Balls Galore: We love winners, but somebody has to go home with the wooden spoon

AMID all the hoopla with everyone going gaa gaa over Neymar, spare a thought for the wooden spoonists. These are the less than successful teams, a few who came to Brazil with hopes riding sky high and sent off to battle with hyperbolic hoopla.

Are you thinking of England? Or was it Spain. Maybe perhaps Asian hopes Japan and South Korea, and certainly our kissin’ cousins from Down Under, the Aussies.

If you are, welcome to the real world of football hard knocks. Or be ready to wave farewell to them all, and a few others will follow suit owing to a distinctly underachieving exertions on the pitch in this World Cup.

Say what you will about England, what’s indisputable is that it has bragging rights to the claim of giving rise to the game in its present-day recognisable form with the creation of the first governing body as far back as 1863.

Don’t say that to the Chinese, or the Japanese, or the Greeks who will vehemently dispute the claim to be the game’s progenitor – but let them fight that out amongst themselves, seeing some of them now have so much time on their hands away from the scene of the current action.

Faith in Spain was somewhat restored with its comprehensive 3 – nil win over Australia with superstars David Villa, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata finally showing what they are capable of; banging in the goals. So Spain salvaged an element of national pride by not finishing last, but second last – is a wooden a spoon as it gets on this world stage. After all, Spain once reigned, remember?

Their saviour of sorts was Australia which came to their last match looking as if they were bit players ready to do the Spaniards a favour in helping them restore their footballing reputation. By the time the final whistle went, three goals were scored past the Aussie keeper and some semblance of European dominance was restored in the footballing hierarchy.

What of Asian hopes? South Korea failed to fly the flag for Asia after capitulating 2 – 4 to Algeria in Group H. Japan did no better and looks set to squabble with Greece for the title of wooden spoonists in Group C.

Contrast their performance with the World Cup of 2006 when Japan and South Korea were joint hosts. They appear to have regressed a bit since then in terms of performance on the pitch.

Away in Group D, England have that sinking feeling – with their last fling against Costa Rica on Wednesday when they have to summon enough motive power to end their campaign with a respectable result.

Do they stand a chance against unlikely front runner Costa Rica? They might, then again looking at high-riding Central Americans, they might not. One team – either Uruguay or Italy – will join the Costa Ricans after the group’s last game on Wendesday and already, the English can begin to cry into their beers. Regardless of the result, the stars from the BPL can begin to enjoy their summer holidays forthwith!

But let’s pay tibute to the young man of the moment. No one is lighting up the pitches more strongly at the moment than Neymar da Silva Santos – plain Neymar to you and me. His fans do not mind that he behaves like some preening peacock; with a mop of hair that has been tinted gold to match the colours of the Brazil team jersey.

His regal strut on the pitch, his extravagant step-overs and bursts of acceleration belies his slender frame. Some people are born great, others have greatness thrown at them. He must be in soccer heaven at the moment. What does a footballer needs to do than just to keep banging in the goals at the World Cup?

Do that at the same time as his Brazil team is riding high, making predictable progress in the tournament. Don’t speak so soon, but if you must, make a punt on them to go all the way to win the trophy – it is almost as a sure-fire a betting outcome as can be with the bookmakers surely considering shutting up shop on this probability.

So what better setting to cement one’s reputation than at the 100th World Cup game to be played by Brazil and to be a part of the team that scores your nation’s 100th goal in the tournament.

Brazil’ s 4 - 1 drubbing of Cameroon, powered by the brace by Neymar means it secured top spot in Group A. It next faces Group B runner-up Chile.

Neymar scored first in the 16th minute, his third goal of the tournament. What’s football without statistics?

So here goes; the goal was significant as it brought his personal tally to 100 goals and also marked Brazil’s 100th goal in the World Cup.

A feat of real century by a modern-day Centurion.