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As we enter the culmination of this month long fiesta of passion, courage and madness that is the FIFAWorld Cup, I think it is time we looked back at what has happened till now at this most magnificently dramatic tournament (please, just ignore the Argentina - Netherlands game, bringing that up doesn't do anyone any good).Here are my top five highlights of Brazil 2014 (so far).
#1 The rise of the goalkeeper
2010 was not a great year for that most maligned and underappreciated of species - the goalkeeper. The viciously unpredictable Jabulani had seen to that. It really doesn’t matter how skilled you are when neither the shot stopper nor the kicker can be sure of the trajectory of the ball – it makes for some sordid viewing. This time however, the Brazuca was as close to perfect as a modern stitch less ball has gotten. The shots have stayed true and goalkeepers could trust their instincts and skills to the tilt. And what a display if skill it has been.
From the indomitable semi-cyborg that is Manuel Neuer (Karim Benzema’s shot ricocheted off his left hand as if it had hit the goalpost), to the wily and super-agile Guillermo Ochoa, the men behind the post have been the stand out performers of the tournament.
Tim Howard in that scarcely believable match against Belgium (yes, a lot of them seemed to be simple saves - they were made to look so by Tim’s exceptional positioning - and besides, simple or not, they still had to be made), little known Fatau Daudu against the supernatural talents of Cristiano Ronaldo & co. as well Die Mannshacft, Vincent Enyeama against the lords of the game (a pity that his mistake was so fatal against France) and the superlative Keylor Navas in every game he played; these players have well and truly lit up this world cup with their spectacular displays of athleticism and technique
It has been a great summer in Brazil for the custodians, in which they have seen more of the spotlight than ever before. It is truly remarkable that almost all the goalies leave the tournament with their reputations deservedly enhanced.
(Saint Iker, please look the other way. And yes Julio Cesar; we agree, there was very little you could do about any of those seven goals.
#2 The joy of Los Ticos and Los Cafeteros
The Group Stages of Brazil 2014 have turned out be one of the most entertaining ever. At 2.38 goals per game this was the highest scoring group stage since the 1950s. The Dutch and the Germans played their part with the eviscerations of Spain (more of that in a moment) and Portugal (poor, poor, Cristiano), but there were two teams that really stood out, hogging the glory and the spotlight with their displays of brave, attacking football.
Los Ticos (Costa Rica) stood out as a brilliant example of the axiom that the team is greater than the sum of its parts with brilliant defensive and offensive displays against powerhouses Italy, Uruguay and (ahem!) England.
Los Cafeteros (Colombia) were the epitome of skillful, joyous, attacking football. James Rodriguez took the world by storm and had all of us dancing to his and his compadres’ graceful gyrations both on and off the ball. Only a man possessed of a stone heart would fail to have been moved to joy at the sight of the entire Colombian squad dancing with gay abandon to celebrate every goal.
It was a pity then, that Colombia were kicked out of the World Cup by a thuggish Brazil, a pity that Juan Zuniga will go down in history for the assault on Neymar rather than his penetrating and deadly runs down the right flank. It was a pity that Costa Rica forgot what took them to the quarters in the first place and chose a more careful and conservative approach against the deadly trident of Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder. A pity that the magnificent Keylor Navas was outshone by the heroics (and histrionics) of Tim Krul (who, by the way deserves every bit of praise he gets).
Los Ticos and Los Cafeteros, as inevitably futile as their quests turned out, illuminated and infected the world with their mischievous happiness for these short few weeks, and we must be grateful to them for that.
#3 The heroically tragic last stands
This World Cup has seen a coming of age for the underdog; countries like Costa Rica have taken the game to their more fancied opponents, defending like their lives depended on it and playing with a confidence and technique that bordered on the sublime. The minnows are generally just that, minnows - for the bigger fish to circle around and peck off as and when desired. It has, however, not the case this time.
When was the last time we had a major tournament where the biggest margins of defeat were suffered by Brazil, Spain and Portugal?
Iran and Switzerland battled and matched the exalted Argentinians boot to boot, kick for kick till the very end of their matches; it took some magic from the world’s greatest player to unlock their obdurate defences. Nigeria, Algeria and Greece more than held their own against materially superior opponents and it took all they had for France (and Argentina), Germany and Costa Rica to defeat them. Algeria and Nigeria won many hearts with their buccaneering spirit and immense displays of skill.
Let’s pray that in the next edition, more of these teams find the clinical ruthlessness and superior self-confidence to go with their skill, passion and commitment that is necessary for converting these heroically tragic last stands to memorable triumphs
#4 The passing away of a golden generation
Tiki-taka is a phrase, an idea, a footballing terminology that has the power to divide families and drive the sanest men insane. The general drop in excitement levels when Spain goes about doing their thing was as indisputable as the success engineered by it. Euro 2012 is a far distant memory now.
The Dutch and the exhilarating Chileans proceeded to absolutely smash this great team to smithereens. It felt like one too many of these superstars, these lynchpins of a team that were undoubtedly the best in the world from 2008-2014, were on their last legs. They looked off key and appeared on the pitch as pale shadows of what they once were.
Many have cast this as the death of Spain, of tiki-taka. But that is premature to the extreme - they have had too many successes at youth levels, have too much talent in their system, for that to be true. This is however the end of a golden generation of footballers. Whatever be your personal feelings towards Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, et al, we cannot but stand and applaud one final time for the service they have done this game.
#5 The dismantling of an aura
Brazil; the land of the samba, of joga bonito, of beaches and bikinis; a land of uninhibited romance and unrestrained dance. La Selecao have been revered the world over as personifications of all this and so much more. The reality however was far removed from this. Until now the world had struggled to accept, had chosen to ignore, the fact that lost within all that nostalgia and Nike advertisements, Brazil had long since stopped being the personification of any of those things
Well, there cannot be any more ignoring the thuggery, the general lack of strategy and cohesiveness, the scarcely believable drop in skill that this team is currently burdened with.
7-1. Seven- one. No matter how many times you hear it, it will take a while to register, to accept. Germany handed the mother of all beatings to this proud footballing nation on their own home turf. There can be no more running now, no more hiding. The aura of romance and beauty that surrounded Brazilian football has been torn asunder like never before.
It remains to be seen how they bounce back up once again. Hopefully they do, just as they had after that ‘calamity’ against Uruguay at the Maracana that fateful day 64 summers ago.
#6 The Final
What remains now is a tale of two unfulfilled promises, when one of the most vibrant German sides ever - who have spectacularly and inexplicably failed at the final hurdles of major tournaments - takes on Argentina and their talisman Lionel Messi; the greatest player of his generation, a man shouldering the hopes and dreams of millions of his countrymen and fans the world over who have been starved of success for too long after the heydays of El Diego.
Who will it be? Die Mannschaft? La Albiceleste? Seeing as how this World Cup has turned out to be, few would dare to even hazard a guess.
