World Cup 2014: 10 Years In The Making
So finally the World Cup had reached its conclusion. German have won the final match even though it was clearly the Argentinians that was the better team that night. It was always the case of who took the best chances instead of who were the better team in the World Cup games.
I have to admit that I didn't have any particular team that I supported. Even writing this piece is so unlike me. Unlike the EPL, it is hard for me to connect to any teams that compete in the World Cup. Ever since I got to know this World Cup fever back in the high school, it just didn't make sense to me to support any team. For me the best thing about the World Cup is the tactical, the strategies, the mind games, and of course the goals.
I didn't watch any of the games in the group stage maybe for some games that I stumbled when I watched the TV with my in-laws. But every morning I'll check the result from ESPN soccernet. And also the analysis. The most fascinating to me about the World Cup is the mind games before the tournament don't even started yet.
Of course we will have England that will give some faint hopes that they will somehow surprise us in the tournament. With the news that Uruguay will lose Suarez and also the last minutes surge of their own players potential, suddenly maybe they could ride their own luck to survive the group stage. Nike even made their jersey to have some sort of shine that make it looks like an armour.
Well that doesn't worked out for them, isn't it? Some of the players does have some shining moment (Sturridge particularly), but overall all of them were a letdown. Doesn't won any games and just draw once, even Costa Rica pipped them in the group stage.
Then come Spain, the reigning champion. Having reigned the world of football for almost 8 years, they looked almost unstoppable. They are even the consecutive champion for Euro for 2010 and 2012. Even though they does look like declining a little bit, they were still the runners up in the Confederation Cup last year. It doesn't look so bleak in the beginning.
Well that doesn't work out for them either, isn't it? Holland having exploded with their 4 years revenge thumped them with the biggest shock scoreline (before the Brazil semi game of course). After that, they didn't seem to gel to get the desired result and dumped from the group stage. Well, I don't really bet on having any World Cup reigning champion to excel ever. In modern times, no country have ever won consecutive World Cup tournaments. May it be France, Italy, Germany, or even Brazil.
But boy do I love the underdogs!
I stumbled upon the match between Argentina and Iran in the group stage after finishing the Educity Sundown Run. The Argentinians were clearly the better team in the match with the ball possession and all but the Iranians were clearly don't give a care about it all. They just didn't care that Argentina have Messi and the fact that they were clearly being outrun. Solid defensive and with all the tackles.... But too bad since Argentina managed to slot in a last minute goal.
Colombia also shines with Rodriguez won the Golden Boot in this edition after scoring 6 goals. He will managed to get some interest from the big clubs after this. But I have quite a doubt that we will hear from him again a lot. Usually it is hard for the underdog players to replicate the success back in their clubs. But I dunno - I'm not an expert in football.
The biggest underdog that I love is Costa Rica. Do you know that since Costa Rica is a small nation, their kit manufacturer is the small company Lotto (compared to Nike and Adidas)? Since Costa Rica had won their first match and subsequently squeaked through the group stage, the sale of its kit had been surged up 20-fold. Lotto, a comparatively small kit company having the bonus day of their lives as they struggled to keep up with the demand. The Costa Rica kit for this edition, for sure will be a limited edition collector item.
Then we have the teams in the semis: Holland and Brazil.... By this time I already switched on the TV for the matches.
When Holland trashed Spain 5-1, it was the biggest shocker in the tournament, Even the manner how the Dutch disposed Spain were kinda out of this world thing with the RVP flying header. But deep in my heart I knew that it is hard for Dutch to finally have the elusive World Cup title. For me, it is down to two reasons.
One - the players are too arrogant. Even though Robben is one of the fastest and best players out there, his head is just too big for his sake. His reputation as a diver is a popular one. He even admit to dive in their match with Mexico. And if my memory didn't failed me, during the last edition of World Cup - when he was being substituted in the final match with Spain, he exited from the other side of the field due to his frustration. Nothing can be achieved from an undisciplined player no matter how talented he is.
Two - because RVP is not consistent player. The truth is, I have RVP ever since he switched allegiance from Arsenal to MU. Last season was the best 'Ha Ha' for me. The thing with him is that he could deliver, just not consistently. In the 8 years he was with Arsenal, he was only seriously productive in the last year before he being snapped by MU. All the other season he was battling with injury. So even though he scored in the first match, I was looking forward whether he could replicate it into the other games. He couldn't. He even found to be dejected and longed in the semi final game with Argentina.
Never in the longest time that anyone in the world could predict that Brazil will be humiliated with a tremendously 7-1 in their own home soil. All of the goals came from their defensive issue. If I could described the defeat, I would described it as a match between the German men against the Brazilian boys. Yes - boys.
All flair and no substance. You lose because of Neymar didn't play? Ow, come one.... No one in your team knew how to defend. Even after the thumping they didn't leaned their lesson having losing to the Dutch 3-0. The memes of the grieving fans are hilarious though. The BFF have a serious thinking that they have to do after the tournament.
For the final match between Argentina and German, these pictures will do it for me.
And according to their coach, the winning of the World Cup in this edition is a 10 years of work in the making.
So for now, we will go back to our dull everyday lives waiting for the next edition in Russia in 4 years time.
And watch out for all the lalangs that will suddenly popped out wearing German's jersey and shouting "Blitzkrieg!"
InsyaAllah.
I have to admit that I didn't have any particular team that I supported. Even writing this piece is so unlike me. Unlike the EPL, it is hard for me to connect to any teams that compete in the World Cup. Ever since I got to know this World Cup fever back in the high school, it just didn't make sense to me to support any team. For me the best thing about the World Cup is the tactical, the strategies, the mind games, and of course the goals.
I didn't watch any of the games in the group stage maybe for some games that I stumbled when I watched the TV with my in-laws. But every morning I'll check the result from ESPN soccernet. And also the analysis. The most fascinating to me about the World Cup is the mind games before the tournament don't even started yet.
Of course we will have England that will give some faint hopes that they will somehow surprise us in the tournament. With the news that Uruguay will lose Suarez and also the last minutes surge of their own players potential, suddenly maybe they could ride their own luck to survive the group stage. Nike even made their jersey to have some sort of shine that make it looks like an armour.
Well that doesn't worked out for them, isn't it? Some of the players does have some shining moment (Sturridge particularly), but overall all of them were a letdown. Doesn't won any games and just draw once, even Costa Rica pipped them in the group stage.
Then come Spain, the reigning champion. Having reigned the world of football for almost 8 years, they looked almost unstoppable. They are even the consecutive champion for Euro for 2010 and 2012. Even though they does look like declining a little bit, they were still the runners up in the Confederation Cup last year. It doesn't look so bleak in the beginning.
Well that doesn't work out for them either, isn't it? Holland having exploded with their 4 years revenge thumped them with the biggest shock scoreline (before the Brazil semi game of course). After that, they didn't seem to gel to get the desired result and dumped from the group stage. Well, I don't really bet on having any World Cup reigning champion to excel ever. In modern times, no country have ever won consecutive World Cup tournaments. May it be France, Italy, Germany, or even Brazil.
But boy do I love the underdogs!
I stumbled upon the match between Argentina and Iran in the group stage after finishing the Educity Sundown Run. The Argentinians were clearly the better team in the match with the ball possession and all but the Iranians were clearly don't give a care about it all. They just didn't care that Argentina have Messi and the fact that they were clearly being outrun. Solid defensive and with all the tackles.... But too bad since Argentina managed to slot in a last minute goal.
Colombia also shines with Rodriguez won the Golden Boot in this edition after scoring 6 goals. He will managed to get some interest from the big clubs after this. But I have quite a doubt that we will hear from him again a lot. Usually it is hard for the underdog players to replicate the success back in their clubs. But I dunno - I'm not an expert in football.
The biggest underdog that I love is Costa Rica. Do you know that since Costa Rica is a small nation, their kit manufacturer is the small company Lotto (compared to Nike and Adidas)? Since Costa Rica had won their first match and subsequently squeaked through the group stage, the sale of its kit had been surged up 20-fold. Lotto, a comparatively small kit company having the bonus day of their lives as they struggled to keep up with the demand. The Costa Rica kit for this edition, for sure will be a limited edition collector item.
Then we have the teams in the semis: Holland and Brazil.... By this time I already switched on the TV for the matches.
When Holland trashed Spain 5-1, it was the biggest shocker in the tournament, Even the manner how the Dutch disposed Spain were kinda out of this world thing with the RVP flying header. But deep in my heart I knew that it is hard for Dutch to finally have the elusive World Cup title. For me, it is down to two reasons.
 |
| The flying Dutchmans |
One - the players are too arrogant. Even though Robben is one of the fastest and best players out there, his head is just too big for his sake. His reputation as a diver is a popular one. He even admit to dive in their match with Mexico. And if my memory didn't failed me, during the last edition of World Cup - when he was being substituted in the final match with Spain, he exited from the other side of the field due to his frustration. Nothing can be achieved from an undisciplined player no matter how talented he is.
Two - because RVP is not consistent player. The truth is, I have RVP ever since he switched allegiance from Arsenal to MU. Last season was the best 'Ha Ha' for me. The thing with him is that he could deliver, just not consistently. In the 8 years he was with Arsenal, he was only seriously productive in the last year before he being snapped by MU. All the other season he was battling with injury. So even though he scored in the first match, I was looking forward whether he could replicate it into the other games. He couldn't. He even found to be dejected and longed in the semi final game with Argentina.
Never in the longest time that anyone in the world could predict that Brazil will be humiliated with a tremendously 7-1 in their own home soil. All of the goals came from their defensive issue. If I could described the defeat, I would described it as a match between the German men against the Brazilian boys. Yes - boys.
All flair and no substance. You lose because of Neymar didn't play? Ow, come one.... No one in your team knew how to defend. Even after the thumping they didn't leaned their lesson having losing to the Dutch 3-0. The memes of the grieving fans are hilarious though. The BFF have a serious thinking that they have to do after the tournament.
For the final match between Argentina and German, these pictures will do it for me.
 |
| Argentina prayed |
 |
| German prayed |
 |
| German scored |
 |
| German won |
And according to their coach, the winning of the World Cup in this edition is a 10 years of work in the making.
So for now, we will go back to our dull everyday lives waiting for the next edition in Russia in 4 years time.
And watch out for all the lalangs that will suddenly popped out wearing German's jersey and shouting "Blitzkrieg!"
InsyaAllah.
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