Last update 29 December, 2014 by Alberto Llopis
Like every season, the end of the year is the time to look back and observe everything that has happened over the last 365 days. The world Cup, the Champions, national leagues, In Hanging for Soccer we select the best and the worst of a 2014 eventful, where without a doubt we stayed as image of the year with the bite of Luis Suárez to Chiellini.
The best:
10- The Atlético de Madrid league. Definitely, Nobody expected in a competition that Madrid and Barcelona dominated with an iron fist that a third party would appear with a much smaller budget and manage to take away their leading role. But, Fortunately, football is a sport where exact science does not exist and a team took advantage of it to win a title that seemed impossible. horny, teamwork, sacrifice and a lot of effort led the colchoneros to succeed in Spain and to be about to achieve it in Europe.
9- Germany. At last, so much throwing at the stick had its reward. Finalist in Euro 2008 and semifinalist in the 2012 and the World Cup 2010, the German generation of the Ozils,Neuer and company savored a great title, specifically, the fourth. It was the prize for a football, joyful, to the taste of the viewer, the one we like to see so much.
8- Sergio Ramos. The flagship of the great Real Madrid of 2014. The man who made it possible “From above” and the Mundialito. The best central defender in the world who performed at his best whenever he attended a big event. Only his low level in the World Cup tarnishes a dream campaign that was sealed with his headers in Lisbon and Marrakech.
7-Cristiano Ronaldo. He failed miserably in the World Cup and in the final stretch of the campaign 2013-14. But his start and end of the year was simply superb. Some scandalous figures that will possibly give him his third Ballon d'Or and that will project him to be one of the best players ever if he continues in that line.
6- the new rules. A FIFA shaken by the scandals in the designation of the World Cups 2018 y 2022 finally had a good idea. The implementation of the hawk's eye to avoid ghost goals and the introduction of the spray to allow free-kick takers to have the barrier at the allowed distance. At last, technology came to the world of football.
5- Messi. He was a finalist in the World Cup where he also took the trophy for the best player. He was decisive in his team too, where he finished as the top scorer in addition to breaking the records of Raúl and Zarra in the Champions League and the League. However, He was not at the level of other seasons and there were many who criticized him for sometimes walking on the pitch and not giving the 100%.
4- english teams. Manchester United did not qualify for Europe, nor did Milan or Valencia. The problem is that the first is the visible head of a league that had no representative in the semifinals of the Champions League despite calling itself the best league in the world..
3- the amaños. Although there is still no final ruling that supports these theses, The truth is that there are many doubts about some important parties where there were certain suspicious movements of money. until it is confirmed, can't blame anyone, but the fixes, match fixing and illegal betting must be fiercely combated if fair football is to be achieved.
2- Spain. many saw them coming. Others would think that it would happen like in the Eurocopa 2012. The point is that the end of the glorious generation came to an end in the worst of ways. With a terrible image of indolence against the Netherlands and Chile. It was the end of a cycle that, however, should not forget everything that gave the “Roja” al fútbol.
1- Brazil. There will be many who think that it should be ahead in terms of points than Spain, since he reached the semifinals. Partly, there is some reason in that argument. but against, there is the fact of playing nothing at home with a hobby that carries you on the fly, with magnificent players and a tradition that demands “Beautiful game” Yes or yes. A pity about Brazil, which ended up being humiliated by 1-7 against Germany in a semifinal of unpleasant memories for the South Americans.
0- Stadium violence. The death of “Jimmy” in the Manzanares river is, definitely, the worst thing that left us 2014. A new episode of violence that should not happen again and that has served for the LFP and the CSD to take measures to prevent the presence of ultras in sports venues. From Hanged For Football, our strongest condemnation of these violent episodes.