2014-world-cup Page 5 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Will Germany's Misuse Of Their Best Player Doom Them This World Cup?
Joachim Löw knew something needed to change. ...

Dani Alves And David Luiz Love Stretching Together Very Awkwardly
Trying to avoid the injury fates of Jozy Altidore, Ángel di María, and so many other fellow competitors, Dani Alves and David Luiz were seen getting very limber yesterday ahead of today's semifinal. Who knew Brazilian stretching routines so resembled ice dancing?...

Yes, Referees Are Biased Towards Brazil
Today, Brazil will face off against Germany in the World Cup semi-finals, and they'll do it without their superstar Neymar, who was taken down in Brazil's game against Colombia. FIFA has decided that they won't punish Juan Camilo Zúñiga, whose knee-to-the-back tackle fractured Neymar's vertebrae. Bu...

Why Your World Cup Stadium Sucks: Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte
FIFA would like you to know that Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte is "one of the most historic venues in Brazilian football." Their sister city is Ft. Lauderdale. Trust your instincts....

Head Of FIFA Corporate Partner Arrested In Ticket-Scalping Sting
It took a few weeks, but we've finally gotten a 2014 World Cup corruption story. Ray Whelan, the chief executive of Match Hospitality, a FIFA corporate partner that sells tickets and hospitality packages for the World Cup, was arrested on Monday as part of a Brazilian investigation into the illega...

Why Your World Cup Stadium Sucks: Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre
The Estádio Beira-Rio is a beautiful, if not slightly underwhelming, piece of architecture that gives Porto Alegre two modern multi-use pitches in the course of two years. There's a good chance they didn't need both. ...

Grading ESPN's World Cup Coverage
ESPN's coverage of the 2010 World Cup has received widespread acclaim ,both from lay viewers experiencing soccer for the first time and from hardcore fans desperate for a Marcelo Balboa-less tournament. This year, ESPN has followed a similar formula, with largely positive results....

No, Neymar Can't Come Back This World Cup. That Could Paralyze Him.
To the surprise of very many, when Neymar went down in the 86th minute against Colombia on Friday, the 22-year-old striker wasn't faking. After being kneed in the back by Colombia's Juan Zúñiga, Neymar was carried off the field and taken directly to a hospital, where doctors soon discovered that h...

Head Of FIFA's Anti-Racism Task Force Says It Hasn't Done Squat
If you've been taking in the World Cup this week, you probably noticed plenty of banners and commercials with FIFA telling you to just, "say no to racism." A great idea, except FIFA doesn't always follow its own message....


Jürgen Klinsmann: For The USMNT To Improve, MLS Must Improve
It's a promising sign that even after the plaudits the USMNT rightfully received for their unexpected run in Brazil, Jürgen Klinsmann still has both eyes fixed on the real reason he was brought in: To make the U.S. a true contender. In a recent Facebook post, Klinsmann says for that to happen, MLS h...

Netherlands Beat Costa Rica On Penalties
Tim Krul replaced Jasper Cillessen at the end of extra time for penalties and made two saves, the last one on Michael Umaña above. Every man who took a shot for the Netherlands scored and they won 4-3. ...

Emotional Neymar Says He's "Sure" Brazil "Will Win"
Before leaving them for good, Neymar spoke with his teammates following the news that a fractured vertebra will keep him out of the remainder of the World Cup and then recorded a message for the rest of his country. He told the rest of Brazil that he knew his teammates would go on and win it all and...

Robben Almost Strikes Again; Netherlands And Costa Rica Go To Extra Time
Robben went down very easily on this run—though perhaps he took a tiny shot to the pelotas?—and earned the Netherlands a free kick late in the game. Costa Rica were immediately unimpressed and called it a dive, but the ref showed yellow, anyway. Wesley Sneijder stepped up to take the shot and blaste...

Winking Kid During Costa Rican National Anthem Is The Best
This kid right here, he's a little bit of alright. Speaking as someone who looks afflicted with some kind of palsy when he tries to wink, this kid is a pretty smooth-ass operator. He follows the camera pan all the way around and just sells it, the whole time. Total confidence, with a care-free attit...

Your Netherlands-Costa Rica Open Thread
Here it is, the quarterfinal match-up that looked the most predictable going in, which probably means Costa Rica breeze past the Netherlands into the next round, 3-0. Either way, talk about it here....

Netherlands vs. Costa Rica: Live Online Streaming Links
It's the last gasp for CONCACAF. Here's where to find Netherlands-Costa Rica on TV or stream online....

The Quietly Audacious Summer Of The Netherlands
Amsterdam is a city so prone to stereotypes it's hard to tell, from a distance, if it's a real place or if it's a kind of strange social construct, existing only in our collective memory. Until you visit, you're not quite sure, because everybody has an opinion on Amsterdam; they know what it's lik...

Tim Howard Blocks Unwanted Hugs, Too
American Hero Tim Howard was lucky enough to have a camera in his face as he came home from Brazil, and with the camera came a crowd of people. TMZ captured the moment that was mostly very nice: the majority of folks just wanted to get an autograph, or a photo, or to just tell Howard "thanks." But...

Will Costa Rica's Keylor Navas Take Down Another Giant?
Keylor Navas will ruin your dreams. ...