The Official Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup thread

[muppet]

No Ribery apparently lads,would be a bit concerning if i were following France. Germans for me, Reus to be in the running for Player of the Tournament too i reckon.

World Cup Commandments

1.Thou shalt never write off the Germans.

[AQMP]

Golden Boot is decided on by the journalists I think. They vote on the award before the final.

Messi was man of the match in 4 out of the 6 games he played before the final.

Apparently he didn't touch the ball inside the Dutch box in 120 mins. Missed a sitter in the final too. But yeah, v good against Iran.

[beer baron]

No Ribery apparently lads,would be a bit concerning if i were following France. Germans for me, Reus to be in the running for Player of the Tournament too i reckon.

World Cup Commandments

1.Thou shalt never write off the Germans.

As for Lavezzi i think he was injured,was doing a bit of stretching as if something was amiss in the corner at 1 stage not long before he came off.

[Kickham csc]

Golden Boot is decided on by the journalists I think. They vote on the award before the final.

Messi was man of the match in 4 out of the 6 games he played before the final.

Apparently he didn't touch the ball inside the Dutch box in 120 mins. Missed a sitter in the final too. But yeah, v good against Iran.

He didn't touch the ball inside the Dutch box for 120 mins... Maybe had more to do with the tactics of both teams, the Arges played really defensively in the semi, and the tactics (along with the dutch high offside line, kept Messi and co away from the box. The dutch didn't have a single shot on target in the first 90 mins, does that mean Robbin had a bad World Cup.

The in final, Messi missed the sitter, I agree, but he also had an effort cleared off the line.

I just don't understand how black and white some of the opinions are about Messi. HE didn't play to his amazing standards, but he didn't play terrible either

[ballinaman]

Just another 4 years to wait! Class montage here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgG17PadCOE

[gallsman]

Golden Boot is decided on by the journalists I think. They vote on the award before the final.

Messi was man of the match in 4 out of the 6 games he played before the final.

Apparently he didn't touch the ball inside the Dutch box in 120 mins. Missed a sitter in the final too. But yeah, v good against Iran.

Bullshit. He shouldn't have won the golden ball but anyone saying he had a poor tournament is talking through their arse.

[muppet]

Golden Boot is decided on by the journalists I think. They vote on the award before the final.

Messi was man of the match in 4 out of the 6 games he played before the final.

Apparently he didn't touch the ball inside the Dutch box in 120 mins. Missed a sitter in the final too. But yeah, v good against Iran.

Bullshit. He shouldn't have won the golden ball but anyone saying he had a poor tournament is talking through their arse.

Golden Ball was decided by a special committee. Roy Hodson would have been on it if he wasn't underachieving with England. That tell you all you need to know about that committee.

[AQMP]

Philipp Lahm retires from international football.  Still only 30.

[J OGorman]

Philipp Lahm retires from international football.  Still only 30.

Ewe serious?!

[beer baron]

Heard that,i'm slightly surprised but not completely shocked. He's been bombing up and down the wings for the last 12 years and is now playing midfield with one of the best club sides in the world and wants to ensure he can get as many years there as possible.

He just won the World cup captaining his Nation so why not bow out at the top?

[orangeman]

Philipp Lahm retires from international football.  Still only 30.

Ewe serious?!

Went out at the top. Great decision. Not many get the opportunity or have the sense to carry it off.

[deiseach]

He would have been 34 come the next World Cup. Better to quit while he's ahead before they accuse him of being mutton dressed as . . . I'll get my coat.

[beer baron]

He would have been 34 come the next World Cup. Better to quit while he's ahead before they accuse him of being mutton dressed as . . . I'll get my coat.

Hahaha,that made me giggle like a little girl.

[Syferus]

He would have been 34 come the next World Cup. Better to quit while he's ahead before they accuse him of being mutton dressed as . . . I'll get my coat.

Coulda went another two years and retire after the Euros. Germany have every chance of winning it too. Seems premature.

[ONeill]

So what did yiz think of it?

I probably have rose-tinted glasses about Mexico'86 but that's hard to match for me.

Italia '90 was exciting from an Irish POV but I think outside of Cameroon's run it was boring enough.

I don't remember an awful pile about '94. '98 and Bergkamp's goal as well as Zidane's final but I think it was average.

'02...'06 and '10 seem to merge into one big World Cup blob.

This year was good. The goals, the Brazilian pressure, USA, Colombia, Chile, the Messi show....I'd give it a 7.5/10.