IT WILL SURPRISE few football fans to discover that, after two rounds of the World Cup’s group games, Karim Benzema and Robin van Persie are the tournaments top performers. Statistically speaking, that is.
FIFA, the game’s organising body, has released its latest round-up of the World Cup’s best players. Known as the Castrol Index, Benzema leads the statistical rankings of all players competing in Brazil. The Frenchman has three goals and three assists in two games and has taken 15 of his country’s 42 shots on goal. 11 of them have been on target.
Van Persie and his Dutch teamate Arjen Robben are both on three goals and lie in second and third respectively. Next in the list is Brazil’s David Luiz, with Nigeria’s Vincent Enyema fifth.
Ivan Perisic is a new entry in the Index top 10 after his starring role in Croatia’s 4-0 mauling of Cameroon. Enner Valencia of Ecuador, who netted twice against Honduras on Friday, is seventh. Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is a place further back. He repelled everything Brazil threw at him in his country’s recent 0-0 draw and has yet to concede a goal in the tournament.
James Rodriguez of Colombia is ninth and there is a somewhat surprising inclusion at 10. Everton and England defender Phil Jagielka makes the list despite his team conceding four goals in two games and his part in both of Uruguay’s goals last Wednesday. Jagielka allowed Luis Suarez to twice get away from him and score, prompting the BBC punditry team to label his errors “schoolboy” and for RTE’s Eamon Dunphy to lament the John Terry-shaped hole in the Brazilian defence.
https://vine.co/v/MTObTEFeuwB
FIFA give reasons for each player being in the top 10 and James Rodriguez (in ninth) gets a ‘last but not least’ mention. There is no reasoning for Jagielka’s inclusion, although he did block goal-bound shots in England’s defeats to Italy and Uruguay. He also cleared a Mario Balotelli lob off the English line in Manaus.
Neither Suarez, who missed round one of fixtures, nor Argentina’s Lionel Messi have made the top 10.
Castrol Index top 10
- Karim Benzema (FRA) 9.77
- Robin van Persie (HOL) 9.72
- Arjen Robben (HOL) 9.67
- David Luiz (BRA) 9.63
- Vincent Enyeama (NIG) 9.59
- Ivan Perisic (CRO) 9.56
- Enner Valencia (ECU) 9.53
- Guillermo Ochoa (MEX) 9.49
- James Rodriguez (COL) 9.46
- Phil Jagielka (ENG) 9.44
