Rate the World Cup

[Tooting Gull]

Spain were the best team, but didn't have to be at their best to win it. For that reason, and that so many of the top players failed to show their best, it can't be seen as a great World Cup like, say, 1970.

The failure to price a World Cup properly so that in a football-mad country you fill up the stadiums for all the games was a big minus for the organisers, and the technology decision also came home to roost for them big-time.

Overall, I'd give it a 6.5.

England were just an irrelevance.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Four.

A lot of poor games,which I suppose should be expected with so many poor teams.

There probably was a highlight,though I cannot remember it.

I watched nearly every game live,and the other (two) I watched on record.

The final was dire,and Holland were lucky to have just one man sent off.Why they didn't play their usual style is a mystery,though I should have picked up the clue when Robben said he'd rather win in a dour game than lose in a good one.

Spain,then,though the event was poor whatever FIFA tells us.

Oh.Felt a bit sorry for the ref having to try to control the "dirty Dutch".He had a reasonable game.

 

[Gully]

Felt a bit sorry for the ref too, he really needed eyes in the back of his head...pity he only judged the karate kick by De Jong as a yellow, he will most likely get slated for that, how Van Bommell lasted 120 minutes is also a mystery to me.

 

[Safe.]

Every team being scared to lose has made this world cup so shit.

 

[blue and white army]

98 and 02 were far better tournaments. What annoys me in the modern game is how players beg the referee to brandish a card to a player if they deem it worthy of a bookable offence. Xavi and Iniesta were the main culprits tonight. Its a mans game and a contact sport, tenacious players like Van Bommel, Mascherano should not be overseen and should receive the same praise as the more technically gifted players. Messi had an awful tournament yet he seems to receive rave reviews due to the season he had at club level. Player of the tournament-Ozil.

 

[pasty]

98 and 02 were far better tournaments. What annoys me in the modern game is how players beg the referee to brandish a card to a player if they deem it worthy of a bookable offence. Xavi and Iniesta were the main culprits tonight.

Really winds me up too. FIFA/UEFA should bring in a new law whereby any player brandishing imaginary cards should instantly be booked themselves. That would soon stop it.

 

[Juan Albion]

The Anglo-Italian team drawing with the French 2nd XI was the highlight for me.

 

[Adopted Brightonian]

3. I never really felt I connected to this world cup. The fact that I missed the opener and the final (couldn't be arsed to stay up all night to see it) sums it up for me.

 

[auschr]

plus side
good upsets
seeing good players fail
england losing
a team won that hasn't before

negative side
not many good players playing outstandingly good
underdogs winning
poor refereeing
cheating
vuvuzelas

ill give it 4.9

 

[bhaexpress]

The right team won it. Surprised at the Germans, very disappointed at England, disgusted by the Dutch in the final. Pleasantly surprised and impressed at the organisation by South Africa. Also, poor refereeing and typical insipid response from FIFA regarding the use of technology.

 

[Domsdad]

If you thought it was bad from watching on UK TV, take it from me it was really crap watching on Thai TV.
If you saw it with no understandable commentary apart from the odd "ho, ho" you'd see that the only winner in this world cup was the triumph of hype over substance.

 

[Gwylan]

I've enjoyed it: it was better than the last World Cup and a lot better than others we've had.

Plus points: the failure of the big name players (Messi and Iniesta aside) to shine and the emergence of a new generation of younger players
Ghana - desperately unlucky not to make the semis and the amount of work put in Gyan was incredible
Referees and linos - high quality stuff from the officials, there have obviously been one or two games where they didn't shine but very few
Germany - completely changing their image
Diego Maradona - utterly compelling to watch
Italy and France going out at the group stage
New Zealand - second worst team in the tournament, went home without losing

The Cons
Still too much cheating go on, refs did a good job at spotting the worst of it, but some of it was disgraceful, that fella who got Kaka sent off should have been banned
Too many teams not trying to play - Paraguay, Algeria, Switzerland (although they got a lucky goal) were more concerned with not losing than trying to win
England - totally abject
Brazil - can we have the old team back please?
Empty seats - poor show that they couldn't fill every stadium

 

[Brovion]

Quite enjoyed it. On balance a bit better that 2006 and MUCH better than 2002. It was a slow starter and of course there were some shit games (including the final), but it's a bit much to expect sixty-odd classics. I'll probably forget the crap games - a bit like the people who think it's been a rubbish world cup have forgotten the crap games in other tournaments.

 

[blockhseagull]

Was ok, not as good as previous world cups but not the worst I've seen... Group stages were fairly poor but the tournament did pick upmin the latter stages even if the final was poor. Good to see Ronaldo and Messi not turn up, player of the tournament for me was Forlan.

 

[Return of the Rev]

They blew there own trumpet

GREAT FOR AFRICA,SHAME ABOUT THE SILLY TRUMPETS SPOILT THE ATMO FOR ME,A BIT SELFISH I THOUGHT