5 teams that have improved since their 2014 World Cup campaign

The 2014 World Cup saw plenty of teams perform beyond expectations while others crashed and burned spectacularly. Among those who crumbled on the biggest footballing stage, some have since begun to rebuild and push forward. Whether it was a change in tactics or the coming into form of a few key players, these squads have evolved and come into their own after a dire World Cup campaign.We look at five of the best recoveries from teams that fell apart at the 2014 World Cup.

#1 England

England's winless 2014 World Cup campaign was heavily dissected and criticised by the fans and the media. They have long been labelled "constant underperformers" and "chokers", guilty of being hyped up with no end results.

Their post-World Cup performances, however, tell a different story. They have been unbeaten in their last eight outings (7 wins, 1 draw). You could argue that their matches have all been against opponents of relatively lower quality. However, hardly any of these matches have been walkovers. Moreover, the way England have approached these games has been the crux of their post-World Cup rebuilding process that has been the most impressive – they have been more patient in attack and do not squander possession.

The approach from England has been splendid and some of the credit has to go to Roy Hodgson for sticking to his best performers and judging the right periods to experiment. There has been a distinct rise in intensity and integration of a better style of play within the squad that has taken them to the top of their European Championship Qualifying (ECQ) group. Their five wins out of five in the qualifiers have ensured that they are top of Group E with a lead of six points.

It would be sage advice for England to not get carried away on the back of their recent run of results. The same form could make them definite challengers come Euro 2016.