MLS Playoffs: The Stars Align

For most of MLS's short history, parity was part of the identity. The gap between the 1st place team and last place team in the league usually looked minuscule compared to the gaps between the best and worst teams from leagues such as La Liga and Bundesliga. However the final 4 remaining clubs in the MLS Playoffs are exactly what most people expected, as they were probably the most star studded teams this season.

11 of the 28 players who were at some point on the roster for the 2014 MLS All Star Game against Bayern Munich come from clubs still in the playoffs: Clint Dempsey (Sounders), Osvaldo Alonso (Sounders), Obafemi Martins (Sounders), Landon Donovan (Galaxy), Tim Cahill (Red Bulls), Thierry Henry (Red Bulls), DeAndre Yedlin (Sounders), Bradley Wright-Phillips (Red Bulls), Omar Gonzalez (Galaxy), Robbie Keane (Galaxy), and Chad Marshall (Sounders) (although Gonzalez, Keane, and Marshall ultimately did not play due to injuries or unavailability). And even players who didn't make this roster such as Marco Pappa (Sounders), Luis Robles (Red Bulls), Gyasi Zardes (Galaxy), Lee Nguyen (Revolution), and Jermaine Jones (Revolution; summer transfer from Turkish club Besiktas) have been among the most talked about players this season.

From a neutral's perspective it's probably the best Western Conference and Eastern Conference playoff showdowns you could ask for.

The more anticipated of the two are LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders. They've had a lot of big encounters all season long, and you simply can't wait for Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane to bump heads with Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey. Throw in other talented players like Omar Gonzalez, DeAndre Yedlin, Marco Pappa, and Gyasi Zardes and it will definitely be a good one. The biggest storyline of all is will this be the end of the road for Landon Donovan's career?

Red Bulls vs. Revolutions aren't to be overlooked though. Bradley Wright-Phillips for New York and Lee Nguyen for New England have been big revelations this year for their respective clubs as they are having the seasons of their lives. These two have a longer rivalry than their Western counterparts and no less fierce. And parallel to Donovan's storyline is Henry's, who is considering retirement as well.

My predictions: Sounders and NYRB in the MLS Cup final

MLS Cup Playoffs 2014 Begins

Another MLS Season comes to a close, and before even more expansions and off season moves are afoot, 10 teams remain with one goal in mind: The MLS Cup

Playoffs are an American thing. Probably not the best way to put (especially since Canada can claim to have as much of a connection to playoffs as the USA) it but it's the easiest way for me to defend the playoffs format. Australia's Hyundai A-League, Mexico's Liga MX, and England's Football League Championship (between the 3rd-6th place teams to determine the 3rd and final promoted team that season) are just a few examples of league around the world who use some sort of playoff format in soccer. There is an argument that there needs to be some more important recognition for the team that won the regular season since that shows which team from start to finish was "the best". Well for that in the MLS we have the Supporters Shield, which the Seattle Sounders won this season, along with the right to compete in the 2015-2016 CONCACAF Champions League. So it's not like winning the season isn't important and only finishing in the top 5 in the West or East is. Plus the higher seed gets homefield advantage. But this is just the way we do things here in the USA and Canada, that's just how it is. Growing up watching playoffs in other sports such as the NBA and NFL, I can't imagine the MLS any other way.

So who made the playoffs? Unfortunately the San Jose Earthquakes didn't, and other notable absences include the high spending Toronto FC, Vancouver and Seattle's Cascadia rival Portland Timbers, and playoff regular and 2011+2012 MLS Cup runners up Houston Dynamo.

West
1.Seattle Sounders
2.LA Galaxy (4-time Champions, 3-time runners up)
3.Real Salt Lake (1-time Champions)
4.FC Dallas (1-time runners up)
5.Vancouver Whitecaps

East
1.DC United (4-time Champions, 1-time runners up)
2.New England Revolution (4-time runners up)
3.Columbus Crew (1-time Champions)
4.New York Red Bulls (1-time runners up)
5.Sporting Kansas City (Defending Champions, also 2-time Champions and 1-time runners up)

First up on October 29th is FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps. Whitecaps are the only of 3 Canadian teams to make it to the playoffs, while FC Dallas can exist in the playoffs out of the more successful Texas team's shadow. It'll be an interesting matchup but it'll be tough for the Whitecaps's defense to survive FC Dallas's attacking talent so I see FC Dallas coming out on top.

Red Bulls vs. SKC appears to be the more interesting of the two wildcard matchups, with more recognizable names by European fans such as Tim Cahill and Thierry Henry, as well as US soccer fans such as Graham Zusi and Matt Besler. Interestingly these two teams met in the last game of the season as well which decided the seeding. It ended in a NYRB victory, and there's no reason why the story should change this time around. A lot has changed in a year. NYRB look stronger, SKC look a bit weaker, and in what could be Thierry Henry's final season, the Red Bulls aren't about to let their Playoffs run end at the first hurdle.

This is only the beginning of what can be an exciting playoffs. Fans who more commonly follow leagues such as La Liga or Barclays Premier League may see little purpose in following along. The players in MLS aren't exactly as talented as those from bigger European clubs and leagues but it's still an exciting time of the season and it's worth giving it a go.

2014 FIFA World Cup Final Review

A month of football/soccer magic is what we have just witnessed. A tournament that began with 32 teams from all corners of the globe who had worked hard to make it to the world's biggest stage has now culminated with 2 teams left fighting for the crown. Germany and Argentina meet in the World Cup Final for the 3rd time in the tournament's history with Argentina winning their 2nd title in 1986 and Germany winning their 3rd title in 1990. Who made it best two out of three?

Final: Germany vs. Argentina
Result: After extra time, a 1-0 win to give Germany a 4th star on their crest
Goalscorer: 113' Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich)
Bookings: 29' Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), 34' Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), 64' Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), 65' Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Lineups
Germany (4-2-3-1)
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich); Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich, captain), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke); Christoph Kramer (Monchengladbach), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich); Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal); Miroslav Klose (Lazio)
Changes from last match
Due to an injury in the warmups, Sami Khedira was ruled out of the final, meaning Kramer had to fill in.
Subs:
Andre Schurrle (Chelsea) 31' for Christoph Kramer
Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich) 88' for Miroslav Klose
Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) 120' for Mesut Ozil

Argentina (4-4-2)
Sergio Romero (Monaco); Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Marcos Rojo (Sporting CP); Enzo Perez (Benfica), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Ezequiel Lavezzi (PSG); Lionel Messi (Barcelona, captain), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli)
Changes from last match
Just the change in formation which put Ezequiel Lavezzi as a midfielder as opposed to a striker
Subs:
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) 46' for Ezequiel Lavezzi
Rodrigo Palacio (Inter) 78' for Gonzalo Higuain
Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors) 86' for Enzo Perez

Unfortunately for Sami Khedira, a last minute injury ruled him out of the World Cup final. His replacement didn't last long either with Christoph Kramer suffering a concussion, leaving Jogi Low no choice but to use a substitution early on to bring Andre Schurrle into the mix, his first half debut at this World Cup. Argentina looked very impressive in the first half and had the best chance which Gonzalo Higuain, to use one of the more kinder words, squandered. Germany weren't being dominated but they were facing a worthy adversary for sure. Both teams played skillful defense despite a number of cards being given out (nowhere near the number that were distributed at the World Cup Final 4 years ago, thankfully). Both teams wanted this win but they couldn't want it hard enough to take the chances that came their way, with Neuer and Romero doing their bit to keep their respective sides' chances at winning optimum. In the 2nd half, Germany's closest attempt hit the post while Rodrigo Palacio mishit a golden opportunity for Argentina. Miroslav Klose did come off in the 88' minute playing his final match for Germany after 13 years and 4 World Cups worth of achievements and memories. And you couldn't have scripted it any better with the man who replaced the top German goalscorer of all time scoring the goal that decided the match: Mario Gotze. Despite Argentina's solid defense in this game and this tournament, Andre Schurrle's cross was able to find Mario Gotze to score the decisive goal late into extra time. Argentina found themselves in an awful position and were desperate to get back in the match with what little time remained. Their final chance was a dangerous looking free kick with Lionel Messi to take it. This would've been his chance, possibly, to turn things around and to complete his World Cup legend in the best of lights. Unfortunately the free kick was too high to do anything and Germany become World Champions after an incredible run and after 24 years of waiting.

Golden Ball: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

This was the most controversial of the awards given out because Lionel Messi didn't play as well as he usually does for his club in this tournament, but every game it was apparent to me how vital Messi is for Argentina and how tough it'll be when Messi is no longer around (though that won't be for a while since he is only 27). If not for Messi, not only are they screwed for getting to even the quarterfinals, they'd be tied with Iran with 2 pts in the group stage getting knocked out there with Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina advancing. Lionel Messi is the heart and soul behind this Argentine team and their run to the World Cup final. The importance of other players like Javier Mascherano and Angel di Maria is not to be forgotten, but Lionel Messi did a great job to make his team better and get them farther, just like Diego Maradona did.

Best Young Player: Paul Pogba (France)

One of the many French players to shine brightly in the World Cup, Pogba made it very difficult for the midfielders of any of France's opponents (except for eventually winners Germany) to have any sort of foothold in the game. Leading up to the World Cup it was not a mystery that he is something special, it takes talent to be a key player in a team like Juventus (the club that inherited Pogba after an unsuccessful period with Manchester United, who will be kicking themselves for letting a player of his quality slip away). He's the next Franck Ribery, and in Ribery's absence he showed that. A smart player and good sport for someone his age, he could well go on to do many more great things with Frane.

Golden Gloves: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

So many great goalkeepers at this world cup: Tim Howard, Guillermo Ochoa, Jasper Cillessen, Keylor Navas, Vincent Enyeama, David Ospina, Hugo Lloris, Diego Benaglio....you get the idea. With a team as richly talented in the outfield positions as Germany it's easy to underestimate the importance of having a world class goalkeeper in the mix of things. But they've certainly found one in Manuel Neuer. Neuer was first given a chance when Rene Adler was ruled out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to injury, and he made the #1 goalkeeper position for Germany his with an impressive showing in South Africa, and he's been amazing for club and country ever since. His athleticism, intelligence, and reflexes have done well to put less pressure on the rest of his teammates who would be able to do their job knowing Neuer is fully capable of doing his. Even in the match against Brazil when Germany had the game all wrapped up early on he stayed focused to preserve Germany's massive win.

Golden Boot: James Rodriguez (Colombia)

Ramadel Falcao's injury threatened to derail Colombia's World Cup dreams but James Rodriguez certainly kept them alive by scoring 6 goals in 5 matches for Los Cafeteros. The player who had the biggest surge in popularity through this World Cup (yes, shockingly even more than John Brooks haha), he had big shoes to fill but passed the test with flying colors, promoting a beautiful style of play echoed by the other Colombian players, making Colombia one of the most entertaining and impressive teams at this World Cup. Several big clubs will be chasing the Monaco superstar down now, while the rich French club will not be modest in paying him to keep him around for the future.

Elimination Analysis: Argentina

In every championship game there's a winner and loser. Everyone knows that going into it but it's little consolation to the team or player(s) that lose it. Knowing you were that close to glory. The look of Lionel Messi's face receiving the Golden Ball award, which many would argue he didn't even deserve to win that but I thought he did. I don't think one individual was more important to a team in this World Cup than Lionel Messi was for Argentina. The closest were Neymar and James Rodriguez, but it came down to how early they were needed in the group stages the majority of both Brazil and Colombia squads shined brightly, while Lionel Messi scored 4 of Argentina's 6 goals, the others coming from Marcos Rojo and a Sead Kolasinac own goal. Despite Argentina not cruising through their "easy group", they still did just enough to get the 9 points, even if there was some controversy along the way, most notably against Iran were Iran felt they deserved a penalty. Ultimately though it did seem like Argentina benefited from a bit of luck time and time again, and it caught up to them in the final where their luck ran out by wasting golden opportunities. But they also benefited from a lot of players other than Messi. Argentina's entire backline along with Javier Mascherano and Lucas Biglia were very organized, and Angel di Maria had a great tournament before his injury. Sergio Romero, the backup goalkeeper for AS Monaco, proved to the world that he is better than that and hopefully he'll be getting 1st team action wherever he may end up. Argentina should be proud of getting this far and giving Germany their biggest challenge but ultimately it just wasn't meant to be. Even though they had their best World Cup run since 1990, being eliminated from the last 3 World Cups by Germany (the 1st time the same team has been defeated by the same opponent 3 World Cups in a row) will not be something they'll let go of easily

My team of the 2014 FIFA World Cup
Goalkeeper
Starter: Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Backups: Sergio Romero (Argentina), Keylor Navas (Costa Rica)
Honorable mentions: Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico), Tim Howard (USA), Jasper Cillessen (Netherlands)
Defenders
Starters:
Philipp Lahm (Germany)
Ron Vlaar (Netherlands)
Mats Hummels (Germany)
Daley Blind (Netherlands)
Backups:
Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina)
Jerome Boateng (Germany)
Thiago Silva (Brazil)
Pablo Armero (Colombia)
Honorable mentions: Benedikt Howedes (Germany), Ezequiel Garay (Argentina), Mario Yepes (Colombia), Vincent Kompany (Belgium)
Midfielders
Starters:
Javier Mascherano (Argentina)
Sami Khedira (Germany)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
Backups:
Toni Kroos (Germany)
Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands)
Angel Di Maria (Argentina)
Honorable mentions: Mario Gotze (Germany), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Mathieu Valbuena (France), Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium), Paul Pogba (France)
Forwards
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
James Rodriguez (Colombia)
Thomas Muller (Germany)
Backups:
Neymar (Brazil)
Miroslav Klose (Germany)
Alexis Sanchez (Chile)
Honorable mentions: Robin van Persie (Netherlands), Karim Benzema (France)

Before I wrap things up, I'll just take one last glance at each of the 32 teams, give them a letter grade and summarize their World Cup in 1-2 sentences. Their letter grade is based on their expectations going into the tournament, how they actually did, how they did it, and what impact this will have. And how bright their future looks.

Cameroon (1-0 loss to Mexico, 4-0 loss to Croatia, 4-1 loss to Brazil)
Grade: F
Future: Questionable, needs work
Summary: They weren't favorites in their group but they were expected to put up a much better fight but they completely fell apart. Scoring against Brazil was the highlight of their World Cup
Honduras (3-0 loss to France, 2-1 loss to Honduras, 3-0 loss to Switzerland)
Grade: F
Future: Not good.
Summary: I mean winning a game would've been a generous prediction for this team but they just didn't look like they belonged there at all. Definitely a reason why Group E looked weak.
Australia (3-1 loss to Chile, 3-2 loss to Netherlands, 3-0 loss to Spain)
Grade: C
Future: Optimistic, but possibly good
Summary: They did lose every game but they lost after putting up a series of great fights. Tim Cahill's goal is by many considered to be the goal of the tournament and a great way for the Aussie legend to end his World Cup career.
Japan (2-1 loss to Cote D'Ivoire, 0-0 draw with Greece, 4-1 loss to Colombia)
Grade: D
Future: May be brighter
Summary: Not a great tournament for the 1st team to qualify for this World Cup. So many talented individuals shining for great clubs but they couldn't beat a 10-man Greece.
Iran (0-0 draw with Nigeria, 1-0 loss to Argentina, 3-1 loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Grade: B-
Future: On the right track
Summary: When your most famous players play for minnows across Europe and the rest play in Asia, expectations are rock bottom, but they made their nation proud playing much better than anyone expected, especially against Argentina.
South Korea (1-1 draw with Russia, 4-2 loss to Algeria, 1-0 loss to Belgium)
Grade: D+
Future: Not something to get excited about
Summary: You get a draw against Russia from a goalie mistake and you let Algeria put 4 past you. Even if you're South Korea that's not really good, so meh.
England (2-1 loss to Italy, 2-1 loss to Uruguay, 0-0 draw with Costa Rica)
Grade: D+
Future: With a lot of young players, possibly bright
Summary: They had a horrible tournament but it could've been a lot worse for the Three Lions. They gave Italy and Uruguay a good fight but it's nothing like even the 2002 or 2006 England teams right now, but they could be soon.
Ghana (2-1 loss to United States, 2-2 draw with Germany, 2-1 loss to Portugal)
Grade: B-
Future: Promising
Summary: A team very much in transition that needs to make a few adjustments to get better. Full of talent, gave all of their group of death opponents great games and a 2-2 draw against Germany at the World Cup looks great now that they won the whole thing
Russia (1-1 draw with South Korea, 1-0 loss to Belgium, 1-1 draw with Algeria)
Grade: C-
Future: Very unclear
Summary: Russia were their own worst enemies. They were one big mistake away from the Round of 16 and despite their domestic league producing more and more dark horses to make deep runs in Europe, they're still nowhere where they want to be.
Spain (5-1 loss to Netherlands, 2-0 loss to Chile, 3-0 win over Australia)
Grade: D+
Future: Good if right decision are made
Summary: It was a nightmare tournament for Spain who were supposed to own this group. Their tika taka football should be buried by now and they have to find a new way to succeed.
Italy (2-1 win over England, 1-0 loss to Costa Rica, 1-0 loss to Uruguay)
Grade: B-
Future: Great potential
Summary: Italy was unlucky to be eliminated in the group stage for the 2nd straight World Cup. They played hard and well but their main problem, even with Balotelli in the mix, is scoring goals.
Cote D'Ivoire (2-1 win over Japan, 2-1 loss to Colombia, 2-1 loss to Greece)
Grade: D+
Future: Not great
Summary: No excuses for them to get out this early this time with a very reasonable group they were put in. Check Tiote's mistake let Greece take a spot in the final 16 they've wanted desperately since 2010.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-1 loss to Argentina, 1-0 loss to Nigeria, 3-1 win over Iran)
Grade: C
Future: Bright
Summary: Even with the Nigeria controversy they failed to reach their potential, with some of their best players unable to step up most of the time. But I'd be shocked not to see them again 4 years from now.
Croatia (3-1 loss to Brazil, 4-0 win over Cameroon, 3-1 loss to Mexico)
Grade: B
Future: Looks good
Summary: They couldn't have fought harder and more impressively in their opener, and despite their collapse against Mexico the quality in this team was plainly visible.
Portugal (4-0 loss to Germany, 2-2 draw with United States, 2-1 win over Ghana)
Grade: C-
Future: Needs sorting out desperately
Summary: Portugal looked very fragile throughout their World Cup and fought hard to earn as many points as they did. They need to find out what new players they can depend on because Ronaldo will be 33 when 2018 Russia takes place.
Ecuador (2-1 loss to Switzerland, 2-1 win over Honduras, 0-0 draw with France)
Grade: B-
Future: They likely won't be giants soon but in a manageable spot
Summary: So few start players on this team but they produced a few results and 1 last minute Swiss goal denied them a spot in the final 16. Enner Valencia looked very impressive, especially.
Nigeria (0-0 draw with Iran, 1-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, 3-2 loss to Argentina, 2-0 loss to France)
Grade: B-
Future: Possibly bright despite some aging key players
Summary: Their scrappiness and their dependance on luck on one big instance prevents them from getting a better grade, but at least they survived the group stage. Amhed Musa and Vincent Enyeama notably inspiring.
United States (2-1 win over Ghana, 2-2 draw with Portugal, 1-0 loss to Germany, 2-1 loss to Belgium in extra time)
Grade: B+
Future: Bright
Summary: They had their blunders and rough patches but in a American perspective they couldn't have asked for much more. Revenge against Ghana, preventing Portugal from getting their revenge, and surviving the group of death=amazing.
Algeria (2-1 loss to Belgium, 4-2 win over South Korea, 1-1 draw with Russia, 2-1 loss to Germany in extra time)
Grade: B+
Future: Bright
Summary: Where did this Algerian team came from? They played admirable soccer and did well to give their nation their best World Cup performance by far.
Greece (3-0 loss to Colombia, 0-0 draw to Japan, 2-1 win over Cote D'Ivoire, 0-0 against Costa Rica then losing on penalties)
Grade: B
Future: Biggest names running out of time.
Summary: They weren't always the team I enjoyed watching most but they did what they had to do to get the results and for them to get this far was impressive.
Uruguay (3-1 loss to Costa Rica, 2-1 win over England, 1-0 win over Italy, 2-0 loss to Colombia)
Grade: B
Future: Up in the air.
Summary: Once again despite needing to go through playoffs to get here, once they did they made an impact and were a reason why England and Italy's tournaments ended after 3 matches, but when playing without Suarez they looked uninspired.
Switzerland (2-1 win over Ecuador, 5-2 loss to France, 3-0 win over Honduras, 1-0 loss to Argentina in extra time)
Grade: B+
Future: Promising
Summary: Did they deserve to be a seeded team? No, stupid FIFA rankings. But were they entertaining and was Xherdan Shaqiri among others fun to watch, yes they were.
Mexico (1-0 win over Cameroon, 0-0 draw with Brazil, 3-1 win over Croatia, 2-1 loss to Netherlands)
Grade: A-
Future: Bright
Summary: Miguel Herrera's antics aside he did well to make Mexico such a force to be reckoned with in a short amount of time. Many Mexican players had decent showings but of course Guillermo Ochoa steals the spotlight.
Chile (3-1 win over Australia, 2-0 win over Spain, 2-0 loss to Netherlands, 1-1 against Brazil then losing on penalties)
Grade: A-
Future: Bright
Summary: Knocking out Spain and being very close to knocking out Brazil definitely shows how good this Chilean team were and how unlucky they were not to stick around longer.
Costa Rica (3-1 win over Uruguay, 1-0 win over Italy, 0-0 draw with England, 0-0 with Greece then advancing on penalties, 0-0 with Netherlands then losing on penalties)
Grade: A
Future: Might be one hit wonders but hopefully not; we'll see
Summary: No one would've dreamed in a million years that Costa Rica would've gotten this far. Being one of only three teams to not lose a game this World Cup alongside Netherlands and Germany is something to be proud of.
France (3-0 win over Honduras, 5-2 win over Switzerland, 0-0 draw with Ecuador, 2-0 win over Nigeria, 1-0 loss to Germany)
Grade: A
Future: Bright
Summary: A complete 180 from the disaster of 2010 South Africa. Played well even without Franck Ribery and the depth of the squad was apparent as well.
Belgium (2-1 win over Algeria, 1-0 win over Russia, 1-0 win over South Korea, 2-1 win over United States in extra time, 1-0 loss to Argentina)
Grade: A-
Future: Bright
Summary: The chemistry still has much room for improvement but the quality this team has was very apparent.
Colombia (3-0 win over Greece, 2-1 win over Cote D'Ivoire, 4-1 win over Japan, 2-0 win over Uruguay, 2-1 loss to Brazil)
Grade: A
Future: Bright
Summary: James Rodriguez was the breakout star and golden boot winner. Aside from him, the entire squad looked in sync and at home throughout most of their journey in this World Cup
Brazil (3-1 win over Croatia, 0-0 draw with Mexico, 4-1 win over Cameroon, 0-0 against Chile then advancing on penalties, 2-1 win over Colombia, 7-1 loss to Germany, 3-0 loss to Netherlands)
Grade: C-
Future: Very hard to say
Summary: The grade would've been much higher if it weren't for being outscored 10-1 in their last two games; certainly not how I or anyone envisioned Brazil's World Cup journey culminating. A World Cup journey riddled with controversy, egos, and luck along the way and most non Brazilian firmly believe that if this World Cup was held elsewhere Brazil wouldn't have a prayer
Netherlands (5-1 win over Spain, 3-2 win over Australia, 2-0 win over Chile, 2-1 win over Mexico, 0-0 against Costa Rica then advancing on penalties, 0-0 against Argentina then losing on penalties, 3-0 win over Brazil)
Grade: A
Future: Bright
Summary: Many of their players who had little expected of them stepped up big and Netherlands performed very well in this World Cup despite modest expectations after a disappointing 2012 UEFA Euro run.
Argentina (2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1-0 win over Iran, 3-2 win over Nigeria, 1-0 win over Switzerland in extra time, 1-0 win over Belgium, 0-0 against Netherlands then advancing on penalties, 1-0 loss to Germany in extra time)
Grade: A
Future: Seems good
Summary: They had a very slow start and there was never really a period where they couldn't stop scoring countless goals. But they stayed unified as a team, fought to the very end, and with an amazing effort against Germany justified their appearance in the World Cup Final
Germany (4-0 win over Portugal, 2-2 draw with Ghana, 1-0 win over United States, 2-1 win over Algeria in extra time, 1-0 win over France, 7-1 win over Brazil, 1-0 win over Argentina in extra time)
Grade: A+
Future: Without a question bright as the sun
Summary: It was the perfect tournament for Germany; they didn't crush every opponent but they did well in every match and had an interesting journey along the way to end up deservedly winning the title. Now that they've had a taste of victory and with a large group of talented players that exceeds their 23 man World Cup roster, there's no limit to what they can achieve.

I'd like to thank everyone who took time out of their regular schedules to read what I wrote, it definitely means a lot. Whether you read one article or all of them I appreciate it and I sincerely thank you. Feel free to suggest sports related topics or events you'd like me to write about in the future and feel free to share these with as many people as you'd like. It feels fitting to end this World Cup series of articles with one final look at the team that won the 2014 FIFA World Cup: Germany

1 GK Manuel Neuer (Age 28) Bayern Munich
12 GK Ron-Robert Zieler (Age 25) Hannover 96
22 GK Roman Weidenfeller (Age 33) Borussia Dortmund
2 DF Kevin Grobkreutz (Age 25) Borussia Dortmund
3 DF Matthias Ginter (Age 20) SC Freiburg
4 DF Benedikt Howedes (Age 26) Schalke 04
5 DF Mats Hummels (Age 25) Borussia Dortmund
15 DF Erik Durm (Age 22) Borussia Dortmund
16 DF Philipp Lahm, captain (Age 30) Bayern Munich
17 DF Per Mertesacker (Age 29) Arsenal
20 DF Jerome Boateng (Age 25) Bayern Munich
21 DF Shkodran Mustafi (Age 22) Sampdoria
6 MF Sami Khedira (Age 27) Real Madrid
7 MF Bastian Schweinsteiger (Age 29) Bayern Munich
8 MF Mesut Ozil (Age 25) Arsenal
9 MF Andre Schurrle (Age 23) Chelsea
13 MF Thomas Muller (Age 24) Bayern Munich
14 MF Julian Draxler (Age 20) Schalke 04
18 MF Toni Kroos (Age 24) Bayern Munich
19 MF Mario Gotze (Age 22) Bayern Munich
23 MF Christoph Kramer (Age 23) Borussia Monchengladbach
10 FW Lukas Podolski (Age 29) Arsenal
11 FW Miroslav Klose (Age 36) Lazio

Coach: Joachim Low

Congratulations Germany on your 4th World Cup title, 2014 World Cup Champions!

2014 FIFA World Cup Day 24 Review Final Match Preview

Neither Brazil or Netherlands will get their names on the trophy, but pride and redemption are on the line for two teams who could use a little bit of both but for different reasons.

3rd place match: Brazil vs. Netherlands
Result: 3-0 victory for the Dutch
Goalscorers: 3' penalty Robin van Persie (Manchester United), 17' Daley Blind (Ajax), 90+1' Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV)
Bookings: 2' Thiago Silva (PSG), 9' Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), 36' Jonathan de Guzman (Swansea City), 54' Fernandinho (Manchester City), 68' Oscar (Chelsea)

Lineups
Brazil (4-2-3-1)
Julio Cesar (Toronto FC); Maicon (Roma), Thiago Silva (PSG, captain), David Luiz (Chelsea), Maxwell (PSG); Paulinho (Tottenham), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg); Ramires (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Jo (Atletico Mineiro)
Changes from last match
Dante, Marcelo, Fernandinho, Hulk, Bernard, and Fred were taken off the starting lineup to be replaced by Thiago Silva (back from suspension), Maxwell, Paulinho, Ramires, Willian, and Jo.
Subs:
Fernandinho (Manchester City) 46' for Luis Gustavo
Hernanes (Lazio) 57' for Paulinho
Hulk (Zenit) 73' for Ramires

Netherlands (5-3-2)
Jasper Cillessen (Ajax); Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Daley Blind (Ajax); Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Jonathan de Guzman (Swansea City); Robin van Persie (Manchester United, captain), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
Changes from last match
Injuries to Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong meant that their World Cup ended in their defeat to Argentina, which also meant Clasie and de Guzman got to start.
Subs:
Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord) 70' for Daley Blind
Joel Veltman (Ajax) 90' for Jordy Clasie
Michel Vorm (Swansea City) 90+3' for Jasper Cillessen

So yeah, in case you weren't aware or you were still in denial or thought that was just an outrageous dream, Germany beating Brazil 7-1 actually happened. A result that has sent possibly the biggest soccer/football nation in the world in shock, disbelief, and depression. But they still had one game left against another formidable opponent. Wesley Sneijder got injured in the warmup so Jonathan de Guzman was a last minute edition to the starting lineup. This would be Dirk Kuyt's final appearance for the Dutch national team, after playing for Netherlands for over 10 years since 2004 (since his Feyenoord days, which lasted until he moved to Liverpool and now Fenerbahce). What was awesome about both managers Luis Felipe Scolari and Louis van Gaal was how many players they let play in this World Cup. Every field player for Brazil made at least one appearance in this tournament (only backups goalies Jefferson and Victor being left out), while van Gaal went a step further and had all 23 Dutch players (including all 3 goalies) make at least one appearance in this tournament. In this game, quite simply, everything went Netherlands's way. There was some controversy surrounding their first two goals though. Thiago Silva's foul on Arjen Robben forced the penalty but it's debateable whether it was inside or outside the box. If it was inside the box, Thiago Silva should've been red carded and Netherlands should've been given a penalty. If it was outside the box, it should've been a yellow for Silva and free kick for Netherlands. Instead it's a yellow for Silva and a penalty kick for Netherlands. And the ball in that led to the 2nd goal seemed to have happened in an offside position but it was not called. Even then the goal could've been avoided if David Luiz just kicked it out for a corner or throw in. Instead, he conveniently kicks the ball right to Daley Blind to score his first ever international goal. Georginio Wijnaldum's goal was totally legit and it capped what was another frustrating night for Brazil. Brazil did play better, they had more possession and looked more dangerous. But they still lacked that creative spark and killer instinct that seemed essential for Brazil to have with their players from previous generations. For Netherlands it's a positive way to exit the World Cup, for Brazil, it merely added insult to injury.

Elimination Analysis: Brazil

Who could've seen this coming? A year ago Brazil won 5 of their 5 games at the FIFA Confederations Cup, winning the trophy in a stunning 3-0 victory over then reigning World champions Spain. This victory had the proud South American nation where soccer is an integral part of life excited and hopeful for the World Cup the following year. They did have a strong team on paper, with players playing in big clubs like Chelsea, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, but this wasn't anything like a classic Brazilian team no matter what you put it. And despite the confidence you think these Brazilian players had, they lacked the talent and the mental power to sustain the pressure that was put on them by their home fans. Yes playing in Brazil was a boost and like many experts said, maybe Brazil's run would've been a shorter one if this World Cup was played outside of Brazil, but there was an expectation that Brazil needed to win on their home soil to make up for their missed opportunity in 1950 to do it then. Time after time though Brazil had under performed. They really struggled in their opener against Croatia with Marcelo being the first Brazilian player to OFFICIALLY score an own goal at the World Cup (I believe Felipe Melo had an own goal vs. Netherlands in 2010 but it wasn't counted as one). They couldn't score against Mexico in a 0-0 tie. They let Cameroon score on them, one of the weakest and most disorganized teams of the tournament. They had to get through penalties to beat Chile and if Mauricio Pinilla's shot is just a little bit lower it goes in and knocks Brazil out but luckily it hit the post. And a bit of David Luiz magic (who played horribly in the two Brazil games that followed) and Carlos Sanchez sloppiness gave Brazil the win over Colombia. Yes Brazil still made the top 4 but that's not the way we're used to seeing Brazil progress in the World Cup. And this is definitely not the way a team like Brazil should go out of the World Cup: Losing 7-1, their biggest loss EVER in their history, and then losing again 3-0 to lose back to back home games for the first time since the 1940s. Just unbelievable. The most positive thing I can say about Brazil is that they can afford to have one bad spell from an objective point of view. Arguably Brazil has the proudest history in international football with 5 World Cups, 4 Confederations Cups, 8 Copa Americas, and 4 Pan American games, and I might still be missing a thing or two. This will take some getting over, something Brazilians don't do easily because of how much the sport means to them, and we'll see how long Brazil's struggles last, especially now that they have to qualify for World Cups again. Surely these bad days won't last forever and Brazil should be able to be a decent team still, but they will have to earn whatever they can.

Elimination Analysis: Netherlands

Always the bridesmaid never the bride. Another World Cup where Netherlands's run can be best summed up as "so close yet so far". They didn't make it to the final before being denied their first ever World Cup this time, but losing to Argentina on penalties in the semifinals is how close they were to the Maracana. For a Dutch fan it definitely seems frustrating. Yes, they're still a great team and they're still better off than most other teams in the world. They also greatly improved on their 2012 Euro performance and exceeded their expectations at this World Cup (it's weird to think of them that way now, but before the tournament many people favored Spain and Chile to progress and leave Netherlands in the dust). They definitely fought hard to get as far as they did against a stream of decent opponents that included Spain, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, surprise package Costa Rica, and feisty underdogs Australia who scored 2 against them. Unlike their finalist buddies from the last World Cup Spain, this Dutch team was young and much different than the team that played in South Africa. Only 7 of these 23 players were in the 2010 South Africa squad: Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, Nigel de Jong, Dirk Kuyt, Wesley Sneijder, Michel Vorm, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and those seven plus Ron Vlaar and Tim Krul were the only survivors from the 2012 UEFA Euro Squad. The entirety of Netherlands's defense was pretty inexperienced, but they definitely stepped up, especially Ron Vlaar and Daley Blind. This team played as a cohesive unit throughout the campaign even when missing some players like Kevin Strootman and Rafael van der Vaart. From Robin van Persie's "flying dutchman" goal to Tim Krul's surprise appearance to win the penalty shootout over Costa Rica, they definitely didn't lack in the entertainment department either. It's players like these who keep the Dutch hopeful that someday they will win a World Cup. Though in Russia the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie, and Wesley Sneijder will either be past their prime or not on the team entirely, players like Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay look like they can fill in in a few years time and keep the Orange strong.

Up Next
Final: Germany vs. Argentina

One team survived Portugal, Ghana, USA, Algeria, France, and Brazil. The other survived Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. One team is known by most through their star player, while the other team doesn't quite have a star player but a constellation that shines brightly as one star. Argentina looks to tie Germany's record with their 3rd World Cup win, with Lionel Messi leading the way in a chance with destiny to write his name in history alongside Diego Maradona. Germany looks to tie Italy's record with their 4th World Cup win. This golden generation, which includes Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Thomas Muller, has come close to the title but not close enough the past 3 World Cups and this is their chance to rid themselves of those demons and win the title they so desperately want. Germany looked the more impressive but despite all the doubt Argentina are still in it as well. The World Cup is on the line and it's coming to it's conclusion. Either Argentina will win the World Cup in their rival Brazil's soil or Germany will become the first European nation to win the World Cup in South America. It will definitely be a tense encounter and hopefully a fantastic game.

2014 FIFA World Cup Day 23 Review Day 24 Preview

With the behemoth that crushed Brazil 7-1 commonly referred to as Germany waiting at the Maracana, Argentina and Netherlands fought for the only other spot up for grabs in the biggest game in soccer/football. But who claimed it?

Semifinal: Netherlands vs. Argentina
Result: 0-0 (Argentina won 4-2 in penalties)
Penalty Shootout:
Netherlands 1: Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa) unsuccessful
Argentina 1: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) successful
Argentina leads 1-0
Netherlands 2: Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) successful
Argentina 2: Ezequiel Garay (Benfica) successful
Argentina leads 2-1
Netherlands 3: Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray) unsuccessful
Argentina 3: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) successful
Argentina leads 3-1
Netherlands 4: Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce) successful
Argentina 4: Maxi Rodriguez (Newell's Old Boys)
Argentina advances upon winning the shootout 4-2
Bookings: 45' Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), 49' Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), 105' Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke)

Lineups
Netherlands (5-3-2)
Jasper Cillessen (Ajax); Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Daley Blind (Ajax); Nigel de Jong (AC Milan), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray); Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Robin van Persie (Manchester United, captain)
Changes from last match
Change from 5-2-2-1 to 5-3-2 formation. Memphis Depay replaced by de Jong in the starting lineup.
Subs
Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord) 46' for Bruno Martins Indi
Jordy Clasie (Feynoord) 62' for Nigel de Jong
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke) 96' for Robin van Persie

Argentina (4-3-3)
Sergio Romero (Monaco); Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Marcos Rojo (Sporting CP); Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Enzo Perez (Benfica); Lionel Messi (Barcelona, captain), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Ezequiel Lavezzi (PSG)
Changes from last match
Change from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 formation. Rojo was no longer suspended so Jose Maria Basanta was left off the starting lineup in Rojo's place. Angel Di Maria was ruled out of the rest of the tournament which made space for Perez.
Subs
Rodrigo Palacio (Inter) 81' for Enzo Perez
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) 82' for Gonzalo Higuain
Maxi Rodriguez (Newell's Old Boys) 101' for Ezequiel Lavezzi

So in one semifinal match up there was technically a goal every like 11 or 12 minutes if it was averaged out evenly. This time was a barren goal wasteland. It's been an interesting tournament seeing teams more famous for their offensive players like Netherlands and Argentina pull out some major defensive performances but struggle offensively, and this match was simply more of the same. To Argentina's defense they were without Angel di Maria, which meant they were without their 2nd best player behind Lionel Messi (who was one of Argentina's better players throughout the match, creating lots of chances that needed better finishing from his team mates like Higuain, who couldn't add to his tally after scoring the decisive goal against Belgium in the quarterfinals. Javier Mascherano and Ezequiel Garay did well to prevent many Dutch attacks, which is saying a lot since Arjen Robben has had an amazing tournament. However Robin van Persie didn't contribute much, but it was shocking how later he was substituted for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, especially since RVP would be many people's choice to take a penalty kick (though Huntelaar did score a heartbreaking penalty against Mexico in the Round of 16). Another shocker was Memphis Depay not playing, but instead Louis Van Gaal elected to bring in Jordy Clasie, the Feyenoord youngster (the only Dutch player on this team who plays his club football for Feyenoord and isn't a defender) who hadn't played a minute in any of the previous 5 Netherlands games at this World Cup, and Depay had scored 2 goals for the Netherlands, including a critical game winner against Australia. And this time the upcoming Manchester United manager trusted Cillessen to be between the sticks for the penalty shootout. Unfortunately Tim Krul's magic didn't rub off on the Ajax goalie, while Sergio Romero made a great case for him to either be a starter for Monaco (over 2nd string Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subasic) or play in a better club next season, making saves that won Argentina the penalty shootout. One thing I'd like to point out is how Lionel Messi decided to kick first for Argentina in the penalty shootout, where as other big names like Neymar and Ronaldo preferred to take the last penalty kick. After a great run in the World Cup and being part of the funeral planners for Spain this World Cup, Netherlands failed to reach what would've been their 4th ever World Cup final. At least they can't lose at the final again now (although Dutch fans would rather see them reach to the final, right? idk)

I'll save the elimination analysis for Netherlands after their 3rd place match for Brazil

Up next
3rd place match: Brazil vs. Netherlands

These two teams last met in the 2010 World Cup Quarterfinals. Brazil were favorites to advance but Netherlands stunned them by winning 2-1. Can the Dutch inflict further pain to a wounded Brazil and make them settle for 4th place on their home soil, or will Brazil make a complete 180 (more like 720) and finish their World Cup run on a high note? The team with the most World Cup victories against the team STILL known as the greatest team never to win the World Cup: who will take the bronze?

2014 FIFA World Cup Day 22 Review Day 23 Preview

We're at that point of the tournament where we're down to one game a day, but in each of those four days (well, except the 3rd place match) a lot is on the line for the nations who were able to survive five games at the World Cup and make it this far. Today it was Brazil against Germany, a matchup many claimed was unfortunate not to be the World Cup final. But what happened in this match, no one besides a liar or a psychic could dare claim to have seen coming.

Semifinal: Brazil vs. Germany
Result: An unbelievable 7-1 (dead serious, I didn't type the wrong numbers) victory for Germany
Goalscorers: 11' Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), 23' Miroslav Klose (Lazio), 24', 26' Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), 29' Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), 69', 79' Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), 90' Oscar (Chelsea)
Bookings: 68' Dante (Bayern Munich)

Lineups
Brazil (4-2-3-1)
Julio Cesar (Toronto FC); Maicon (Roma), David Luiz (Chelsea, captain), Dante (Bayern Munich), Marcelo (Real Madrid); Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Fernandinho (Manchester City); Hulk (Zenit), Oscar (Chelsea), Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk); Fred (Fluminense)
Changes from last match
Since Neymar is out for the World Cup due to injury, Thiago Silva was suspended for yellow card accumulation, and Luis Gustavo returned from yellow card suspension, Neymar, Silva, and Paulinho were dropped from the starting lineup to be replaced by Bernard, Dante, and Gustavo respectively
Subs:
Ramires (Chelsea) 46' for Fernandinho
Paulinho (Tottenham) 46' for Hulk
Willian (Chelsea) 70' for Fred

Germany (4-2-3-1)
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich); Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich, captain), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke); Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich); Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal); Miroslav Klose (Lazio)
Changes from last match
Same starting 11 and formation used against France
Subs:
Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) 46' for Mats Hummels
Andre Schurrle (Chelsea) 58' for Miroslav Klose
Julian Draxler (Schalke) 76' for Sami Khedira

It's a big deal when a single match gets its own Wikipedia page (World Cup finals, Battle of Nuremberg 2006, Miracle on Grass 1950, Non-Agression Pact of Gijon 1982) It's a match that no one will be able to forget (I know I won't). So many records and landmarks reached I probably won't hit them all in this review but I'll do my best. Brazil were in for a nightmare it seemed, facing the mighty Germans without both their best offensive (Neymar) and defensive (Thiago Silva) players, but they had the support of their nation and the comfort of their own backyard, along with as much confidence as you can imagine. They wanted to win the World Cup for their fans and for Neymar. Brazil had a brief bright start but then Germany started playing their game and Thomas Muller's 5th goal this tournament and 10th World Cup goal overall released the floodgates for Germany, and after about a half hour Brazil found themselves down 5-0 courtesy of goals from Toni Kroos, Sami Khedira, and Miroslav Klose. That's the fastest a team has scored 5 goals in a world cup match, the first time a team scored 5 goals in 1 half since Poland did that to Haiti (congrats Haiti, you're being compared to Brazil) in 1974, and most importantly that's Klose's 16th World Cup goal, breaking Brazilian Ronaldo's record of 15 goals and making Klose the sole top scorer in World Cup history. Germany tried to keep their professionalism as much as they could but you had a feeling that at half time they knew they had this game wrapped up as they subbed off their best defender Mats Hummels to give him some playing time, as well as putting in Julian Draxler, who surprisingly (for me at least) hadn't played a single minute before this match). 2 goals from Andre Schurrle made it 7-0, a scoreline last seen at the last World Cup when Portugal beat North Korea by that scoreline (Haiti and North Korea, such fine company, Brazil. Dare I mention Tahiti (10-0 loss to Spain) or El Salvador (10-1 loss to Hungary) ?), this would've been the sole biggest loss in Brazilian soccer history. Oscar did score a late goal to deny an otherwise impressive Manuel Neuer his clean sheet (which probably made Julio Cesar, who was obviously having a terrible day at the office, and by office I mean his goal, feel slightly better) and made this result Brazil's joint worst loss ever along with a 6-0 loss to Uruguay in the 1920 Copa America. But after generations of legendary footballers/soccer players, a legacy to live up to, in a World Cup semifinal, in their home nation, this loss will have definitely inflicted more pain to Brazilians everywhere. Fans and players alike were upset and emotional after this loss, flags being burnt, riots happening, and it's just the worst case scenario you could've imagined Brazil being eliminated from a World cup they hosted. They just can't catch a break, first losing 2-1 to rivals Uruguay in the final in 1950 and now being demolished 7-1 by Germany in 2014. This win will leave German supporters absolutely in love with this team, but then you have to remember Germany's real goal is to win the World Cup, and as sweet as this victory is for them and as much as they should cherish this moment, Joachim Low's side must refocus on dealing with either Netherlands or Argentina in the Maracana.

I know Brazil have been eliminated but technically their World Cup isn't over as they will play the loser of the Netherlands/Argentina match in the 3rd place match in Brasilia, so I'll save the elimination analysis for that post.

Up next
Semifinal: Netherlands vs. Argentina

A place in the World Cup final against Germany is on the line as two strong teams spearheaded by two world class players. Lionel Messi has been instrumental to Argentina's success at this World Cup but Angel di Maria has been performing well as well. Arjen Robben, despite finding himself in some diving controversies, has been phenomenal for Netherlands, and Robin van Persie has been decent too. But injury concerns threaten both teams. Angel di Maria is out of the World Cup and Sergio Aguero is likely not 100%, while Netherlands will be concerned with the health of Robin van Persie and Nigel de Jong. Will Netherlands beat Argentina to make it to their 4th ever World Cup final and ensure Europe's first World Cup triumph in South American soil, or will Argentina be able to stop the Dutch and get one step closer to giving Lionel Messi the World Cup title he needs to truly be a legend?

2014 FIFA World Cup Day 21 review Day 22 (Semifinals) Preview

Argentina, Belgium, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands battled it out to join Germany and Brazil in the semifinals. Who succeeded?

Quarterfinal: Argentina vs. Belgium
Result: 1-0 win for Argentina
Goalscorers: 8' Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli)
Bookings: 53' Eden Hazard (Chelsea), 69' Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid), 75' Lucas Biglia (Lazio)

Lineups
Argentina (4-4-2)
Sergio Romero (Monaco); Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Jose Maria Basanta (Monterrey); Ezequiel Lavezzi (PSG), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Angel di Maria (Real Madrid); Lionel Messi (Barcelona, captain), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli)
Changed from last match
Change from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 formation. Federico Fernandez, Marcos Rojo (yellow card accumulation), and Fernando Gago replaced by Demichelis, Basanta, and Biglia in the starting lineup
Subs:
Enzo Perez (Benfica) 33' for Angel di Maria
Rodrigo Palacio (Inter) 71' for Ezequiel Lavezzi
Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors) 81' for Gonzalo Higuain

Belgium (4-2-3-1)
Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid); Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid), Daniel van Buyten (Bayern Munich), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City, captain), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham); Axel Witsel (Zenit), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United); Kevin Mirallas (Everton), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Kevin de Bruyne (Wolfsburg); Divock Origi (Lille)
Changes from last match
Same starters and formation used against the United States except Mirallas starting in Dries Mertens's place
Subs:
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) 59' for Divock Origi
Dries Mertens (Napoli) 60' for Kevin Mirallas
Nacer Chadli (Tottenham) 75' for Eden Hazard

Both teams so far had harder roads to the quarterfinals than most people anticipated prior to this tournament, but for one of these teams this is where the road was to end. It was a very close match but unfortunately for Belgium an early Gonzalo Higuain, who notably had his best game so far at the World Cup, goal set the tone allowing for Argentina to take control of the match. It was shocking how sloppy the play was sometimes, although Argentina did lose some momentum with Angel di Maria needing to leave the game early (later being ruled out of the World Cup. Belgium, who enjoyed most of the possession and a lot of shots against their earlier opponents (notably the USA, forcing Tim Howard to make 16 saves to keep it at 2-1 at the end of the game), Belgium hardly got anything that Sergio Romero needed to keep out, even when they summoned the likes of Lukaku and Mertens, who had previously done well for Belgium. Argentina held on to break their streak of quarterfinal exits and head into the semifinals.

Elimination Analysis: Belgium

Like Colombia, in just a few years Belgium transformed from an under-performer to a dark horse contender to win the World Cup, and despite the dark horse riding off into the sunset now, we finally got a taste of what this Belgian team is all about after ending their 12 year major tournament drought by qualifying for this World Cup. Belgium had an interesting qualifying group which had the likes of Croatia, Serbia, and Scotland, but they took full command of that group, earning automatic qualification meaning Croatia had to head to playoffs and no World Cup for Serbia and co. Sometimes these players played with the class that we see week in and out for their European clubs, but many other times they sort of looked like strangers. Maybe it's the inexperience, the fact that no one besides Daniel van Buyten had competed in an international tournament before this one. Through the ups and downs this young Belgium team fought their way to the quarterfinals, and if things continue to go as they have and the bulk of their team continue to play in some of the biggest clubs in Europe, quite possibly they could be champions, or at least have another deep run, in the next World Cup.

Quarterfinal: Netherlands vs. Costa Rica
Result: 0-0; Netherlands advancing 4-3 on penalties
Penalty Shootout: 
Costa Rica 1: Celso Borges (AIK) successful
Netherlands 1: Robin van Persie (Manchester United) successful
Tied 1-1
Costa Rica 2: Bryan Ruiz (PSV) unsuccessful
Netherlands 2: Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) successful
Netherlands 2-1
Costa Rica 3: Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew) successful
Netherlands 3: Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray) successful
Netherlands 3-2
Costa Rica 4: Christian Bolanos (Copenhagen) successful
Netherlands 4: Dirk Kuty (Fenerbahce) successful
Netherlands 4-3
Costa Rica 5: Michael Umana (Saprissa) unsuccessful
Netherlands advance upon winning the shootout 4-3
Bookings: 37' Junior Diaz (Mainz 05), 52' Michael Umana (Saprissa), 64' Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), 81' Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), 107' Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), 111' Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke)

Lineups
Netherlands (5-2-2-1)
Jasper Cillessen (Ajax); Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Daley Blind (Ajax); Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray); Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Memphis Depay (PSV); Robin van Persie (Manchester United, captain)
Changes from last match
Change from 4-3-1-2 to 5-2-2-1 formation. Paul Verhaegh and Nigel de Jong (injured) replaced by Martins Indi and Depay in the starting lineup
Subs:
Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kyiv) 76' for Memphis Depay
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke) 106' for Bruno Martins Indi
Tim Krul (Newcastle United) 120+1' for Jasper Cillessen

Costa Rica (5-2-2-1)
Keylor Navas (Levante); Cristian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), Michael Umana (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (Mainz 05); Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Celso Borges (AIK); Bryan Ruiz (PSV, captain), Christian Bolanos (Copenhagen); Joel Campbell (Olympiacos)
Changes from last match
Acosta replaces Oscar Duarte (suspended after receiving a red card against Greece), otherwise the same lineups and starting lineup that faced Greece
Subs:
Marco Urena (Kuban Krasnodar) 66' for Joel Campbell
David Myrie (Herediano) 79' for Cristian Gamboa
Jose Cubero (Herediano) 97' for Yeltsin Tejeda

A very interesting match between two interesting teams, this match was tight as tight can be, which explains the 0-0 scoreline. However, the Dutch came much closer to scoring than los Ticos. Several chances, a few of which hit metal which denied them what could've been a fatal blow. Despite Costa Rica playing strong, attractive soccer in their group stage games, this match they looked more like the "classic" Costa Rica we've come to know and hate in Gold Cups and World Cup Qualifiers, where they excel defensively, frustrating their opponent, but don't get much done offensively. Many will claim that Costa Rica wanted to go to penalties all along and that wouldn't shock me. The most interesting part of the match came from Louis van Gaal's late substitution: he brought on Tim Krul in place of Jasper Cillessen just for the penalty shootout. How often do you see that? An incredible gamble but one that paid off as Krul saved Ruiz and Umana's shots to take Netherlands to their 2nd semifinals in a row. And the last shocker gets knocked out of the World Cup, Costa Rica doing far better than even their fans hoped for going into this tournament

Elimination Analysis: Costa Rica

The notion that CONCACAF is just Mexico, USA, and several other minnows is no longer correct. For a long time now Costa Rica had been seen as one of the biggest threats in their region but a minor threat in the global stage. Like USA, Costa Rica found themselves in a difficult group that they were expected to finish last in. Instead, Costa Rica became the most shocking team in the tournament by winning their group through defeating Uruguay and Italy as well as drawing with England. In the group of champions, the sole nation without a World Cup to its name was victorious. They bravely emerged triumphant in their round of 16 clash against Greece having played nearly half of the 120' minutes with 10 men, and they pushed Netherlands to a penalty shootout where only some mighty saves from Tim Krul ended their run at the World Cup. Costa Rica will exit this tournament undefeated and with their best performance at a World Cup to date. Will Costa Rica continue to be a threat? It's quite possible, and if that happens the respect CONCACAF has earned in this World Cup will not fade away any time soon.

Semifinals

That's a wrap for the quarterfinals and we say goodbye to these four teams

Belgium
Colombia
Costa Rica
France

Even though they aren't winners, Colombia and Costa Rica had their best run ever at a World Cup, Belgium their 2nd best ever, and France their best since they finished as runners up in 2006.

So despite a fair bit of surprises at this World Cup, we're left with 4 giants to fight for the World Cup trophy. Two from local South America, hosts Brazil and neighbors and rivals Argentina, and two from Europe, Germany and Netherlands. Up next is a rematch of the 2002 World Cup final: Brazil vs. Germany. So many talented players of both teams, it will definitely be a great game. Germany will not take their opponents lightly, who promise to be their biggest obstacle yet despite the absences of Thiago Silva and Neymar due to suspension and injury respectively. Does Brazil have enough depth to cope with their absences, or will Germany avenge their defeat that cost them what would've been their 4th World Cup from 12 years ago?