Brazil are hosting the 20th edition of the World Cup. It’s the second time in Brazil, last time was in 1950. We are all witnessing a funny World Cup and this has not happened for years.
First of all the world cup started with an own goal from Marcelo (probably a welcome gift) in the first match between Brazil and Croatia on July the 12th. It’s Brazil’s first ever own goal at a World Cup so that will be remembered for a long time.
The Brazilian’s mistake happened in the 11th minute, after Croatian forward Ivica Olic found space on the left to put in a teasing cross which his team mate Nikica Jelavic misdirected. Marcelo appeared to swing his right foot to clear the ball, but the late deflection saw it spin off his toe and roll into the net.
Second, the teams are scoring more goals than in the previous editions. This is how it should be done in every World Cup but this has not happened since the 50s.
Before the Belgium-Algeria match, in the 14 games played, 44 goals were scored at an average of 3.14 per game, compared to the Bundesliga, where the average is 3.16 per game and the Premier League (2.80) , La Liga (2.75), Serie A (2.72) and the French Ligue (2.45). The number 3.14 reminds us all of the glories of ancient football marked at least by 4 goals per game. The world cup in Switzerland 1954, one of the great Aranycsapat (the Gold team Hungarian) Puskás, Kocsis, Hidegkuti and Czibor scored 27 out of 140 total goals to a world average of 5.38 per game. Then again in 1958 in Sweden, the average was 3.60 goals per game and a long decline after that (2, 27 in South Africa 2010). For now there have been just two 0-0 between Nigeria-Iran, and Brazil-Mexico.
Third, Spain was the winner of the last World Cup and yet the first to be eliminated after having lost against The Netherlands 5-1 and Chile 2-0. The same fate happened to Italy in South Africa in 2010. In addition, the Spanish national team was the first team to be mathematically eliminated from the world cup together with Australia.
Fourth, Costa Rica wins against Italy and everybody wants the anti-doping test.
Costa Rica proves herself to have all the skills and possibility to win this edition after having missed the one in South Africa in 2010 (its last World Cup was in 2006). Italy-Costa Rica was a really surprising match, nobody could have ever imagined such an incredible team, that’s why seven Costa Rica players were tested for anti-doping after Friday's 1-0 win.
Fifth, Suarez bites Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's World Cup victory over Italy and he gets a 9 game ban.
Isn't this the funniest World Cup?
Funny Facts: Losing 5-1 against the Netherlands, Spain has set the record for the biggest negative goal difference suffered in a single game for a defending national champion.
In the match between England and Italy, the Italian team beats the record of successful passes in a world cup with a percentage of 93.19%; this is the best performance since the world cup of England in 1966.
