Our latest World Cup Wrap comes as the quarter final line-up in Brazil was finalised on Tuesday evening with the last of the second round games.
Howard’s way
USA and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard set a World Cup record on Tuesday night, by making a total of 15 saves in their match against Belgium.
Howard was in impressive form, despite eventually conceding two goals in extra time, as Jurgen Klinsmann’s side missed out on a place in the quarter finals.
His performance topped Peru’s Ramon Quiroga, who held the previous record following 13 saves against the Dutch back in 1978.
Belgium had clocked up 39 attempts at goal in the 120 minutes, with 17 of those on target and only the strikes from Kevin De Bruyne and Howard’s former Everton team-mate Romelu Lukaku beating him.
And it prompted the #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave trend on social media, with fans mocking up a variety of humorous and doctored photos featuring the 35-year-old in typically heroic poses and situations outside of football.
After the game, Klinsmann concurred with the fans, saying: "What Tim played tonight was just phenomenal, outstanding - he kept us in that game for a long time. We are proud to have him with us."
The headline in 'The Times Of India'
Headline hero
It’s not often a newspaper headline from The Times of India literally hits the headlines, but they have cracked it this week.
Following Colombia star James Rodriguez’s brace against Uruguay last weekend the publication opted for an odd title with their World Cup report.
In an attempt to play upon the famous catchphrase from the James Bond films, the headline of ‘The name is Bond, James Rodriguez’ was used.
Quite how they came to that headline or link to the Monaco player, whose name is pronounced Ha-mes, is anyone’s guess but photos of the page quickly went viral on social media.
Shirt sales frenzy
The success of Costa Rica in Brazil has been reflected in the subsequent shirt sales in the Central American country, and indeed around the world.
Shirt sales of the Costa Rica jersey have gone through the roof
Manufactured by Lotto Sport Italia, the sportswear firm claim sales of the Costa Rica kit have increased by 20 times with 50,000 shirts sold since their first group game with Uruguay as Los Ticos have gone on to reach the quarter final.
Lotto first started their relationship with Costa Rica in 1990 and their faith in the nation is now paying off.
“We are now having trouble organising some fast production to let everyone have this shirt that will become a memory of a historic achievement,” revealed Lotto’s president Andrea Tomat.
And when asked where a Costa Rica shirt could still be bought, Tomat laughed: “It will not be so easy now … I have even been told by my people that I can’t give any away because they have very few.”
