136 goals were scored in the group stages of the 2014 World Cup, a significant improvement on South Africa 2010 where the ball hit the net 101 times in the opening 48 games. European giants Spain, Portugal, Italy and England all crashed out at the first hurdle, while Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Argentina progressed to the last-16 after impressive showings in the opening rounds of the competition.
The latter, though, would not have made it to the next round had it not been for Lionel Messi. While the Argentine missed out on a 5th Ballon d’Or award, Cristiano Ronaldo securing that accolade, Messi strived to better the Portuguese this summer and has succeeded in doing so in Brazil. No player scored more goals in the group stages (4) than the Argentina captain, while his WhoScored rating (9.2) was the best of every player in the first 3 games.
His performances saw him awarded the WhoScored man of the match award in each of his 3 appearances, a feat that only Arjen Robben can match. Unsurprisingly, the Dutchman partners Messi in attack having netted 3 and assisted 1 in the group stages. Robben is currently the 2nd highest rated player (8.95) at the World Cup, with his display against Spain a particular highlight. Only Messi (4) has created more clear-cut goalscoring opportunities than Robben (3) so far and the duo are expected to play a key role if Argentina and Netherlands, respectively, are to make it to the final, which will be the first and only time the two teams can meet.
Having started the domestic season slowly with Real Madrid, Karim Benzema has really come into his own for France, despite his lacklustre displays for the national team in the past. Benzema held off competition from Olivier Giroud to be Didier Deschamps’ number 1 striker and he repaid the faith shown in him with a blistering showing in the group stages. No player directly contributed to more goals (5) than Benzema and his average rating (8.57) indicates just how well he has performed.
Despite often playing as the lone striker, Benzema can excel when joined up front, as he did in the 5-2 win over Switzerland. Giroud spearheaded the attack with the Madrid attacker moved to the left-wing to accommodate the Arsenal man. Benzema’s versatility will be vital for Deschamps in the latter stages of the World Cup and highlights how adaptable a player the 26-year-old is.
On the opposite flank to Benzema is Oscar. While much of the focus on Brazil’s success was thrust on Neymar, the Chelsea midfielder has effectively gone about his business in the attacking third. His performance in the 3-1 win over Croatia saw him awarded a perfect 10 - the only one of the World Cup group stages - while his average rating (8.4) is the highest of every Brazil player. Boasting a statistically calculated strength of ‘defensive contribution’, it’s little shock that only Daley Blind (9 vs Chile) made more tackles in a single group stage match than Oscar (8 vs Mexico), with many feeling he, not Neymar, will play the starring role if Brazil are to win the World Cup.
Fellow South American James Rodríguez features in the heart of midfield having impressed for Colombia this summer. Even without Falcao, José Pekerman’s side have been ruthless in attack, netting 9 goals in the group stages - only Netherlands (10) scored more. Rodríguez though has been central to their efforts, with 3 goals and 2 assists, while his performance as a second half substitute against Japan was awarded the highest rating (9.37) of any appearance from the bench at the World Cup so far.
Miralem Pjanic partners Rodríguez in the middle of the park, despite Bosnia & Herzegovina’s early exit. Big things were expected of Pjanic in Brazil and while the team failed to impress in their debut major international competition, the Roma ace didn’t disappoint. No player executed more key passes (12) than Pjanic in the group stages and the creative quality of the 24-year-old will be sorely missed in the knockout rounds of the competition.
Highly-rated left-back Ricardo Rodriguez unsurprisingly makes the best rated XI having played a prominent role in Switzerland’s progression to the last-16 stage of the World Cup. While he was part of a defence that shipped 5 to France, the young defender has translated his performances for Wolfsburg last season onto the international stage. Only compatriot Josip Drmic (3 vs Honduras) created more clear-cut goalscoring opportunities in a match than Rodriguez (2 vs Ecuador) as his stock continues to soar.
Serge Aurier is another whose been linked with a big money move this summer and he hasn’t disappointed in Brazil either, despite Ivory Coast’s dramatic early exit. The Elephants were tipped to qualify with Colombia from Group C, but came undone against Greece in their final group game. Only Daley Blind and Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (both 3) registered more assists than Aurier (2) in the group stages, which helped his WhoScored rating reach 7.65 from 3 appearances.
Sticking with Blind, the defender’s 3 assists in 3 group stage appearances is more than the number of goals he provided for Ajax (1) in the Eredivisie in all of last season. Like Benzema at the World Cup, Blind exhibited his versatility for the Oranje having filled in for Bruno Martins Indi at centre-back in their 2-0 win over Chile and this ability to play in the heart of defence or at wing-back will help the Netherlands in their quest to win the World Cup.
Rafael Marquez partners Blind at centre-back after Mexico secured their place in the last-16 stage at the expense of Croatia. The Club León defender has rolled back the years for the national team in Brazil, forming part of a defence that shipped just 1 goal in the opening 3 games. Marquez became the first man to captain his country at four separate World Cups when El Tricolor faced Cameroon earlier this month and the 35-year-old has marshaled the Mexico backline with aplomb, as his average rating (7.87) suggests.
Completing the highest rated XI is Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama. No goalkeeper kept more clean sheets than the 31-year-old (21) in Europe’s top 5 leagues last season, while he is 1 of only 6 goalkeepers to keep 2 clean sheets at the World Cup. Enyeama has made the most saves in a single match (10 vs Argentina) at Brazil 2014, while the Nigerian has also made the most saves (18) at the World Cup in total, displaying his excellent shotstopping ability.
Who would make it into your best XI of the group stages of the 2014 World Cup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
