World Cup 2018: 5 of the biggest flops at the mundial
The FIFA World Cup 2018 has finally come to an end as France beat Croatia to clinch their second World Cup trophy, in what was an action-packed and exhilarating event.
This World Cup has had its fair share of events and it's synonymous with phrases like; ''all good things come to an end" and "in the heat of battle, heroes emerge, sometimes from the most unlikely of sources".
This World Cup will forever be remembered for its unprecedented results, upsets and high-voltage matches.
New heroes emerged and dazzled the audience with their spectacular performances for their respective national sides. They became a massive piece in the jigsaw and had crucial roles in their team.
However, numerous players who were billed to hog the limelight in Russia completely disappointed the fans. They were regarded as the most crucial part of their teams, but became a burden, a liability for their respective sides.
Their incompetence affected their team's performance and negatively impacted the outcome. In this article, we take a look at 5 players who flopped at the FIFA World Cup 2018.
#5 Manuel Neuer
Germany's group-stage exit from the FIFA World Cup was the most shocking of all the news we have heard. The Germans were considered as hot favourites and came on the back of impressive performances.
But on the ground, it was a different story altogether! Joachim Loew made numerous mistakes in this edition, and his preference for Manuel Neuer ahead of in form Ter Stegen was one of the biggest.
Neuer missed major parts of the season due to an injury, whereas Ter Stegen stood impregnably and impressed everyone at FC Barcelona. However, Loew decided to go for Neuer. It came to haunt him time and again.
Neuer was no longer the same goalkeeper who won the Golden Glove in Brazil. His performance was below-par and he committed numerous flaws that cost Germany the title.