OVERALL
Neymar scored the 100th goal of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil's 100th game in World Cup finals history.
James Rodriguez, named after James Bond, but pronounced "Ham-ez" became the first player to score in his first five career World Cup appearances since Peru’s Teofilo Cubillas.
The last nine World Cup 3rd/4th place playoff matches have all seen at least three goals scored.
The top scoring squad number at 2014 World Cup is number 10 with 29 goals.
Eight matches went to extra-time at the 2014 World Cup, a joint-record along with 1990.
Five of the last seven World Cup finals have been goalless at half-time.
A World Cup semi-final ended 0-0 for the first time. No World Cup semi-final had ever ended 0-0 (including extra-time).
All eight group stage winners went to the quarter finals stage for the first time in World Cup history.
Cameroon, Australia and Honduras lost all of their group stage matches. While Netherlands, Colombia, Argentina and Belgium won all of their group stage matches.
Other teams threatened upsets without delivering the final blow, among them Australia and Mexico against Netherlands, Iran and Switzerland against Argentina, Ghana and Algeria against Germany.
The disappointment of Cameroon, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire left Algeria to fly the African flag. Algeria reached the knockout stage for the first time and produced an incredible last-16 display against Germany, but lost in extra time.
Few tipped Chile to progress at Spain's expense or USA at Portugal's. Chile eliminated the world and European champions to end their era of dominance.
Costa Rica came into the World Cup, without two of their best players, and in a World Cup group with three former world champions. They beat Uruguay and Italy, drew with England and sent Greece packing in a penalty shootout in the last 16 but lost to the Netherlands by the same method in the quarter-final.
ASSOCIATIONS
UEFA have won the World Cup for three successive tournaments - a confederation record.
Only six European nations made it to the last 16; a joint-World cup low since the Round of 16 was introduced in 1986.
This World Cup was the first time that three sides from the CONCACAF region made it out of the group stages and into the last 16 (since 1986).
Red Cards
There were fewer red cards at the 2014 World Cup than any other edition since 1986, with 8 reds.
Alex Song who picked up Cameroon's eighth red card in their World Cup history. His relative Rigobert Song is one of only two players (along with Zinedine Zidane) to be sent off twice at World Cups, meaning the Song family is responsible for three of Cameroon's eight reds.
Injuries
Neymar suffered the greatest injury which ruled him out of the rest of the World Cup after getting Brazil to the semi-finals. Neymar broke a vertebra in his back following a challenge by Colombia's Juan Zuniga in their quarter-final match. Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Sami Khedira, Wesley Sneijder, Christoph Kramer and a few others also suffered problems, and Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't fully fit but pushed himself for Portugal.
Radamel Falcao, Franck Ribery, Marco Reus, Rafael van der Vaart, Thiago Alcantara, Riccardo Montolivo or Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were ruled out before a ball had been kicked.
Scandals
Algeria were fined because their supporters used lasers, Cameroon embroiled in match-fixing allegations, an England fan lost a piece of his ear which was bitten off by another England fan and Arjen Robben was accused of diving but later admitted to it.
For a third time in his career, Luis Suarez bit a player. This time it was defender Giorgio Chiellini of Italy. Suarez was suspended for their last 16 match with Colombia - the first absence of a four-month ban - as they lost 2-0.
The opening match between Brazil and Croatia drew as much attention for decisions made by referee Yuichi Nishimura as it did for the actual football.
Vanishing Spray
It resembled shaving cream, many referees sprayed players boots but its use was important. It is used to mark the spot of a free-kick near the penalty area and the distance away that a defensive wall must stand, disappearing from the grass within a minute.
It has been utilised in Brazilian and Argentine football for several seasons, was trialled at last year's FIFA Under-20 World Cup and will be introduced to the Champions League next season.
Other
The first cooling break in World Cup history took place in the intense heat of Fortaleza when Netherlands beat Mexico. It gave the players the chance to rehydrate. Louis Van Gaal later revealed he used the time to make a tactical switch that turned the game Netherlands' way in the last 15 minutes.
If the World Cup does take place in Qatar in 2022, we may be seeing many more of these.
Inside both Arena Fonte Nova and the Maracana, where they were stunned by Netherlands and Chile respectively, there was a palpable sense that we were witnessing something historic: the end of an era. La Roja's six-year rule of the game is over, a turnover of players is sure to follow and uncertainty surrounds the future of coach Vicente Del Bosque. 'Tiki taka' remains at the heart of Spain's philosophy, but it must evolve if they are to challenge again.
Celebration of the tournament arguably belonged to the superb Colombians, who showed a hip-shaking, rhythmic ability that captured the sheer joy and fun of a World Cup in the home of samba.
Prize Money
Winner - £20.4m
Runner-up - £14.6m
3rd Place - £12.9m
4th Place - £11.7m
Quarter-Finalist - £8.2m
Round of 16 - £5.3m
Group Stage - £4.7m
Goals Scored
Germany - 18
Netherlands - 15
Colombia - 12
Brazil - 11
France - 10
Goal Scorers
Rodriguez - 6
Müller - 5
Messi - 4
Neymar - 4
van Persie - 4
Top Assists
4 - Cuadrado
3 - Kroos
3 - Müller
3 - Blind
Most Saves
USA - 27
Germany - 24
Algeria - 23
Switzerland - 22
Colombia - 22
This post is not late. The Germans and I are still celebrating.
