World Cup awards: Messi | Costa Rica | Cahill

THE 2014 World Cup has now entered its second week and although there has been one or two disappointing games the overall feeling is that it has been a very good tournament for football so far.
Argentine striker Lionel Messi celebrates his goal against Iran during their World Cup match. Picture: GettyArgentine striker Lionel Messi celebrates his goal against Iran during their World Cup match. Picture: Getty
Argentine striker Lionel Messi celebrates his goal against Iran during their World Cup match. Picture: Getty

Games are being played in a positive way, goals are being scored, drama is being seen with the hopes of some countries increasing whereas for others the hopes of being the best team in the world are at an end with a game still to play.

Whatever else happens in the next two weeks there will be new Champions as Spain are one of the teams dropping out after their defeat from Chile.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Scotsman Weekly Website Awards are here again to hand out gongs to the good, the great and the not so good.

Good World Cup week for – Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Often criticised for his performances in a blue and white striped shirt Messi has popped up with two winning goals in two games. He is maybe not dominating proceedings however when he cuts in from the right wing and pulls back his left foot you know something is going to happen.

His strike against Iran was of the very late kind however it got his side three points and through to the next round.

Thomas Muller had a good week as well with a hat-trick against Portugal last Monday however falling to the ground in an exaggerated fashion is not behaviour to be encouraged.

Bad World Cup week for – Spain, Pepe and Igor Akinfeev

Last week the Scotsman Weekly Awards gave the Bad Week Award to Spain and said that they were at a crossroads as a side after their 5-1 defeat from Holland . They are no longer at a crossroads as they went down 2-0 to Chile to mark the end of an era from the reigning World and European Champions.

If Portugal had a bad day as they went down 4-0 to Germany, Real Madrid defender Pepe had a very bad day. Okay Thomas Muller exaggerated the contact between the pair however to walk back to get involved with Muller was silly but to walk back and bend down to make head to head contact when your side are a goal down was madness.

Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev gets a dishonourable mention for his fumble against South Korea.

World Cup Team of the week – Costa Rica

The shock-troops of the tournament so far. Scotland’s conquerors in 1990 sit at the

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

top of a group containing three countries that have won the World Cup before after wins over Uruguay and Italy. Only an already ousted England stand in their way of a hat-trick.

World Cup Manager of the week – Jorge Luis Pinto (Costa Rica)

The 61 year old Colombian was sacked as the coach of his country after they failed to make the World Cup Finals in South Africa 4 years ago however he has bounced back in style.

His Costa Rican ‘Bulls’ came from behind to defeat Uruguay 3-1 to open the tournament and then defeated Italy 1-0 on Friday. They will top the group if they take a point against England tomorrow which is pretty good going for a side that was getting little attention before the tournament started.

World Cup Player of the week – Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)

Brazil may not have been firing on all cylinders against the Mexicans last week however it still took a phenomenal performance from Ochoa to keep Neymar etc out. The shot-stopper made four great saves including one from a Neymar header that drew comparisons to Gordon Banks’ leap across goal to turn over a Pele effort in the 1970 competition.

High praise indeed.

World Cup Goal of the week – Tim Cahill (Australia)

Cahill’s thunderous volley just 90 seconds after Arjen Robben had edged Holland ahead was executed in perfect fashion. The strike had shades of Marco van Basten against Russia in 198 as he watched the ball fly at him for 40 yards before sending a first time shot exploding into the net.

Hitting off the underside of the bar just added to the spectacular nature of the best goal in week 2 of the 2014 World Cup.

SEE ALSO: