This and That: Best and Worst Moments of the World Cup Group Stages

Best Moment of the Group Stages

This genuinely is a tough question as this World Cup has had potentially the most exciting opening round since probably Spain in 1982, which had Brazil smashing people to smithereens, mad upsets in the form of Algeria beating Germany, big games between name teams, such as England’s 3-1 win over the French and also a smattering of controversy, such as the “Non-Aggression Pact” between Germany and Austria that saw the aforementioned Algerians getting turfed out in the cruellest of ways.

For this World Cup, I’ll have to go with Holland’s 5-1 demolition of Spain, because it genuinely one of the most bizarre games of football I’ve seen in quite some time. Up until Robin Van Persie diving like a salmon to score his incredible header, Spain were not only in the match but were probably favoured to win.

I expected this match would involve Spain grabbing a 1-0 lead and then passing the Dutch to death until the final whistle. How wrong I was.

Holland were imperious in the second half and completely dismantled the World Champions with seeming ease. Spain, so long so invincible, so long unbeatable, just absolutely wilted under the pressure of The Dutch onslaught. They had no answer to Holland’s pulsating and direct attacking.

One of the most amazing World Cup results of my lifetime. Simply extraordinary.

Spain will be back, of that I have no doubt, with a younger and hungrier team in 4 years. I don’t expect this sort of result, or indeed the one against Chile, to befall them again. But for once, just once, it was nice to see them get leathered and their antiseptic and dull football given a tonking by the very style it was designed to stifle. Love it



Most Disappointing Moment

I’ll have to go with Cameroon for this one. They had their regularly scheduled “Pre World Cup Meltdown™” and crashed out in the Group stages after an absolute walloping from Croatia in only their second group game. A game which ended with two of their players scuffling on the pitch before the final whistle.

I’m not really disappointed about the meltdown, as I think this was the sixth successive World Cup where the Cameroonians have done this and I assure you it won’t be the last, but more so that when they took to the field they were so abjectly poor.

I do think we sometimes expect a little too much of Cameroon. I think it’s because they were so magnificent in Italia 90’ and we all secretly hope at the start of every World Cup that a Cameroonian side will come along that can replicate that amazing achievement. It should be pointed out that Cameroon were in absolute disarray before that tournament as well and their 1st choice goalkeeper got dropped before the opening game for critiquing the manager and the general ineptitude of the Cameroonian FA’s preparations.

But despite that, they provided us with unforgettable moments which will forever be held in World Cup folklore. That incredible 1-0 win over Argentina, Roger Milla making Rene Higuita look like an absolute plum and of course playing England off the park only to narrowly lose to a Gary Lineker penalty.

Maybe this is why I’m so disappointed? That Cameroonian team were an inspiration to a generation of young supporters and players alike. Gigi Buffon wanted to become a goalkeeper after seeing the teams exploits. By comparison, this Cameroon side were an absolute joke and a genuine disgrace. Disappointment might not be a strong enough word.