The Final Whistle has blown on the Brazilian World Cup 2014

This Wordle was created using the text included in post-match reports of the Germany and Argentina final 2014 in Brazil.  Words that were repeated more often are larger in the picture.  It is interesting that “Messi” is considerably larger than the goal scorer and match winner’s name “Gotze”.  Much that was written about the man who is regarded as the world’s best player was about the missed opportunity to win the World Cup – as achieved by fellow Argentinian icon Maradona, back in 1986.

Germany are the new and deserving World Cup victors after a hard-fought final against Argentina that took a single goal from Mario Gotze deep in extra time, to separate the two talented sides. Argentina had scant consolation as  Lionel Messi was awarded the Golden Ball for being chosen as the best player of the World Cup, after winning four man-of-the-match awards as Argentina progressed through the competition – although even this accolade has been questioned by both pundits and armchair fans alike. Messi’s contribution in the final was not conclusive enough to help Argentina to a win, and as the pressure mounted and time slipped away, he skied a freekick two minutes before the end of the match.  The general consensus was that Germany may not have the flair and charisma of other more flamboyant teams that are populated by superstar players, but they had a first-rate work ethic allied with a plan to succeed and they have benefitted from the longterm strategy of developing homegrown talent rather than relying on foreign imports.

The overall feeling seems to be that this was a fitting final with lots of excitement and drama, belied by the meagre 1-0 scoreline, for this brilliant tournament.  It was a star-studded affair, as a host of glittering celebrities were also keen to soak up the atmosphere of football’s biggest night.  The tournament had a shaky lead-up due to the demonstrations from some Brazilians about the amount of money that hosting the World Cup was costing, against a backdrop of social inequality.  There hasn’t been the large-scale of demonstrations and disruptions that some people feared, mainly due to the zero-tolerance policy of the police response.  Of course, Brazilian fans have suffered the ignominy of their national side being beaten 7-1 by the ruthlessly talented German team.  But, the people of Brazil mainly regard Argentina as their chief footballing rival, so they are relieved overall that their South American neighbours didn’t triumph.  Brazil has hosted a well-run tournament in a great party atmosphere, and the tournament has been a great advertisement for the natural beauty and friendly population of Brazil.

Whilst the outlook for the English national team is currently pretty gloomy as we are languishing in 20^th in the FIFA rankings, we will soon start our qualifying campaign for Euro 2014 in France next month.  And in the longer-term, we can look forward to (hopefully) taking part in the 2018 World cup in Russia.

The World Cup is something that draws the attention of the world, and it’s been fascinating to see teams from around the world play, and to witness all the drama, spectacle and super skills that the tournament embodies.

So, what will we do with ourselves now? Well, if you’ve been inspired to take a holiday in Brazil, let us help point you in the right direction with information about Brazil, that doesn’t just apply to the World Cup: An England Supporter’s Guide to the Brazil World Cup.