FIFA's insistence on most club soccer ending almost a month before the World Cup has had a hugely beneficial impact on the finals, Andy Roxburgh a member of FIFA's Technical Study Group (TSG) said on Thursday.

Asked whether players had suffered less from burnout at this World Cup than previous finals, former Scotland coach Roxburgh said: "I think that's right. It was a fantastic decision by FIFA to insist that players took that break from playing.

"It has clearly had an enormous beneficial effect. The humid conditions here didn't help, but the gap meant the players were in better shape, could cope better and all the teams benefited with more high tempo, excellent games."

Roxburgh agreed there had been some disappointing games at the finals, but picked out Argentine v Mexico in the second round as a particularly good match.

The TSG is a FIFA committee including former national coaches which analyses tournament matches and reports on trends in the game.

Holger Osieck, the head of the TSG, said that the most significant new trend was the danger being created by inswinging free kicks taken by a right-footed player wide on the left.

"The set-plays are increasingly becoming a weapon teams are using to win games.

"The inswinging free kick taken on the left-wing by a right -footed player is now being delivered with such spin that the slightest touch can lead to a goal."

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