# Brasil 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 6, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840 "2014-05-06T21:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 171
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3401 "2014-07-13T21:50:17Z")
> [@Lantern](#): > > Overall a decent final. A great first half and though it became scrappier after that, the winning goal was worthy of a final. > > I think the 2002 final was a bit better but this one is second-best in the last 25 years. This one had the benefit of finishing with 22 players on the park. So many previous WC’s and finals have been ruined in the past decade or more by over officious refereeing. ---
**Author:** ![Amara\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7993a0/32.png) [@Amara\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amara_1)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3402 "2014-07-13T21:50:28Z")
What a tense game and a well deserved win for Germany. Messi didn’t play his best today or his last game. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3403 "2014-07-13T21:54:25Z")
Another thing for FIFA to get rid of, as well as the third-place game, making the losers hang around for a half-hour on the pitch just to pick up their second-place medals. Just let the winners celebrate in peace. Too cruel and pointless. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3404 "2014-07-13T21:56:18Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > ETA: Oh, and **JohnMace** : it’s actually pretty interesting - here’s a 2006 article about it [from Slate](http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/06/does_the_world_cup_have_a_lingua_franca.html). Apparently soccer players pick up the basics of tons of languages in their travels, so generally there’s a common tongue, but all referees (at least when that was written) have to know some English. As a last resort, crude sign language is used. _Obrigado_! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3405 "2014-07-13T21:56:26Z")
The very popular tribune of the people Sepp Blatter getting his justified applause there. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3406 "2014-07-13T21:56:51Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > This one had the benefit of finishing with 22 players on the park. So many previous WC’s and finals have been ruined in the past decade or more by over officious refereeing. Too bad for Messi. I wanted Germany to win, but for him - one of if not _the_ best players in the game right now, to be denied two games straight. The Russian commentator here said/compared him to Maradonna a dozen or more times. Way too much. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3407 "2014-07-13T21:57:53Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Another thing for FIFA to get rid of, as well as the third-place game, making the losers hang around for a half-hour on the pitch just to pick up their second-place medals. Just let the winners celebrate in peace. Too cruel and pointless. Completely agree. It’s dumb. If i’ve just lost the World Cup Final, i’ll take my medal in the mail, thanks very much. Right now, i just want to shower, change, and drink. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3408 "2014-07-13T21:59:43Z")
Golden Glove goes to Neuer, Golden Ball goes to Messi. What do we think of those choices? I would say both are perfectly reasonable, but there are also decent arguments in favour of others. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3409 "2014-07-13T22:01:56Z")
Good game, except the finishing (bar Goetze’s brilliantly taken goal) was pedestarian- which was probably the occasion getting the better of the strikers. Germany deserved the win, though it could’ve quite easily gone the other way. I think if you look back at this thread and others you’ll see I placed Germany as my favourites over a year ago (ignore the woefully optimistic predictions about England though!). ---
**Author:** ![Amara\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7993a0/32.png) [@Amara\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amara_1)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3410 "2014-07-13T22:03:52Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Another thing for FIFA to get rid of, as well as the third-place game, making the losers hang around for a half-hour on the pitch just to pick up their second-place medals. Just let the winners celebrate in peace. Too cruel and pointless. It really does seem cruel, especially with the continued focus on Messi. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3411 "2014-07-13T22:04:28Z")
They’ve been running around for 120 minutes, and then have to climb a mile of steps to get the medals? That’s not nice. It was a good game. I’m very glad somebody (anybody!) scored a goal. It would have nearly ruined it to have gone to penalties. See you real soccer fans in 2018! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3412 "2014-07-13T22:04:41Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Another thing for FIFA to get rid of, as well as the third-place game, making the losers hang around for a half-hour on the pitch just to pick up their second-place medals. Just let the winners celebrate in peace. Too cruel and pointless. Yeah, do it like Hockey: They shake hands and the losers leave the ice (pitch). ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3413 "2014-07-13T22:06:41Z")
I’m glad James got the golden boot. I’m also glad how well my picks held up. Aside from Costa Rica I was pretty close with all 4. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3414 "2014-07-13T22:07:08Z")
> [@straight\_man](#): > > Golden Glove goes to Messi, Golden Ball goes to Messi. > > What do we think of those choices? I would say both are perfectly reasonable, but there are also decent arguments in favour of others. Neuer definitely deserves the Golden Glove, there were lots of good goalkeepers, but for me he deserves it the most. Messi was good, but also disappeared too often in too many games. I think his name helped him win the Golden Ball. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3415 "2014-07-13T22:07:17Z")
> [@straight\_man](#): > > Golden Glove goes to Neuer, Golden Ball goes to Messi. > > What do we think of those choices? I would say both are perfectly reasonable, but there are also decent arguments in favour of others. I don’t think Neuer was asked to do enough in the tournament to really justify his pick. Messi looked like a good pick if you only used the first 5 games, however, he was shut down in the two most important games of the tournament. Maybe Muller or Rodriguez? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3416 "2014-07-13T22:08:20Z")
Sad when the WC is over but only two years till qualifying begins for 2018! ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3417 "2014-07-13T22:10:33Z")
Getting annoyed at the BBC pundits harping on about the German youth/coaching setup being reformed after 2000, and this reform is producing results. Im convinced these pundits know nothing about how to produce good footballers other than “our system needs reformed”. It could just be coincidence that a German nation that generally produces great players simply when through a poor phase for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3418 "2014-07-13T22:12:37Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > I don’t think Neuer was asked to do enough in the tournament to really justify his pick. Messi looked like a good pick if you only used the first 5 games, however, he was shut down in the two most important games of the tournament. Maybe Muller or Rodriguez? True, it helps that whatever Neuer does he looks so classy while doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3419 "2014-07-13T22:21:23Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Yeah, do it like Hockey: They shake hands and the losers leave the ice (pitch). To be fair, at international hockey tournaments the losers do have to wait around for silver medals. It’s only in professional leagues like the NHL where the losers aren’t forced to wait around, which isn’t directly comparable to the World Cup. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/3420 "2014-07-13T22:23:28Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Sad when the WC is over but only two years till qualifying begins for 2018! Let’s hope Russia has the stadiums ready for 2018. By my count - [2018 FIFA World Cup - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup#Venues) - of the 12 venue stadiums - all but 3 are to be built. I know that the St. Petersburg Zenit expected to move into their new pitch in 2008. Then 2011. And now, maybe, 2015. It’s probably how Brazil was four years ago - and this WC seemed okay. BTW, anyone notice Putin at the game? They only showed him briefly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=170) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=172)