Thursday will mark the start of the second week of the World Cup and with every nation playing their opening group stage game much has been learned from the opening seven days in Brazil. Contenders and pretenders have been identified, stars have been made, highlight reel goals have been scored, hearts have been broken and dreams have been realized. With that being siad here is what we have learned from the opening week of play in the 2014 World Cup.
Brazil are not as good as expected
Brazil are one of the nations that have played two matches in the opening week of the World Cup after kicking off the tournament against Croatia last Thursday and in their two games they showed many of the weaknesses that cynics thought the hosts would have in this tournament as a young team that has only so much elite talent has struggled to live up to the high standards that fans in the country hoped they could live up to.
Conceding the tournament's opening goal against Croatia, Brazil needed some questionable officiating to get themselves the three points in their home opener, getting bailed out with a controversial penalty in the second half to go up 2-1 in a game closer than the scoreline indicated as a last minute goal from Oscar allowed the hosts to win 3-1 despite being threatened by the underdog Europeans for most of the 90 minutes.
Their second group stage matchup against Mexico was even less inspiring as Brazil experienced their first scoreless draw at the World Cup in ages, failing to break down a Mexico team that almost didn't qualify for the World Cup at all thanks to some timely goalkeeping from Guillermo Ochoa who stonewalled any chance that Brazil could put on goal in a six save "Man of the Match" performance that stole a point from Brazil that they sorely needed.
Brazil was also tested by Mexico's attack, which nearly stole a win in the second half when Brazil were hoping to turn on the pressure on opponents they likely should not have been tested by in all honesty.
Sitting in first with a tie on points with Mexico after two games and facing the weakest team in the group in Cameroon there are little doubts that Brazil will be playing in the knockout rounds, but how far the hosts will go is questionable based on their first two performances. Lacking an elite striker there is simply too much pressure placed on Brazil to play perfectly once they are matched up against deeper quality of opponents. If you are expecting Brazil to win because it would be the story that seems the most fitting, don't count on it. Simply put, Brazil have too many issues to be considered favorites unless they prove it come the knockout rounds.
Fitness mattered
Uruguay and Portugal came into the World Cup hoping that star attackers Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo would be able to carry them to glory despite being rumored to have been nursing injuries of various degrees in the lead up to Brazil.
Suarez sat out of Uruguay's shocking 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica as expected following a knee surgery weeks before the tournament while Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes against Germany in a 4-0 defeat, but he was nowhere near the threatening impact that fans are used to seeing from the world's greatest player.
Now that both countries are in serious danger of missing the knockout rounds the fitness of both players are now the biggest talking points surrounding both teams as it is unlikely that either can survive without the quality of their world class players that got them to Brazil in the first place. For those wondering how big of an impact injuries would play, we are finding out as we speak.
Football isn't boring
The first week of the World Cup has also treated fans of the sport as well as casual viewers to some of the best group stage play ever witnessed at a WC in history.
With teams averaging well over three goals per game, the usual lazy North American writers who like to call the world's greatest sport "boring" really have little to whine about the sport they don't understand. Upsets, highlight reel goals and come from behind victories have been the norm at this World Cup. Hopefully for the popularity of the sport in notoriously unwelcoming North America the great games in Brazil can continue so we never have to hear someone who knows little about what they are watching calling the World Cup "boring" like morons.
Germany are ready
Germany had their share of question marks leading up to the World Cup thanks to injuries to Marco Reus and Bastian Schweinstager, and Manuel Neuer looming over the team before they set off to Brazil, but those worries quickly went away thanks to a convincing 4-0 drubbing of Portugal on Monday.
The Germans took advantage of whatever Portugal gave them, including a penalty as well as a red card, to show that their recent "Golden Generation" is not to be dismissed in Brazil, putting aside concerns about the lack of a true striker and how the weather would affect their already shaky fitness by crushing the team that many considered their toughest group stage opponents.
With Thomas Muller scoring a hat trick with three goals and keeping Portugal off of the scoresheet, the Germans thrived while other contenders have struggled to deal with their opponents so far. Whether that translates into the rest of the tournament or not it is hard seeing past Germany as one of the tournament's top contenders after dismantling Portugal so easily.
More is to come
Luckily for fans and World Cup hopefuls, the first week of the World Cup is only a quarter of the tournament and there is still plenty more footy to be played in Brazil that could change everything in an instant.
For countries coming off defeats in Uruguay, England, and Spain the next matches in their group are must wins to keep their World Cup dreams alive while winners of their first matches will be able to try to accumulate a point at all costs to stay on course for the all important final matchday in a few weeks time.
For fans, or those who haven't joined the party yet, there is still much more World Cup to enjoy. Don't miss it.
