The Vuvuzela Verdict

The World Cup has come and gone. And it’s left a few, hopefully lasting moments in our footballing memory. There’s plenty of reviews on what has happened in South Africa over the past month. Was it the best tournament in living memory? Were Spain deserving winners? Were Holland really nasty? Did the vuvuzela cause any deafness and so on. My review will be a bit different. A bit like those pre-World Cup movies where they build up to the final by featuring different teams. (I’m sure you’ve watched those) Instead I’ll go player for player, not necessarily the best, but those that left a lasting impression on me over the course of the tournament. They’re in no order whatsoever.

Mesut Ozil

A breath of fresh air over a smog covered Schalke skyline. Which was incidentally where Ozil started his career at. Replaced Johan Micoud and then Diego at Werder, if there was one player who the Germans can lay claim changed their whole system of play, it’s our boy Ozil. Drifting from wing to wing, taking on defenders and operating between the opponent’s midfield and defence, he created havoc. His style of play allowed Podolski and Mueller to remain on the wings which made the German offence devastating. A bronze medal for his efforts.

Keisuke Honda

Hands up to those who thought Shunsuke Nakamura would’ve been the mastermind of a Japanese run into the knockout stages. You were wrong. So was I. Shunsuke was perenially on the bench, while Honda was swerving and bending the Jabulani and his hips while beating the Danes and Cameroon at the same time. Listed as a midfielder, he basically played the target man upfront for Japan and did a mighty good job at it. Trapped and shielded well, which allowed Endo and Okubo to join their not-so-frequent but successful forays into the opponent box. The coach Okada had predicted a semi-final spot for his charges, and we all knew that was almost impossible to achieve. But eventually, a crossbar’s breadth separated Japan and Asia, from a win away from the Semis. Proud showing. Read South Korea and Lee Chung Yong too.

Luis Suarez

Should be remembered mostly for his outrageous flapping at the football against Ghana, which hides his poise and balance – ingredients found in an excellent attacker. I say attacker because of his style, a perfect poster boy for the modern striker in which he floats around the hole, swan dives with Forlan perfectly, excellent control, dribbling and superb technique on the football. Plays with a buckteethed smile and always looks happy. Him, Forlan and Uruguay’s enthusiasm in this tournament should neutralize the sourness of a Ghanaian (African) failure to make the final four.

Andres Iniesta

The World Cup winner for Spain. Spain only scored 7 goals on the way to the trophy. However, if ever 1-0s can be convincing for the fans, it definitely is Spain’s method in arriving to it. Controlled and passed, shimmied and dummied, backheeled and flicked to everyone on the field who were accomplished on the football. The old adage is very simple, you can’t score without possession. Spain dominated possession so much that it was very hard for teams to score against them in the rare occasions they had the football – they just didnt know what to do with it. If Xavi was the heartbeat of the team, Iniesta was the veins of the team – supplying the lifeblood to the attackers. Well done Espana, Campiones de Mundo 2010.

Wayne Rooney

As an England fan, Rooney left a lasting (non)impression on the followers of the Three Lions. At the turn of the year when Rooney was scoring right, left and center, I remember saying England might as well not show up for the World Cup if Rooney got injured. Didnt quite work out that way did it? Some attributed it to the burden of expectation, the gruelling Premiership schedule or that the English just didn’t care. Easy solutions to all the three listed above. This was the tournament that finally made England and the English realise what their deficiencies have been since 1966 and end their incredulous claim to be among the favourites every four years. Start from the back, use the midfield and pass to team-mates are among the very basic lessons learnt from South Africa. The Premiership is the largest importer of foreign talent in Europe, maybe that needs a re-think too.

Team of the tournament –

Enyeama (Messi doesnt know me, but if I see him I will say hello – after being named MOTM against Argentina. All round decent bloke.)

Maicon (devastating, huge as a Predator, best player in his position by a country mile)

Mathijsen (Mike Tyson? Might not have the punch of Iron Mike but does a great job of harassing)

Pique (on one hand I have Johny Evans and on the other, nahh he won’t make it… OOPS Sir)

Taye Taiwo (small, zippy, nifty, hard. No, not Evra)

Xavi (runs an average of 12.7kms a match, passed 669 times in 7 matches and still maintains that ‘I love football’ enthusiasm.)

Iniesta (Powder grew up with a skin pigmentation problem, God made up for it by putting in extra points on footballing talent perhaps.)

Schweinsteger (did decent as a left winger despite his huge frame, think he’s found his best role at the finals. A run from deep defensive midfielder. Cant think of a similar player in this role. Can you?)

Ozil (gives back the meaning to how the number 10 is the most influential in a team. Eventhough he wears 8. You know what i mean.)

Donovan (enthusiasm, pride and will to win. Captain America remade his name at Everton and carried the form all the way before Gyan became party pooper)

Forlan (shame on all of us for only remembering this fella who couldnt score in almost 30 games. Its not always about the Premiership you know!)

*Checkout every single goal from the World Cup by heading to http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b4Vdb*

*This round-up taken with permission from Rants Of A Red blog belonging to fellow MyRAWKite – Haz.