Fixtures+Results National teams Squad World Cup 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 21 - QUARTER FINALS - NETHERLANDS VS COSTA RICA 4:3

QUARTER-FINALS
5th July 2014

Netherlands vs Costa Rica 4:3
Netherlands reached the semi-finals. Through on penalties

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5 Jul 2014
Key-Player National teams World Cup 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - Brazil - win World Cup for injured star Neymar - Thiago Silva

Brazil captain Thiago Silva called on his team-mates to win the World Cup for injured star Neymar after the forward was ruled out of the tournament.

The 22-year-old scored four goals in five matches before breaking a vertebra in his spine during the quarter-final win against Colombia.

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5 Jul 2014
Club Stars in Europe Transfers
Transfer - Cameroon - Choupo-Moting signs for Schalke from German rivals Mainz

Cameroon forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has joined Schalke on a free transfer from Bundesliga rival Mainz.

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5 Jul 2014
Fixtures+Results National teams Squad World Cup 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 20 - QUARTER FINALS - FRANCE VS GERMANY 0:1

QUARTER-FINALS
4th July 2014

France vs Germany 0:1

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4 Jul 2014
Fixtures+Results National teams Squad World Cup 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 20 - QUARTER FINALS - BRAZIL VS COLOMBIA 2:1

QUARTER-FINALS
4th July 2014

Brazil vs Colombia 2:1

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4 Jul 2014
National teams World Cup 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - USA - 2014 WORLD CUP - USA look to bright future despite lost opportunity

We’ve got a few young players coming through and that gives us optimism looking ahead to the future of American football and the national team. “It was a phenomenal tournament for us,” Klinsmann continued. 

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2 Jul 2014
National teams World Cup 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - BELGIUM - 2014 WORLD CUP - Belgium welcome attack-minded foes

“The United States came out to win the match rather than avoid defeat. We were then able to take advantage of the extra space,” confirmed Kevin De Bruyne, who opened the scoring in the third minute of extra time and put in a fine all-round performance, linking well with Eden Hazard in particular. “It was a real pleasure to play such free-flowing football,” he added.

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2 Jul 2014
Coaches National teams World Cup 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - SWITZERLAND - 2014 WORLD CUP - Goodbye, Ottmar Hitzfeld. All the best and take care.

Hitzfeld has made a positive impression wherever he has been stationed and his name is still regularly chanted in the stands at Bayern Munich.

“He put together a really good team that will last for many years to come,” Granit Xhaka told FIFA.com, before Josip Drmic added: “He’s done a great job.” 

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2 Jul 2014
Fixtures+Results National teams Squad World Cup 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - ARGENTINA VS SWITZERLAND 1:0

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Argentina vs Switzerland 1:0

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1 Jul 2014
Fixtures+Results National teams Squad World Cup 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 19 - LAST SIXTEEN - BELGIUM VS USA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
1st July 2014

Belgium vs USA 2:1

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1 Jul 2014
Featured Key-Player SPECIALS

2025 Ballon d'Or - France - Ousmane Dembélé has won the 2025 Men's Ballon d'Or

France 

Ousmane Dembélé has been awarded the 2025 Men's Ballon d'Or, with other honours going to Lamine Yamal, Luis Enrique, Viktor Gyökeres, and Gianluigi Donnarumma. The 28-year-old was named ahead of Lamine Yamal and Paris club-mate Vitinha to complete a memorable campaign. He was named UEFA Champions League Player of the Season as Paris claimed the title for the first time.

Dembélé also played a key role in a domestic double, finishing the 2024/25 season with an incredible haul of 37 goals and 15 assists. For the women’s Ballon d’Or (Ballon d’Or Féminin), Aitana Bonmatí has won consecutively in recent years. 

Other men's prizes awarded in Paris included the Men's Kopa Trophy (best young player), Men's Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper), Men's Johan Cruyff Trophy (best coach in club/national team), Men's Gerd Müller Trophy (top scorer in club/national team) and the Men's Club of the Year. 

Notable Records
• Most wins: Lionel Messi holds the record with 8 Ballon d’Or titles
• Cristiano Ronaldo is second in number with 5 Ballon d’Or titles
• Only one goalkeeper has ever won: Lev Yashin (1963)

 

23 Sep 2025
afrofootball

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