The triumph of teamwork

SEOUL -- Forget the stars, this World Cup has been about the teams.

Look at Sweden, Ireland, Senegal, Denmark, USA, Belgium, Japan and South Korea. All of these solid sides made the second round, while world icons like Zizou, Figo, and Batigol are already home watching the tournament on TV.

I have to admit that I have been surprised at some of the upsets here at the World Cup finals. If someone would have told me two weeks ago that France, Argentina, Cameroon and Portugal would all be out in the first round, I probably would have laughed.

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But the truth is that these teams failed to find a balance during the tournament. It seemed they were constantly waiting for one of their talented superstars to resolve the game by himself.

There may not be an “I” in team, but there is a “me” and some of the best-known footballers do not sacrifice themselves for the team. This surely cost some of the most high-profile sides a place in the knockout phase.

In stark contrast, it has been a pleasure to see some of the team-oriented sides in action.

Look at how Senegal pulled together to beat France, how the USA ran all over Portugal, how Sweden solidified to keep out Argentina. You could see the determination in some of these player’s faces. They were going to get what they wanted and no-one was going to stop them.

There is no question that talent can win you games. But talent alone cannot overcome sheer determination and hard work. We see it every day in life, and we have seen it at the World Cup.

World Sport's Pedro Pinto will be reporting regularly from South Korea during the World Cup.

 

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