Ranking every World Cup, from worst to best

Brazil 2014

Rating: 8/10

Champion: Germany 

The Germans won their fourth title, defeating Argentina 1-0 on a Mario Goetze extra time goal. It was the country’s first title since reunification in 1990. In the process, they also became the first European team to win the title on South American soil.

Host nation: Brazil 

Brazil, hosting their first World Cup since 1950, were trying to exorcise the demons of the Maracanzo. Instead, the pressure from the home fans piled on in the end as Germany routed Brazil 7-1 in the semifinals in a game that will live in infamy. Brazil would finish the tournament in fourth place.

Best player: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

The Barcelona star may be one of the world’s all-time best players, but his failure to win a World Cup will continue to haunt him. Messi may have been the best player at this tournament, but his country’s ultimate failure to lift the trophy will stay with him long after anyone remembers his winning the tournament’s MVP award.

Quality of play:

This was a tournament that produced a very high number of exciting matches and plenty of goals, especially in the opening round. In fact, the group stage was notable for a scarcity of draws and a large number of goals. There were 136 (an average of 2.83 goals per match) in the first round alone. The first drawn, and goalless match, did not occur until the 13th game between Iran and Nigeria, a stretch longer than that at any World Cup since 1930.

The Germans played a 4-2-3-1, allowing their midfield to push forward. In addition, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer perfected the sweeper-keeper position with a defense playing a high line, a successful tactic. Argentina, on the other hand, employed a 4-4-1-1 that was deadly on the counter-attack and relied on Messi to do most of work in the final third. For most teams, the three-man defense became all the rage with Costa Rica and Mexico using it to good effect at this tournament.

Kits:

France and the Netherlands both featured sublime kits. France with their dark blue home jersey and the Dutch in classic orange were elegant and tasteful. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Ecuador with an unstylish, loose shirt reminiscent of their 2002 kit, while Algeria’s boring shirts lacked detail and imagination.

Miscellaneous:

To avoid bad calls involving goals, the 2014 World Cup introduced the use of goal-line technology following successful trials. FIFA also approved the use of vanishing foam by match officials for the first time at a World Cup finals. The water-based spray, which disappears within minutes of application, was used to mark a 10-yard line for the defending team during free kicks.