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Heroes And Villains Of The World Cup: Matchday 15

Today brings to a close one of the greatest World Cup group stages in recent memory. Today, however, wasn’t all that great. Well, it was a little great.

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Heroes and Villains of the World Cup: Matchday 15

Hero: Marouane Fellaini (Belgium)

This B-team game was calling out for a big, grafty tree and Fellaini delivered. The man with the velcro chest won everything in the air, blocked some shots while Charlie Hustling and even pulled out the tekkers.   

Honorable mention: The Group Stage (It’s Over)

That was absurd. I think that almost killed me. 

Villain: FIFA Fair Play points (Senegal)

Senegal manager Aliou Cisse was gracious following his side’s exit by virtue of having more yellow cards than Japan, saying: “It’s the rules of the game, they’ve been established by FIFA and we have to respect it, even though we would have liked to have been eliminated another way.”

Ultimately you’ve got to eliminate two teams somehow, but the fact that FIFA Fair Play points come right above the drawing of lots with regards to the hierarchy of tiebreakers says it all — it’s a terribly trivial way to go, like dying on the toilet. 

So when Cisse said “we would have liked to have been eliminated another way,” my ears perked. Maybe there is another way!

I’m just spitballing here, but maybe we determine the winner in what could be called "The EA Sports Playoff." FIFA loves a sponsor. 

If all other tiebreakers fail, each team simply sends its best FIFA player forward, and a FIFA match to the death is contested and broadcast live around the globe. It’s not the best solution, but they say eSports are the future.

Honorable mention: Adnan Januzaj (Belgium)

The worst best goal ever — that side of the bracket is a murderers’ row.

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