So the 2010 World Cup edition is over. Spain are the world Champions, Thomas Mueller got the Golden Boot and best young player awards, Diego Forlan collected the Golden ball, and the ice-cool Iker Casillas won the Golden Glove.
But not everyone won. Some were tops, many were flops. Here’s my list of the best performers in the world Cup tournament and those who should have just sat back and done the cheering. Do you agree? Leave your comments below.
BEST 'JUJU-MAN'
But not everyone won. Some were tops, many were flops. Here’s my list of the best performers in the world Cup tournament and those who should have just sat back and done the cheering. Do you agree? Leave your comments below.
BEST 'JUJU-MAN'
PAUL THE OCTOPUS - Call him Mr. Eight. Eight goals in eight appearances. Eight tackles committed, eight tackles won, eight saves made, eight complete passes made, eight tentacles, but don't ate him. What a perfect score for Paul!
WORST 'JUJUMAN'
MANI THE PARROT - They don't say the octopus is intelligent for nothing. Just eat the parrot now since there's one, and only one undisputed champion in the world of predictions. And it has nothing to do with money, or mani for that matter.
BEST KEEPER
SAN ÍKER CASILLAS FERNÁNDEZ – The La Furoja captain did not only lead his 10 men to lift the world cup trophy but showed the way, making two stunning saves and denying Arjen Robben a double in the cup finale
WORST KEEPER
ROBERT PAUL GREEN – USA’s Most Valuable Player was to the English and the fans, the greenest thing to make it to a world cup match. May be we expected too much from the man wearing green, playing in a green surface and making a green appearance in the world cup with a green name.
BEST DEFENDER
CARLES PUYOL SAFORCADA – The forward-roaming Philip Lahm could easily have claimed my nod for this had he not been kept into his own half against the matador Spaniards in the Semi-finals. Barcelona’s Carles Puyol knocked Germany and Lahm out in the semis with a bullet header. And after a brilliant display in the finals, the full-back deserves to be recognized.
WORST DEFENDER
PATRICE LATYR EVRA – The North Koreans may have let in 7 goals against the Portuguese but they had a fairly good outing for a team returning to the World cup after a 44-year absence. But what happened to 2006 finalists and 1998 Champions in the Les Bleus is beyond understanding. Hence, I pick on Evra. You don’t go to the world cup to ship in goals and lead a rebellious group against your coach. And especially if you are the captain.
BEST MIDFIELDER
ANDRES INIESTA – Pass, pass, pass, pass, and goal. Spain inarguably have the best midfield pack in the planet. Thus, the midfield player of the tournament could have gone to Xavi, Xabi, Busquets and even Fabregas who showed solid performances from the bench. But Iniesta was my man of the match in the finals, hence gets the edge over his teammates.
WORST MIDFIELDER
SANI HARUNA KAITA - His straight red card for kicking out at Vasilas Torosidis in the 33rd minute of Nigeria’s crunch match against the Greek earns him this award.
BEST ATTACKER
DIEGO MARTÍN FORLÁN CORAZO – He did not win the Golden Boot award for nothing. The Atletico Madrid frontman had a vintage tournament from the word go. Scored screamers after screamers and gave nightmares to defenders.
WORST ATTACKER
WAYNE MARK ROONEY – Okay, he did not get enough services from his midfield. Okay, he might have gone to the World Cup feeling tired. But leaving the competition without a goal for a man who scored willingly for Manchester United before breaking for the world cup is inexcusable. Mentioning Nikolas Anelka on this space will be disrespectful for all the great names gracing this article.
BEST MANAGER
JOACHIM "JOGI" LÖEW – Were it not for Paul the Psychic Octopus, Loew and his young team could have reached the world cup finale. But again, were it not for Paul, the Die Mannschaft couldn’t have gone that far. Whichever applies here, Loew has to be credited for leading such a young team to a respectable third in the World cup for the second time in a row, previously as an assistant coach to Jurgen Klinsman in 2006.
WORST MANAGER
RAYMOND DOMENECH – His list of questionable attributes is far-reaching. Why did he refuse to shake hands with Carlos Alberto Parreira after loss to South Africa? Well, because he didn’t attend the world cup in the first place. If anyone sees him, you can show him some finger.
BEST GOAL
CARLOS ALBERTO TÉVEZ - Maxi Rodriguez did it for the Argentines in 2006. This year, it was the turn of the Money-Chester City forward. Will he ever get to hit a better one than that? Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s pile driver is worth mentioning as well as Diego Forlan’s reply in Uruguay versus Netherlands match. But Tevez’s cracker against Mexico at the second time of calling is my pick.
BEST YOUNG PLAYER
ANDRÉ DEDE AYEW - I could go on making a list for this. Germany’s Mesut Ozil and Muller are any bookmaker’s favourite for this award. And rightly so. But I have to give it to 22-year-old Ghanaian midfield whiz ANDRÉ DEDE AYEW. The future is bright for Ghana with this star on their side. If only Roy Hodgson could bring him to Anfield.
WORST YOUNG PLAYER
FABIO CAPELLO – Okay. I know he’s not a player. But by refusing to give his young players a chance to trouble opposition defences, he takes this with him. May be because his name has no Y but O at every end.
WORST MISS
YAKUBU AIYEGBENI – Had Nigeria erected a tree in front of the South Korean goal instead of the Yark, the tree could have easily tapped in that ball for a goal. But instead, Lars Lagerback decided to use a Yark. Yark!!
WORST DECISION
Don’t we all know that goal that never crossed the line in USA versus England match?
WORST TEAM
ENGLAND, FRANCE, ITALY – It was a tale of one team which had no confidence, the other too rebellious and the other too old to kick a ball to save their lives.
BEST TEAM
SPAIN – Hail el Campeons!! What a dazzling generation of players!!
SAN ÍKER CASILLAS FERNÁNDEZ – The La Furoja captain did not only lead his 10 men to lift the world cup trophy but showed the way, making two stunning saves and denying Arjen Robben a double in the cup finale
WORST KEEPER
ROBERT PAUL GREEN – USA’s Most Valuable Player was to the English and the fans, the greenest thing to make it to a world cup match. May be we expected too much from the man wearing green, playing in a green surface and making a green appearance in the world cup with a green name.
BEST DEFENDER
CARLES PUYOL SAFORCADA – The forward-roaming Philip Lahm could easily have claimed my nod for this had he not been kept into his own half against the matador Spaniards in the Semi-finals. Barcelona’s Carles Puyol knocked Germany and Lahm out in the semis with a bullet header. And after a brilliant display in the finals, the full-back deserves to be recognized.
WORST DEFENDER
PATRICE LATYR EVRA – The North Koreans may have let in 7 goals against the Portuguese but they had a fairly good outing for a team returning to the World cup after a 44-year absence. But what happened to 2006 finalists and 1998 Champions in the Les Bleus is beyond understanding. Hence, I pick on Evra. You don’t go to the world cup to ship in goals and lead a rebellious group against your coach. And especially if you are the captain.
BEST MIDFIELDER
ANDRES INIESTA – Pass, pass, pass, pass, and goal. Spain inarguably have the best midfield pack in the planet. Thus, the midfield player of the tournament could have gone to Xavi, Xabi, Busquets and even Fabregas who showed solid performances from the bench. But Iniesta was my man of the match in the finals, hence gets the edge over his teammates.
WORST MIDFIELDER
SANI HARUNA KAITA - His straight red card for kicking out at Vasilas Torosidis in the 33rd minute of Nigeria’s crunch match against the Greek earns him this award.
BEST ATTACKER
DIEGO MARTÍN FORLÁN CORAZO – He did not win the Golden Boot award for nothing. The Atletico Madrid frontman had a vintage tournament from the word go. Scored screamers after screamers and gave nightmares to defenders.
WORST ATTACKER
WAYNE MARK ROONEY – Okay, he did not get enough services from his midfield. Okay, he might have gone to the World Cup feeling tired. But leaving the competition without a goal for a man who scored willingly for Manchester United before breaking for the world cup is inexcusable. Mentioning Nikolas Anelka on this space will be disrespectful for all the great names gracing this article.
BEST MANAGER
JOACHIM "JOGI" LÖEW – Were it not for Paul the Psychic Octopus, Loew and his young team could have reached the world cup finale. But again, were it not for Paul, the Die Mannschaft couldn’t have gone that far. Whichever applies here, Loew has to be credited for leading such a young team to a respectable third in the World cup for the second time in a row, previously as an assistant coach to Jurgen Klinsman in 2006.
WORST MANAGER
RAYMOND DOMENECH – His list of questionable attributes is far-reaching. Why did he refuse to shake hands with Carlos Alberto Parreira after loss to South Africa? Well, because he didn’t attend the world cup in the first place. If anyone sees him, you can show him some finger.
BEST GOAL
CARLOS ALBERTO TÉVEZ - Maxi Rodriguez did it for the Argentines in 2006. This year, it was the turn of the Money-Chester City forward. Will he ever get to hit a better one than that? Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s pile driver is worth mentioning as well as Diego Forlan’s reply in Uruguay versus Netherlands match. But Tevez’s cracker against Mexico at the second time of calling is my pick.
BEST YOUNG PLAYER
ANDRÉ DEDE AYEW - I could go on making a list for this. Germany’s Mesut Ozil and Muller are any bookmaker’s favourite for this award. And rightly so. But I have to give it to 22-year-old Ghanaian midfield whiz ANDRÉ DEDE AYEW. The future is bright for Ghana with this star on their side. If only Roy Hodgson could bring him to Anfield.
WORST YOUNG PLAYER
FABIO CAPELLO – Okay. I know he’s not a player. But by refusing to give his young players a chance to trouble opposition defences, he takes this with him. May be because his name has no Y but O at every end.
WORST MISS
YAKUBU AIYEGBENI – Had Nigeria erected a tree in front of the South Korean goal instead of the Yark, the tree could have easily tapped in that ball for a goal. But instead, Lars Lagerback decided to use a Yark. Yark!!
WORST DECISION
Don’t we all know that goal that never crossed the line in USA versus England match?
WORST TEAM
ENGLAND, FRANCE, ITALY – It was a tale of one team which had no confidence, the other too rebellious and the other too old to kick a ball to save their lives.
BEST TEAM
SPAIN – Hail el Campeons!! What a dazzling generation of players!!
And That's thesteifmastertake!!
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