World Cup 2010 First Week Highlights

It’s been one week since the World Cup kicked off in South Africa. Many have their complaints – the vuvuzela, the weather, the ball – but the tournament has also had its thrills.

Let’s look at some of the highlights so far.

Match of the Week: Switzerland v Spain. Everyone had written Switzerland off against the reigning European champions. But coach Ottmar Hitzfeld played his hand perfectly, and his men weathered a barrage of 24 shots and snuck away with an historic win. Once again, Spain’s World Cup campaign is in tatters.

Goal of the Week: Maicon v North Korea.  Did he or didn’t he mean it? Who cares. Maicon’s shot from an impossible angle reminded the world that even during a relatively dour performance, the Brazilians are always capable of turning a game on its head with a sublime piece of skill.

Dive of the Week: Ronaldo. Surprise, surprise. We think a gentle breeze would knock this guy over. God certainly gave him talent, but he forgot to give him some humility. The Portugueezer spent too much of the match against a plucky Ivory Coast side flopping to the ground. If he’s not careful, Portugal will follow suit.

Fluff of the Week: Goalkeeping. It’s not just England keeper Robert Green, whose howler against the USA will live in infamy. The general quality of goalkeeping throughout the tournament has been a shambles. Algeria … Paraguay … Nigeria … Even Spain’s Iker Casillas showed some hesitancy dealing with the Swiss goal.

Quote of the Week: “Pele should go back to the museum. As for Platini, he’s French, he believes he’s better than the rest of us.” Argentina coach Diego Maradona lets his big mouth run wild again.