Jubilant Germans celebrated in the streets on Sunday night, lighting fireworks, embracing strangers, honking car horns and revelling in their first World Cup win in 24 years.
Rediff.com takes a look at the 10 big names that flopped at the World Cup 2014.
The MLS and NBA were paying particularly close attention to Friday's events as many of the positive tests occurred in Florida where both leagues have announced plans to restart their seasons at Orlando's Walt Disney World.
Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic's early goal secured a 1-0 win over Real Madrid and a 2-1 aggregate success to clinch the Spanish Super Cup and gain some revenge for last season's Champions League final defeat.
Injury-hit Bayern Munich crushed third-tier Preussen Muenster 4-1 away on Sunday to bounce back from their midweek Super Cup defeat and launch a successful defence of their German Cup title.
Mandzukic signing adds to the Serie A champs' big haul of strikers as Paul Pogba is targetted by Barca and PSG among other clubs
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli apologised on Tuesday for his social media post which appeared to contain potentially racist and anti-Semitic references.
The good times are back, in a measured way, in fun spots across the globe.
Brazilian police have arrested a 22-year-old boxer who was the flag bearer for the Namibian national team on suspicion of attempting to sexually assault a room maid in the Olympic village, the second boxer detained on such charges at the Games.
Germany are champions of the world again after snatching victory against Argentina in the soccer showpiece with a superb extra-time goal from baby-faced Mario Goetze to lift the trophy for the first time since 1990.
Germany's World Cup victory on Sunday was not just down to 50 days of good preparation for the tournament but was the culmination of a meticulously-planned long-term project, coach Joachim Loew said.
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer won the Golden Glove award for being the best goalkeeper of the World Cup. Argentina captain Lionel Messi had never scored at the world finals prior to Brazil 2014, a record he em
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A first half Tiago header set up Atletico Madrid's 2-0 victory over Espanyol as they seek to get back on track following a stuttering start to the La Liga season.
Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic's early goal secured a 1-0 win over Real Madrid and a 2-1 aggregate success to clinch the Spanish Super Cup and gain some revenge for last season's Champions League final defeat.
Rio Games organizers stepped up police patrols around the Olympic Park on Wednesday after two people were injured when a bus was hit by what security officials said were stones hurled by vandals.
Cameroon went down fighting - off the ball and amongst themselves - as they exited the World Cup on Wednesday with Alex Song adding a red card to the ill-disciplined African nation's long list in a thumping 4-0 defeat by Croatia.
Romelu Lukakuare still five points off the Champions League places after Antonio Candreva's equaliser rescued a solitary point in a 2-2 draw at Torino in a thrilling Serie A clash on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund stayed top of the Bundesliga by beating Augsburg 4-3, while titleholders Bayern Munich were thumped 3-0 at home by Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Neuer made the squad despite playing in just one official game, a friendly against Austria on Friday, since breaking a bone in his foot in September but talented 22-year-old Sane was the biggest name to miss out.
Fiorentina conceded a late goal, had David Pizarro sent off and lost their 100 percent Serie A record in a 1-1 draw at home to Cagliari on Sunday, with an injury to Mario Gomez compounding their frustration.
A diving header from Mario Mandzukic took a deflection off the Nigerian midfielder and crept into the goal for a deserved lead as Croatia dominated the count of chances created in the first 45 minutes.
Germany's versatile attacking midfielders Marco Reus and Mario Goetze are hoping their time to shine in the national team will come at the World Cup in Brazil next month after both players endured a disappointing maiden tournament at Euro 2012.
Tennis stars Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic were in for a tasty surprise on their arrival in Tokyo before the commencement of the Japan Open.
As soon as the final whistle of the extra-time blew confirming Germany's 1-0 win, Wives, girlfriends (WAGs) and children join the German team on the pitch after their World Cup final victory over Argentina at the Maracana, Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil's Olympic soccer team trained in the headlights of a lorry on Monday after the floodlights failed at their training ground, local news media reported.
It's a World Cup reporter's dream. You board a plane and who's on the flight with you? Luiz Felipe Scolari, the coach of Brazil's national soccer team. Or at least that's what Mario Sergio Conti, one of Brazil's best-known syndicated columnists, thought on Wednesday on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo.
Midfielder Luka Modric and available-again striker Mario Mandzukic will spearhead Croatia's effort to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup last 16 when they face Cameroon on Wednesday, coach Niko Kovac said.
Portugal coach Paulo Bento suggested the referee was favouring Germany after his side had a penalty awarded against them and a player sent off in their 4-0 World Cup defeat on Monday.
Italy opened their campaign with an emphatic 2-1 win over England in their Group D match in the Amazon city of Manaus on Saturday.
Messi doesn't need to win a World Cup to prove his greatness, feels iconic former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo.
Lionel Messi was sent off before half-time and then angrily hit out at "corrupt" tournament organisers after Argentina beat Chile 2-1 to win a bad-tempered third-place playoff at the Copa America on Saturday.
'We feel thrust into a motion picture that has all the makings of a carnival but no real fireworks,' Sreehari Nair notes after watching Malik.
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli acknowledges that playing Spain in a friendly three months before the World Cup may not be the best idea but a decent performance could help his side take a step forward in their development.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri criticised his players for letting their guard down and losing 2-1 at arch-rivals Inter Milan after taking the lead in the second half at the San Siro.
Here's what your favourite Hollywood stars have been up to.
Brescia left Mario Balotelli on the bench after coach Fabio Grosso said the maverick striker had not put in enough effort in training during the week.
Former India footballer and coach Syed Abdus Salam, who was awarded Best Defender in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, died at his Salarjung Colony residence in Hyderabad on Saturday.
A Rio Olympics media bus, driving above the speed limit, hit a speed bump injuring three reporters travelling inside it, with one being taken to hospital, a Games official said on Tuesday. The accident occurred on Monday evening. A South Korean journalist was taken to hospital for treatment before being released. "It involved three journalists - a Korean, an Israeli and one working for (U.S.) broadcaster NBC, for whom we do not have the nationality," Games spokesman Mario Andrada said.
