1. World Cup holders just don't start well

It is now the case that in four of the the last five World Cups, the team that lifted the trophy in the previous tournament failed to win their opening game.

It's an astonishing statistic, but what’s the cause? Complacency? Inevitable and unavoidable squad turnover? If a week is a long time in football, four years is a lifetime - perhaps the tactics that once made a team successful simply don't work as well that far down the line.


In Germany's case, we saw two factors at play - one, their previously unshakeable confidence had dipped following a succession of stuttering results in the run-up to Russia. And two, they were simply caught cold by a Mexico side that played them as equals from the get-go and saw their bold, confident attacking tactics rewarded.

Germany v Mexico player ratings

2. Muller the hunter is becoming the hunted

Thomas Muller is six goals off of the all-time World Cup goalscoring record of 16 held by his former teammate Miroslav Klose - but the chances of him one day breaking it are looking increasingly distant.

It's six games and 15 months since Muller last scored for Die Mannschaft. That's some come-down for a guy once universally feared as one of the most unforgiving predators around.

He looked lost against Mexico, marooned out on the right swing - but it's the same position the 28 year-old played in his previous two World Cups, scoring five goals in each.


This week, one journalist put to him the prospect of being dropped. "I didn't get into any finishing positions against Mexico," he admitted. He has to rediscover that predatory instinct fast - for the sake of his team, and his own.

3. Cho Hyun-woo could break new ground

It's fairly clear that this won't be South Korea's year - so in the likely absence of results on the pitch, the AFC nation will have to find smaller victories elsewhere.

Here's one, potentially - only two Asian players have ever made the World Cup's All-Star Team, typically named after each tournament by FIFA or their sponsors. Incidentally, both were part of the 2002 line-up. But there's never been an Asian goalkeeper. Cho Hyun-woo is an candidate to be the first.

Sweden v South Korea player ratings


The 26-year-old was flawless against Sweden, producing saves of genuine class and outstanding reflexes to deny Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen.

It doesn't make sense for a keeper with a strong defence in front of him to be named Keeper of the Tournament - a busier keeper surely warrants greater consideration. On the basis of both their opening game against a Swedish side not exactly the renowned for attacking vigour, and the potency of the teams they have yet to face, South Korea are gonna be relying on this guy a lot.