James Rodriguez (Colombia) vs Uruguay: The baby-faced playmaker lit up the Maracana with a volley of the highest order in the round of 16. Rodriguez controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing an unstoppable volley on the turn. It was poetry in motion.
Tim Cahill (Australia) vs The Netherlands: The pugnacious Aussie wowed fans with a left-foot volley that would make Zinedine Zidane proud. Few would have thought that Cahill would connect a floated pass from the right so sweetly from the edge of the six-yard box. But he did, to the astonishment of everyone. It was Australia’s best moment of an otherwise forgettable campaign.
Robin van Persie (the Netherlands) vs Spain: Van Persie defied gravity as he launched himself into the air to head in a raking, deep left-wing cross from Daley Blind past a bemused Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas. It was some goal to open the Dutch account in Brazil. It would be pertinent to note that Van Persie's heading ability is the worst among top forwards in Brazil.
David Luiz (Brazil) vs Colombia :
It would be sad if people remember Luiz for his diabolical defending against Germany in the semifinal, for he had scored the best set-piece goal of the tournament in the previous round. To generate so much power in a side-footed free kick from more than 30 yards was sensational.
Gervinho (Ivory Coast) vs Colombia:
Arsenal fans would have pinched themselves in disbelief after seeing their former player score a superb solo goal after cutting in from the left as a man possessed. Gervinho, whose time at the Emirates was marked by rank inefficiency in front of goal, dribbled past Colombian defenders as if they hadn’t existed and the finish was thumping.
Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) vs Honduras:
Talk about rising to the occasion. When the Swiss desperately needed a win to progress to the second round, Shaqiri put his hands up to score a brilliant hat-trick and his first was a superlative curling effort from outside the box. It was a goal worthy of winning the World Cup final.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) vs Nigeria:
His free kick from outside the box was struck with such perfect weight and timing that the Nigerian goalkeeper was reduced to a spectator in his own den. Messi also deserves a mention for his solo goals against Bosnia and Iran.
James Rodriguez (Colombia) vs Uruguay:
Rodriguez's second in the round of 16 was a simple finish from close range but the move that had preceded it was one of the best in the whole tournament. The ball was moved from right to left with clockwork precision by four players before it found its way into the net. It was a goal that buttressed teamwork.
Suarez (Uruguay) vs England:
The much-maligned striker demonstrated his supreme predatory instincts with the winner after Steven Gerrrad had inadvertently flicked a goal kick on to his path. It was game, set and match for Uruguay in a flash as Suarez almost tore the net with a powerful shot from the right. The run and the finish were pure class.
Wesley Sneijder (The Netherlands) vs Mexico:
The much-maligned striker demonstrated his supreme predatory instincts with the winner after Steven Gerrrad had inadvertently flicked a goal kick on to his path. It was game, set and match for Uruguay in a flash as Suarez almost tore the net with a powerful shot from the right. The run and the finish were pure class.
