CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Wayne Rooney looked like a lost little boy. Lionel Messi tried and fought and ran into a brick wall. Cristiano Ronaldo had two opponents, one on the field and one in his own head. Kaka lost his composure and his reputation as one of the world’s elite.
This World Cup is an ad man’s nightmare, a tournament where a determined posse of anti-superstars who got busy with preparation and focus instead of commercials and celebrity functions emerged as the heroes.
Spain striker David Villa is a quiet and reserved family man whose idea of a wild night is attending a charity function with his childhood sweetheart wife. Here in South Africa, he has been the driving force behind the Spanish run to the semifinal with a tournament-leading five goals and inspired play that carries none of the flashiness of a Ronaldo or Messi but is ruthlessly efficient.
When Real Madrid shelled out $131 million for Ronaldo a year ago, a hefty chunk of that figure was a nod to the Portugal star’s commercial appeal. Barcelona paid Valencia $50 million for Villa this summer, yet every penny of that transfer fee was for his pure ability as a player. Villa doesn’t do fashion shoots or promote underwear in his spare time. He will win you matches, though. Lots of them.
“For me it is the football,” said Villa in an interview at the 2008 European Championships. “It is my life, my love, my passion, my drive.”
Mueller has been the biggest breakout star of this World Cup. Little known outside his homeland before the tournament, he has become a midfield destroyer capable of launching devastating counterattacks. His suspension for the semifinal against Spain on Wednesday (due to yellow-card accumulation) is a huge blow for the Germans, yet Mueller retains his wide-eyed appreciation at the way his World Cup has unfolded.
“I could not have hoped for things to be as good as this,” he said. “You have expectations of yourself but sometimes it is easier to come in without people expecting a lot of you.”
The level of focus and public demand seemed to weigh heavily on soccer’s biggest stars, especially Rooney and Messi. Ronaldo is too wrapped up in his own universe to notice the scrutiny, while Kaka is used to the spotlight that follows Brazil everywhere but still could not raise his game.
The excuse made for several top stars was that they were exhausted from a full season with their European clubs. Yet that argument has been summarily blown out of the water by Wesley Sneijder, who has sparked the Netherlands to their first World Cup semifinal since 1998.
Sneijder played a full and productive campaign with Italian club Inter Milan, which benefited from his industry and impact to achieve an unprecedented trophy triple of the Italian league (Serie A) title, Italian Cup and, most notably, Champions League crown.
While the Dutch team is one of the more glamorous at the World Cup, Sneijder likes to play the role of the funny man. After his two-goal effort sunk Brazil in the quarterfinals, Sneijder was happy to poke fun at himself.
“The ball just slipped through from my bald head,” said the follicularly challenged 26-year-old of his winning header. “It was a great feeling.”
The only South American side left in the tournament is the biggest underdog of the bunch, Uruguay. And while Diego Forlan is the biggest star his homeland has produced in recent times, his career looked destined to falter when he failed to settle at one of the world’s highest-profile clubs.
Forlan’s move to Manchester United in 2002 was a disaster as he failed to score in his first 27 games and became a target for ridicule. On one famous occasion, no less than three English newspapers used the same headline to mock his plight – “Diego Forlorn.”
Forlan ended up resurrecting his career with Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, leading the latter to the Europa League title in May. Having guided Uruguay this deep into the World Cup, he is a realistic contender for the player of the tournament award.
“The attention has not been ours,” said Forlan, who has a co-team-high three goals in South Africa. “While everyone has been thinking about other teams we have swum through a net.”
Perhaps something was lost in translation but it is pretty clear Forlan meant the Uruguayans have ducked under the radar. Just like himself.
And just like the real stars of this World Cup, they have provided a timely reminder that hype and hoopla count for nothing in the heat of battle.
