As the competition draws to a close and Germany and Argentina prepare for the Final, it is time for Saturday's World Cup Wrap.
It has been a fantastic tournament, with goals, drama and upsets aplenty - but today we focus on what has been going on off the field and look back at some of the memorable, amusing and slightly bizarre sound-bites from the past four weeks - starting with Robin van Persie's inability to keep count...
Van Persie struggles to keep up with Dutch goal tally
Van Persie and Robben star as the Dutch destroy Spain in their opening game
"It was a crazy game. We could have scored five...oh right, we did score five, but we could have scored six, seven or eight."
The flying Dutchman after their 5-1 thrashing of defending champions Spain in the opening game.
Balotelli's regal request
Balotelli never did get his kiss from Her Majesty
"If we beat Costa Rica I want a kiss, obviously on the cheek, from the UK Queen."
Italy striker Mario Balotelli posted this cheeky message on Twitter as they prepared to take on Costa Rica. Unfortunately for Balotelli (and England) the striker was unable to impose himself on the game and the Italians could not do England the favour they needed to keep their hopes of progression alive.
Modest Ronaldo attempts to put Portuguese minds at ease
Ronaldo spent much of his World Cup battling injury
"I would like to be 110 per cent fit but I am 100 per cent fit and that should be enough to help the national team."
Never one to play down his own importance, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo attempted to ease fears about his troublesome knee injury.
The magic of Messi
Messi stands on the cusp of greatness with Argentina
The most talked about man at the World Cup has arguably been Lionel Messi.
He has broken worldwide records for Twitter mentions - scored and created goals en route to the Final - and the debate about his place among the game's greatest of all time rages on.
So to finish, here are a few choice quotes about the Argentinian maestro, from those who have encountered him in Brazil.
"Messi could be the best player in the world - if he was human." Iran coach Carlos Queiroz after the little magician scored a late winner to defeat his side in the group stage.
"Thank God El Enano (the Dwarf) rubbed the lamp at the end." Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero said of Messi's late winner.
"Messi is one of heck of a player. He's blessed. There are good calibre players in the team but Messi is from Jupiter." Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has his say after Messi starred in Argentina's 3-2 victory over his side in Porto Alegre.
"When you have a player such as Messi, who never, or almost never, loses the ball, it’s water in the desert." Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella expresses his obvious delight at Messi's influence.
