Third-place playoff between Uruguay and Germany at Port Elizabeth:
An exciting match, following which one was left with rueful questions. If only Germany had played like this against Spain? If only Forlan's sweetly-struck freekick had sneaked in below the crossbar instead of hitting it and sailing out in the last minute of the match? Regrets aside, it was a glorious end to the campaign of two exciting teams in this tournament. Germany were probably the better side tonight, but Uruguay have definitely shown a thing or two to their more illustrious South American neighbors by finishing fourth, when most pundits had expected Brazil or Argentina to be among the four best nations on the planet. Diego Forlan later deservedly won the Adidas Golden Ball award (the most valuable player of the tournament) and his goal, Uruguay's second, was an absolute delight to watch. Egidio Arevalo wriggled free of Germany's defenders on the right flank and drove a chest-high cross on the edge of the box. Such was Forlan's confidence and form at that moment that he pivoted around his left while still maintaining his balance perfectly and struck an accurate first-time strike which left the goalkeeper with no chance whatsoever.
GERMANY
Positives:
- The emergence of youngsters like Thomas Mueller, Mesut Oezil and Sami Khedira
- A refreshing attacking approach that paid rich dividends
- A strong foundation for further success by investing in young blood in their domestic league
Question marks:
- Where will Ballack fit in, once he recovers from injury?
URUGUAY
Positives:
- The rich form of Forlan and Luis Suarez
- The steady performances of Diego Perez, Jorge Fucile and Edinson Cavani
Question marks:
- Need to unearth a world-class goalkeeper soon
- Also, need to invest in youth because Forlan, at 31, may likely play in one more World Cup, which will be at his neighboring rival, Brazil
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