. . . and highs and lows.

MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM

Argentina

The South Americans had been considered title contenders by many and coasted through the group stages. They also looked to be playing with considerable spirit for their coach, Maradona. But the warning signs were there against South Korea with the defence so poor that the team was lucky not to concede as many as it scored. Sure enough, they were dismantled by the Germans, the first good team they met.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER

Wayne Rooney (England)

It’s a little unfair to pick out one player from the tournament who let their side down, for there are many guilty parties. But a great deal was required from Rooney if England were going to make an impact. Despite occasional flashes that suggested he might spring into life it never happened. He was a spectator as Germany overwhelmed his side.

IKER CASILLAS (Spain)

Didn’t start the tournament brilliantly but came good over the course of it, looking assured around his area and making some fine saves, including a match changing one from Arjen Robben in Sunday evening’s final.

SERGIO RAMOS (Spain)

A key player for the champions with the right back both effective at the back and dangerous coming forward. A good crosser of the ball and a threat around the opposition area himself, as he showed when he came close to opening the scoring at Soccer City.

CARLES PUYOL (Spain)

The big Barca centre back has his shortcomings, most obviously the chronic lack of pace exposed by Arjen Robben in the final, and his approach sometimes seems a little blood and guts for such a sophisticated side as this Spain one. But he is hugely powerful in the air, a good tackler and, perhaps most important, a major inspiration to those around him.

LUCIO (Brazil)

Ultimately it all went wrong for the Brazilians, who were beaten by a more focused Dutch team. But a couple of the their back four – Maicon also stands out – still managed to come out of the tournament with credit and the Inter Milan defender looked impressive throughout.

PHILIPP LAHM (Germany)

The 26-year-old Bayern Munich man had a fine tournament, defending well and playing a key part at times in the side’s central tactic of springing forward from defence to catch opponents short-handed at the back. Not bad from someone who was playing on his weaker side until the third place play-off.

MARK VAN BOMMEL (Netherlands)

The Netherlands’ ability to smother opponents in central midfield was absolutely central to their success, and Van Bommel was the main building block of the approach. Working tirelessly alongside Nigel de Jong, he helped win a steady supply of possession before looking to release the team’s key danger men, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder.

XAVI (Spain)

Still the heartbeat of this great side and likely to be remembered as one of the greatest players his country has produced. A cool guiding hand in central midfield, directing the movement of the team with his neat and often incisive passing and helping to change the tempo of the game as required.

WESLEY SNEIJDER (Netherlands)

The midfielder couldn’t quite engineer the end he wanted to a spectacular year but he did enough to undermine the credibility of whoever at Real Madrid gets to decide who stays at or leaves the club. Some powerhouse performances and plenty of goals including, from a man they call “the Smurf”, one with his head.

ANDRES INIESTA (Spain)

His dual role in Spain’s winner on Sunday – helping to start the move deep in midfield, then getting forward into the Dutch box to apply the finish – underlined his importance to the team. Drifts all across the midfield, serving as a winger, central midfielder or deep lying forward, and also comfortable as the Spanish play themselves out of - or even into – the tightest of corners with their remarkable passing.

DAVID VILLA (Spain)

A disappointing end to the tournament for the newly-signed Barcelona striker insofar as he had a quiet game on Sunday, but his five goals represented more than half the total amassed by the Spain during the tournament, and a couple of them were crackers. His flexibility – he routinely switches between the left flank and the lone striker’s role, is one of the many things that makes his team so difficult to defend against.

DIEGO FORLAN (Uruguay)

A stunning tournament for the former Manchester United striker with the goals that won him the Golden Ball only one part of his massive contribution to Uruguay’s tremendous run. His speed of thought as much as his actual pace caused endless problems for defences, while his often brilliant passing and set-piece play helped set up goals for those around him, most obviously Luis Suarez.

BEST YOUNG PLAYER

Thomas Muller (Germany)

A stunning tournament debut by the 20-year-old who proved unstoppable from the right side of Germany’s second wave of attack. The Bayern Munich man has tremendous pace, a clinical eye for goal but a keen sense too of when others are better placed to score. On the strength of this, he could be a key player in what promises to be a bright future for the team.