Algeria and Greece were the two to make their debuts in the knock-outs, in turn, making life miserable for European heavyweights like Portugal, England and Italy.
“Every team is equal at the World Cup and whoever works hard will win,” opined Mehrajuddin Wadoo, former India international footballer from Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehrajuddin feels that the European teams have faced the axe clearly for their performance rather than climatic or other conditions. “European teams have not played up to expectations and had to suffer,” said Mehrajuddin, who is rooting for the Selecao.
“Brazil has always been my favourite team, simply because of the style they play,” added the former East Bengal and Mohun Bagan star, currently under contract with IMG-Reliance’s Indian Super League.
No continent has been able to dominate the World Cup like the South American teams have when played at their territory. Spain has been able to win in South Africa in 2010, and Brazil won the 1958 Cup in Sweden and never has a non-South American team won the competition in South America. This is the fifth World Cup hosted in the South America. However, hosts Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Costa Rica can make history if they win the title on July 13. None of the African and Asian teams could make it into the quarter-finals with the other four slots filled with European sides- France, Germany, Belgium and Netherlands.
Many good things have evolved in ‘The Beautiful Game’, most recently the goalline technology which saw the first goal to be ruled on by the 14-camera system during the France vs Honduras match.
Mehrajuddin feels the technology has been introduced at the right time after crucial goals had been disallowed in previous editions. “Goal line technology is a must in today’s game. It helped France and later Costa Rica in the group stages. It can be very important during the finals,” says the defender who recollected England’s Frank Lampard’s goal being disallowed against Germany, four years ago in South Africa.
Majority Goans had been supporting Portugal but their exit has diverted them to Brazil. Colombia will definitely be a tough test for Luis Felipe Scolari’s team who will have to keep a close eye on young sensation James Rodriguez, who leads the race for the Golden Boot with five goals.
France and Germany have set up a World Cup classic while Argentina will hope their attacking third to function against Belgium’s Golden Generation.
No team has lost more World Cup finals without a victory than the Netherlands, which include losses to Germany, Argentina and most recently Spain in 2010.
Louis van Gaal will hope to give his country their first crown before taking up the Manchester United FC job but Costa Rica stand their way for a semi-finals berth. Indeed, the race for supremacy is tough and can surely pull out surprises.
