Suarez, memories, teeth marks and a World Cup at hand
This FIFA World Cup now has its moment of controversy. And like many of the goals, wins and upsets at the tournament, when Uruguay’s Luis Suarez sunk his pearly whites into Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder, he created an incident which would live on long past the teeth marks he left on the livid Italian defender.
For days afterward all talk revolved around the ramifications of Suarez’s actions, which ultimately turned out to be dire, with the team’s superstar striker slapped with a ban which will sideline him until October. Most importantly, the hurt Uruguay will feel heading into their final 16 game against Colombia without a man renowned for finding the back of the net will make the pain felt by Chiellini seem like a love bite.
Brazil's forward Neymar (2L) strikes to score a second goal during the Group A football match between Cameroon and Brazil. AFP
The one time Uruguay did play without Suarez at this World Cup they lost 2-1 to Costa Rica, and heading into a do-or-die clash against Colombia, who have been raking in goals like autumn leaves, will double the difficulty of the task they face.
Colombia remained undefeated throughout the group stages beating Greece 3-0, the Ivory Coast 2-1 and Japan 4-1. They are lethal on offense and if Uruguay play as limply as they did in their opener, they will be peeled apart and embarrassed.
Suarez is the only global sensation at the World Cup who has been criticized for his work on the field. Among this collection of champions, Messi, as he has shown an uncanny knack for throughout his career, has left everyone trailing far behind him.
With an injury time scorcher against Iran and a screamer of a free-kick in a tussle with Nigeria, Messi is magnificently claiming the mantle of genius which compatriot Diego Maradona shouldered in 1985.
Despite appearances though, Argentina have a lot more to them than their pint-sized maestro, and players like Angel di Maria, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain will look to come to the party when they square off against Switzerland in the next round.
The man who threatens to steal his glorious spotlight is, unsurprisingly, Brazilian and as shockingly brilliant as his hair: Neymar. As if to punctuate how exceptional he has been throughout his time in the preliminary round, Neymar saved his best for the last game of this stage, a 4-1 drubbing of Cameroon where he scored twice and tormented the poor men tasked with guarding him.
Neymar has repeatedly said he is not burdened by the responsibility of being his side’s talisman at the tender age of 22 and has demonstrated this assertion by getting better as the competition goes along. If this trend continues we could be in for another highlight reel exhibition by a Brazilian at a World Cup final.
That though is a long way away, and in-between are a string of strong teams. However, many of them will not be from Europe, which has lost heavyweights Spain, Italy, England and Portugal. There is Germany though, leading the pack with their exhilarating style of play.
Thomas Muller has been their standout in a group which held Portugal, Ghana and USA units that played some breathtaking football. Yet he is just one of the points of attack of this multi-pronged German offense which, as it prepares to confront Algeria in the next round, threatens to unleash more goal-bound pyrotechnics.
Like the Germans, the Netherlands too are bearing the banner of European footballing dominance, arguably with even more panache. That Arjen Robben, the Oranje’s deadly Flying Dutchman, rushed at full tilt so late in a game, to create a goal which would dent and ultimately sink the mighty Chileans, speaks volumes for his fitness and desire.
After making it all the way to the final four years ago in South Africa only to fizzle out and fall to a sedate loss, Holland have a point to prove. Their encounter with Mexico represents their next chance at doing so. They are too experienced though to walk in thinking that they can overawe the gritty Latin Americans, especially given how they fared against Brazil. Most certainly, this will be the most compelling and perhaps competitive game of the next round.
The other round of 16 matches will feature Belgium taking on the lion-hearted USA, France colliding with a Nigerian team which knows how to score and an impressive Costa Rica against a Greek team seeking to replicate the magic of years past.