“In theory, has there ever been a World Cup in which picking a Not Quite All-Tournament team (NQATT) should have been easier? The only challenge was to find a formation that would incorporate Messi, Rooney and Torres upfront and Kaka, Ronaldo and Ribery in midfield. But then they actually played the games. Despite all the glossy, megamillion-dollar ad campaigns — when Nike said, ‘Write the future,’ perhaps it meant 2014 — many of the world’s elite players sank to the occasion in South Africa, opening the door for the lesson-known names to show that you don’t have to make $250,000 a week and own a fleet of Lamborghinis to strut your talent on the big stage. So for now — before the semifinals kick off and change everything — we salute the guys behind the guys, because let’s face it, it might be back to normal in four years.” (ESPN)