As a respected sporting website, TFK should surely be prepared to give its overall take on World Cup 2010. Shamelessly stealing the headings from The Guardian, feel free to give your best of from WC 2010. Feel free to add any category you see fit by the way.
Fare thee well, we had only begun to get to know you…
Match of the tournament
England 1-4 Germany. Nothing to do with a hatred of those across the water, more so the explosion of Germany onto this World Cup, combined with the drama of the game and of course Lampards goal that never was.
Player of the tournament
Andres Iniesta. Had Villa before the final, but it was a toss up between both at times for me anyway. Iniesta provided so much drive and vigour that in a WC where it seemed to be all about the collective more so than the individual, Iniesta gets it for me.
Worst player of the tournament
Heskey/Gilardino
Goal of the tournament
Quagliarella, Tevez, or Gio. Am going with Quagliarella, best strike of the dreaded jabulani imo.
Celebration of the tournament
Carlos Tevez running to Maradona shouting “I got a good one boss” acc to The Guardians Argentinian correspondent whose name escapes me.
Biggest disappointment
The Jabulani. Adidas and FIFA cunts.
Personal highlight
Diego Maradona back on the world stage. All was right with the world again for a few brief weeks.
Lesson for 2014
Fuck off Jabulani
Fuck off Vuevuezela
Fuck off Blatter
Match of the tournament
USA 1-0 Algeria. Absolute drama in this one. The elation at the end of the game was unsurpassed.
Player of the tournament
Landon Donovan. Got it done when it mattered excpet against the Ghana things. Robbed doesn’t even begin to describe what happened in that game.
Worst player of the tournament
Rooney
Goal of the tournament
Frank Lampard against Germany… oh wait.
It has to be van Bronckhorst against Uruguay.
Celebration of the tournament
Wesley Sneijder against Brazil.
Biggest disappointment
Holland not winning the bloody thing. Cash is king brother.
Personal highlight
Watching the USA v England in Landsdowne Road, NYC. Savage.
Lesson for 2014
Make sue to get Ossie back on the RTE pundit panel.
Stay out of Brazil. You’ll get killed
Personal highlight
My beloved Korea getting through to the knockout stages. I also enjoyed watching my beloved Germany destroy first England and then Argentina.
Match of the Tournament
Germany’s destruction of England.
Player of the Tournament
Thomas Mueller (by a street - 5 goals and 3 assists in 6 games from the right side of midfield. ).
Diego Forlan (magnificent footballer whether as a striker in a primarily goalscoring role or as a #10 with creative onus).
Iker Casillas (legendary performer).
Worst player of the Tournament
Lots to choose from - Rooney, nearly every Juventus representative, French candidates, Torres. I’ll go for that fat, useless, balding piece of shit Wayne Rooney.
Goal of the Tournament
Luis Suarez - the winner against South Korea.
Celebration of the Tournament
Team America after Landon Donovan’s winner against Algeria.
Biggest Disappointment
Brazil’s second half capitulation against Holland.
Personal highlight
Germany’s performances.
Lesson for 2014
Take time off work to enjoy afternoon games - I missed the likes of Italy/Slovakia and USA/Slovenia this time around.
Match of the tournament
Italy v Slovakia was the closest there was to an epic
Player of the tournament
David Villa – dragged Spain through to the semi finals
Worst player of the tournament
Fabio Cannavaro – his vanity and refusal to accept the glaring reality that he was finished as a footballer ended in personal humiliation
Goal of the tournament
There was no goal that will be played in highlights reels in 20 years time.
Germany’s third goal against England
Germany’s second and fourth goals against England
Brazil’s third goal against Chile was really good as well
Moment of the tournament
Landon Donovan’s goal v Algeria – incredible drama
Save of the tournament
Luis Suarez
Iker Casillas from Robben’s shot v Holland
Celebration of the tournament
Carlos Tevez v Mexico
Andres Iniesta v Holland
Headbutt of the tournament
Gabriel Heinze on a cameraman after Higuain’s goal against Mexico - but it wasn’t quite up there Zidane’s
Best piece of skill in the tournament
Any of Diego Maradona’s flicks on the sideline
Best team performance
Germany v Argentina
Spain v Germany
Germany v England
New Zealand v Italy
Biggest disappointment
Argentina 0-4 Germany
Personal highlight
The return of the world’s greatest ever footballer to the World Cup
Personal lowlight
Being in a pub full of Argentinians as Germany knocked in three second half goals
Lesson for 2014
Go back to the ball used in 1978 - the Tango
Very thorough Sid, I’d go for Ikers save in the Final too as my save of the tournament.
I have another category
Favourite player of the tournament
Toss up between Keizuke Honda and Diego Forlan, Honda gets it for me. What a breath of fresh air, if for no other reason that his square ball in the Danish game I think it was. Pure class.
Match of the Tournament
Germany v England. From initially thinking that Germany would destroy them, to thinking that Lampard’s goal would be the turning point to realising that the Germans are far superior to the English as shown by the 4-1 scoreline.
Player of the Tournament
Despite originally leaving Mueller out of my top three, Bandage’s facts above can’t really be argued with. He was hugely missed against Spain. I thought Schweinsetiger was consistently excellent. Iniesta’s performances againt Germany and Holland, when most required were also superb. Forlan had a wonderful World Cup as well - he was particularly excellent against Ghana I felt.
Worst player of the Tournament
Rooney, Torres, the Italians, French
Goal of the Tournament
Iniesta’s in the final. Pressure, not easy and finished clinically.
Celebration of the Tournament
Suarez after Gyan missed the penalty for Ghana after his handball.
I see people mentioning afternoon games in the next World Cup. How many of the games will actually be played in the afternoon considering the time difference?
I just copped that the time difference will suit us in 4 years time. Lunchtime, 3pm and 7.30pm kick offs will be 5.30pm, 8pm and 12.30am. Potential to be tired next day in work and probably worth taking off the week of the semi final and the Monday after the final anyway. I’ll firm up on a plan of action closer to the time.
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