and thrown away by Germany. Netherlands, the current vice-champion of the world, attempted to enter its fourth World Cup final, but was stopped by Argentina after a penalty shoot-out drama.

We had historical

FIFA World Cup 2014: Argentina and Netherlands

Brazil – Germany 1-7: Miroslav Klose breaks Ronaldo’s record in the most shameful evening in Brazil's history.

Defend: 0 – 2
Midfield: 0 – 2

Attack: 0,5 – 2

Interplay: 0 – 2

TOTAL: 0,5 – 8

18. Kroos (GER) – 1,5

8. Oezil (GER) – 1,5

13. Mueller (GER) – 1,5

1. Neuer (GER) – 1,5

16. Lahm (GER) - 1

6. Khedira (GER) - 1

9. Schuerrle (GER) - 1

7. Schweinsteiger (GER) – 0,5

Argentina

Belgium was not the easiest team to beat, but

FIFA World Cup 2014: Brazil and Germany

Brazil

Arguably the bets match of the tournament took place in Fortaleza. As always, Brazilians started with great passion, inspired by the 12^th player. They got an early goal thanks to Thiago Silva, who joined the team for a corner kick. Both teams were showing some quick moves and anything could happen in such a typical South American match. However, although the tempo of the match was very high, and the teams were determined to score goals as soon as possible, the early goal played its huge role. Brazilians were more attentive in the back, understanding that even a 1-0 win will be fine for them. The result of this was that the Colombians, despite the great football shown by James Rodriguez, weren’t able to create any danger for Julio Cesar. Thiago Silva and David Luiz, helped by Fernandinho, were solid in defending the lead. The picture changed after David Luiz’s incredible free kick, which made the score 2-0. Colombians had no other tasks than attacking. This earned a penalty for James Rodriguez, but the score never changed any more. Everyone claiming that Falcao’s absence didn’t affect Colombia’s play in the World Cup turned wrong. Pekerman’s team needed him in this match.

But now it is time to meet Germany. The tough match against Colombia was won, but the price was too high. The best two players of the quad, Neymar and Thiago Silva, will not play in the semi-final, which automatically leaves Germans in the role of marginal favourites. The chance for Scolari’s team is to start aggressively and score an early goal. Defending it might not be that difficult, considering the fact that

FIFA World Cup 2014: Analysis after quarterfinals

Argentina – Belgium 1-0: An early goal sent Argentina back to defend the lead and enter the last 4.

Defence: 1,5 – 1

Midfield: 1 – 1

Attack: 1 – 0,5

Interplay: 1 – 1

TOTAL: 4,5 – 3,5

2. Garay (ARG) – 1,5

14. Mascherano (ARG) - 1

10. Messi (ARG) - 1

9. Higuain (ARG) – 0,5

4. Kompany (BEL) – 0,5

15. Van Buyten (BEL) - 0,5

Netherlands – Costa Rica 0-0 (4-3 pen): Van Gaal’s yet another substitution won the match: now the goalkeeper Krul!

Defence: 1 – 1,5

Midfield: 1,5 – 1

Attack: 1,5 – 0,5

Interplay: 1 – 1

TOTAL: 5 – 4

1. Navas (CRC) – 1,5

11. Robben (NED) – 1,5
10. Sneijder (NED) – 1
2. Acosta (CRC) - 1
16. Gamboa (CRC) - 1
3. Gonzalez (CRC) - 1

15. Kuijt (NED) – 0,5

2. Vlaar (NED) – 0,5

Three former World Cup winners and a three-time finalist is the starting line-up for the FIFA World Cup 2014 semi-finals. As it was the case in the Round of 16

FIFA World Cup 2014: Netherlands and Costa Rica

Netherlands

This strange team of Louis van Gaal doesn’t stop surprising. The match against Mexico was almost lost, when a corner on the 88^th minutes brought an equalizer and a hope to continue staying in Brazil. The goal was scored by the most anonymous of all the Dutch players – Wesley Sneijder. Up until this point the heat and the well-organized Mexican team gave no chances for the Dutch to perform. Van Gaal was even ought to take the captain van Persie out, to substitute him with the eventual hero of the match Huntelaar. However, the things did not go that strange at all. After the Mexicans had opened the score, they were thrown to defend the lead. More than half an hour of only attacking tasks was a luxury for the Netherlands, and the team found its play after 15 minutes of such circumstances. Since the second cooling break the Dutch, commanded by Arjen Robben and Memphis Depay, were very close to score. After the equalizer the psychological picture of the match was drastically changed, and it was a matter of time for the Netherlands to score the winner. It happened right before the extra time.

Netherlands is lucky to get the weakest team of the quarterfinals. Although Louis van Gaal keeps on saying that the Netherlands is not the favourite in this match, Costa Rica has not got the quality to show anything troublesome for the vice-champions of the world. The Netherlands has got two options: either wait and take the victory in the end of the match, as they did against Chile and Mexico, or smash the opponent from the beginning, not giving them a chance to increase their selv-confidence. I reckon Louis van Gaal chooses the second option.      

Matches played: 4

Goals scored - conceded: 12 - 4

Topscorer (s): van Persie, Robben (both - 3)  

Team marks: 7,0 + 4,5 + 5,5 + 6,0 = 23,0
Average mark: 5,75
Best players: Robben (5,5)

Place among 32: 2

Chances to win the World Cup: 13,15%

 

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s story has become a famous fairy tale among neutral fans. The team got Greece as an opponent, and managed to beat this European side. It was a battle of two teams that suddenly had appeared in the Round of 16. None of them was ready to take the initiative and get the winning goal. The second half got more intriguing, as Costa Ricans managed to score a goal in a situation, where no one, including the Greek goalkeeper and defenders, were expecting this to happen. And right after this the team remained with 10 men. For 30 minutes the Central American team was trying to defend the lead, but at last Greeks equalized and sent the play into extra time. And for another 30 minutes Costa Ricans were trying to take the game into after-match penalties. This time they made it, but only thanks to disastrous attacking abilities of Fernando Santos’s team. Greece missed lots of chances. The culmination took place in the second half if the extra time, as Greeks managed not to score after a counter-attack of five against two. Costa Ricans scored all of their five after-match penalties and are newcomers in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. 

The fairly tail is now very close to its end. With all respect to Jorge Luis Pinto’s work, Costa Rica is by far the weakest side in the quarterfinals. Their hero-defender Duarte was expulsed in the last match, so he will not be there to stop the “flying Dutch”. The only way to win the match is to stay firm in the back and not concede for the first 70-80 minutes. Then a quick counterattack by Joel Campbell might help them beat Louis van Gaal’s side. Of course, it is easier to say than to do. The chances of doing so are very low. Underestimating of opponents takes place in the group stage, but never in Play-offs.

 

Matches played: 4

Goals scored - conceded: 5 - 2

Topscorer (s): Ruiz (2)  

Team marks: 4,0 + 4,5 + 4,0 + 3,0 = 14,5
Average mark: 4,13
Best players: Campbell (2,5)

Final place among 32: 8

Chances to win the World Cup: 3,45%

FIFA World Cup 2014: Argentina and Belgium

France – Germany 0-1: Germany gets back to 4-5-1 and leaves France speechless.   

Defence: 1 – 1,5

Midfield: 0,5 – 1

Attack: 1 – 0,5

Interplay: 1 – 1

TOTAL: 3,5 – 4

1. Neuer (GER) – 1,5

5. Hummels (GER) – 1

20. Boateng (GER) – 0,5

7. Schweinsteiger (GER) – 0,5

1. Lloris (FRA) – 0,5

19. Pogba (FRA) – 0,5

8. Valbuena (FRA) – 0,5

11. Griezmann (FRA) – 0,5

Brazil – Colombia 2-1: Brazil is in the semi-finals, after winning in arguably the most exciting match of the World Cup, and losing Thiago Silva and Neymar on the way.

Defence: 1,5 – 1

Midfield: 1,5 – 1,5

Attack: 1 – 0,5

Interplay: 1 – 1,5

TOTAL: 5 – 4,5

10. James Rodriguez (COL) – 2

3. Thiago Silva (BRA) – 1

4. David Luiz (BRA) – 1

5. Fernandinho (BRA) – 1

7. Armero (COL) – 1

10. Neymar (BRA) – 0,5

7. Hulk (BRA) – 0,5

1. Ospina (COL) – 0,5

Argentina

The first 117 minutes of the Argentina’s first Play-off match were only producing negative thoughts about Alejandro Sabella’s team, including stars like Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. The Swiss were not eager to create any danger in front, so Argentina had freedom in the middle of the pitch. Switzerland was fighting to get a clean sheet for their great goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, and maybe a win for their manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, who had to retire as soon as the Swiss team was beaten in the World Cup. The South Americans had simply no idea how to beat Inler, Djourou and Benaglio. The players were tired, the crosses didn’t pass, the shots were being saved and Messi’s dribbling didn’t work. And only once did the Swiss lose the concentration and it was enough for a pale Messi to send the ball to Di Maria, who had a really bad game, but looked to be the only one not wanting to shoot an after-match penalty.

Belgium is much stronger than Switzerland. Messi and friends have to be not only creative in front, but also attentive in the back. Belgium is going to look for a goal from the beginning. And although the teams have some amazing attackers in their squads, the goals might not come easily. Argentina will be the favourite to win, thanks to the next-to-home atmosphere, and, surely, the Messi-factor. But even if Argentina scores early, this will by no means become the end for Belgians. Let’s see how solid Argentina’s defence is.

 

Matches played: 4

Goals scored - conceded: 7 - 3

Topscorer (s): Messi (4)  

Team marks: 5,5 + 4,5 + 6,5 + 4,0 = 20,5
Average mark: 5,125
Best players: Messi (4,0)

Final place among 32: 4

Chances to win the World Cup: 21,37%

Belgium

The United States defended well for 90 minutes, as Belgium was determined to play much better and score earlier than usually. Fellaini, Hazard, De Bruyne and especially the young Origi demonstrated what was expected from the “Red Devills” since the start of the World Cup. But as their captain Kompany mentioned after the match, “two words – Tim Howard”. The US goalkeeper broke the record of most saves during a World Cup match. But as soon as Romelu Lukaku entered the pitch right from the beginning of the extra time, Tim Howard’s magic touch disappeared. The Belgian number 9 and the great Kevin de Bruyne scored once each, assisting to each other, to enter the most difficult part of their World Cup so far – 15 minutes of endless US attacks. The Americans managed to score once pretty soon, thus getting a real chance to equalize, but the great spell for Juergen Klinsmann’s team, where the Belgian defenders were absolutely exhausted, didn’t bring more. USA leaves home proudly.

USA didn’t try to initiate many attacks until conceding a couple of goals, but Argentina is going to do so, to say the least. Lionel Messi is probably the worst opponent to have, so Kompany, van Buyten and Witsel have to learn a lot from the Swiss team, which contained the Argentines for almost two hours. But Argentina will also have its defence tested after Marc Wilmots’s both strikers have hit the form. Belgium never scores in the first 70 minutes in this World Cup. Conceding will not close the door to the semi-finals, so Belgium will have to be fighting during the whole match, if the victory is going to come for them.  

Matches played: 4

Goals scored - conceded: 6 - 2

Topscorer (s): Vertonghen, Origi, Mertens, Fellaini, De Bruyne, Lukaku (all - 1)  

Team marks: 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 = 20,0
Average mark: 5,0
Best players: Origi (2,5)

Final place among 32: 5

Chances to win the World Cup: 8,82%