The Cup brimmeth over in Brazil

Spain return home hammered, humbled and humiliated. If only Coach Vicente Del Bosque had stuck to his strategy, if only he had not told his immensely talented bunch to feed the ball to the invisible figure of Diego Costa (brilliant as he is as a striker) near the rival penalty box, if only Spain had played to their potential, if only Robin van Persie's header had not turned into a nightmare for the defending champions, if only ... the ifs can go on, and that is the beauty of the game of soccer.

The World Cup, in its first week, has already produced enough shocks and surprises, heartbreaks and euphoria, upsets and linear scripts. The Netherlands, avenging their 2010 final loss to Spain, are already in the round of 16 with Chile for company. Hosts Brazil, neighbors Argentina, Colombia and Germany look set to join them.

True, new stars are yet to be born, but this Cup seems to be all about teams, not individuals. The van Persies, Neymars, Robbens, Muellers and Messis have come good, though, so have the Suarezes, Cavanis, Rooneys, Pirlos and Balotellis.