Iker Casillas: 5/10
The goalkeeper didn’t have the best World Cup. He made some good saves but he also conceded a lot of goals. Many Spanish people blame Casillas for the early exit but many goals weren’t entirely his fault; the whole Spanish team failed after years of glory. The Iker we saw at the World Cup wasn’t the one we are used to.
Sergio Ramos: 7/10
After a wonderful year for Sergio, who wasn’t expecting more from him at the World Cup? I know I was. He made a few defensive errors and I could have given him a lower grade, but I highlight the leadership shown on the field. He was a true warrior and tried to motivate the team as a true leader. That is why he deserves some credit although his overall performance could have done better.
Xabi Alonso: 5.5/10
Xabi did not really shine or stood out and he didn’t do his defensive duties very well. People doubt if he should be called up again
for Spain after this World Cup and doubt if he can now handle
Real Madrid’s level of play. I sure think he still has something to offer both Spain and Real Madrid. If Xabi wasn’t there as a defensive midfielder I think Spain would have suffered even more.
Pepe: 6.5/10
Pepe struggled against Germany, just like the whole squad. We did not see Pepe play a lot because of his red card and Portugal’s early exit. However, in the last game against Ghana, he showed his quality. We all know he could have done better if he got more time to show his defending skill.
Fabio Coentrao: 7/10
Fábio did not defend very well however he did better in attack. He is usually criticized because of this but he showed improvement.
Cristiano Ronaldo: 6.5/10
The Portuguese superstar did not convince or make a mark in any match. His numbers are not what we are used to; only 1 goal for the best player in the world. The reasons for this performance are obvious, he still struggled with his injury and his teammates underperformed. CR7 still earns a 6.5 for his leadership and posture, he tried his best.
Luka Modric: 7/10
Croatia didn’t have much, a referee-problem against Brazil made sure that they were eliminated after the first round. Modric couldn’t really become the star of the team like he usually is. He played decent, but he didn’t show his great skills. He didn’t score or assist in the 3 games he played in the World Cup but he was an important section of the Croatian midfield.
The World Cup report card
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by Bob Husson, Holland