Don't enjoy the time off from non-MLS soccer. Come out to a DC United game and enjoy the best team in the United States. Anyone in the DC area that has been following this blog should follow United as well. To those outside the DC area, the future of our Men's National Team (no, not just Freddy) play every weekend in the MLS. Support your domestic league.

High points: Dempsey's goal, Zaccardo's own-goal.

Low points: Koller's goal (felt like a punch to the stomach), Ghana's flopping, The Headbutt, Gattuso's tighty-whities.

Biggest surprise: At some point, I actually started liking and rooting for Germany.

Best goal: Grosso vs. Germany.

Overall impression: As always, a ton of fun, but I guess it was an average Cup-- as memorable for negatives as for positives. Disappointing ending (ZZ's meltdown, championship decided on PKs, etc.).

Adios amigos

Before you go, could you break down the 2010? I'm having withdrawls. Anyway, thanks for all of the posts. You guys did a great job!

Wonderful coverage! Thank you so much for all your great work.

Thanks for the great coverage BUT
- most of the final "largely forgettable"?
- germany-italy, "best of the tournament"?
This is called after-the-fact writing.

The final was tense, well-played and exciting, with the exception of the second half of the first half.

The Germany-Italy game was nothing special, Germany couldn't play as well as earlier against a team that never tried to score until those final minutes. Ballack, Lahm and esp Klose were absent in that one - not to speak of any Italian. Best? Ok.

Final was one of the better ones in recent memory, and the best game in the tournament was Argentina-Mexico and Ivory Coast-Holland.

I guess what I said a few weeks ago about Zidane being something of a hothead was right. Who'd have guessed it?

At least we didn't get a fifth consecutive shutout in the final, as both teams scored for the first time since '86.

I was just wondering why France's Zidane got red-carded for head-butting an Italian player but Portugal's Luis Figo got a yellow card for doing the same to a Dutch player. Do soccer rules really bend as much as Beckham's free kicks?

Thanks for giving us an outlet to express ourselves. Hope you get a raise for all your work!!!

I agree. Thank you all for all of your excellent work. It's too bad this (the blog, I mean) has to end.

About the final: What a shame to see Zidane sent off in his final game for club or country. But wow, what a headbutt. I hate that the World Cup was decided on penalties. It strikes me as unfair. But that's footie.

I'm disappointed for the US, but hope that they get Klinsi or someone who can take the program to the next level. I'm disappointed for England as well, and happy that Sven is finally gone. I hope that Rooney gets his temper under control, because he can really be something special. I hope that Cristiano Ronaldo stops his petulant play-acting and grows up, whether he plays for United or some Spanish side.

It's a great tournament, the World Cup. Now I'm in footie withdrawal. When does the English Premiership start again?!?

"Enjoy the time off from non-MLS soccer, and hopefully we'll reconvene this electronic community of soccer-lovers sometime soon down the road "

Well, you better make it to a DC United game soon if you know what's good for you.

(Jon won the WC pool I organized but the prize has to be collected at a Barra Brava tailgate before a DC United game).

Who'dathunk none of 27 people would be smart enough to pick Italy to win it?

Loved the Washington Post's coverage and loved this blog. Thank you Jon, Steve, Camille, and Jason. Coverage was exceptional. If I couldn't be there at least I had y'all to read.

High Points:
Dempsey's Goal,
US ties Italy,
Mexico v. Argentina,
Dolce & Gabbana introducing me to the splendor of Fabio Cannavaro,
Eric Wynalda's snarky comments
The German team's performance in every game. They were a great team and the fans were great and they deserved all their success.

Low points:
The US performance generally,
Balboa's commentary,
The media's obsession with sucking up to Zidane beyond all reason or proportionality
The referees in the early rounds were out of control with the cards and the penalties.

4 more years!

A clarification and some other stuff:
- "Enjoy the time off from non-MLS soccer" was not exactly and artful turn of phrase. What I meant to do was say: "Enjoy the time off from international soccer," and then I tried to throw a bone to the MLS and made a meal of it. I am all for watching/attending MLS games and hope to do so at RFK Stadium soon.
- EPL starts Aug. 19
- D.C. United-Celtic -- Wednesday at RFK.
- Serie A match-fixing verdict expected this week

Great work - this soccer ignoramus has enjoyed following the blog and the other coverage. I'm sorry it's over!

Thanks for posting the blog -
the final represented the whole world cup for me - hoping for something exciting and worth cheering for, only to be disappointed. US was lousy, too many cards in the opening rounds killed the games, and no one to feel proud of when it was all over.

At least Klinsmann changed my impression of the Germans; and it was great to see teams like Trinidad compete in the tournament.

Anyway, Vienna in 2008; sounds like a good road trip.

Cheers to whole Post soccer writing bunch! Outstanding coverage, an excellent companion to the games!

Good to know there are so many competent soccer writers at the Post.

For those people who say they need another football fix and soon, in addition to MLS matches, there is the documentary "Once in a Lifetime," which is opening in selected cities to glowing reviews. Here in the Washington, DC area, it opens this Friday (the 14th) and 11th and E Sts. NW (http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/WashingtonDC/WashingtonDC_Frameset.htm).

"Low points:...Balboa's commentary..."

Am I correct in believing that the people at Disney designated O'Brien/Balboa as their "A" team before the tournament started, effectively guaranteeing that they would work the final? If so, doesn't that make about as much sense as FIFA tapping Horacio Elizondo as the referee for the final match back in early June, before a single match had been played?

Since up to four matches per day were played (and televised) in the initial phase, Disney used at least four play-by-play teams. They should have held off on the decision on who would work the later rounds, just as FIFA does with referees. That way we might have seen more of Dellacamera/Harkes and less of O'Brien/Balboa.

Like everyone else, I am grateful that the folks at the Post have provided this resource that wasn't around four (or eight or twelve or sixteen...) years ago, and which has enhanced our enjoyment of this event.

Similarly, I am grateful to XM Radio for their around-the-clock WC-related programming for the past month.

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Thanks to everyone involved with the Blog for making it happen. It was terrific!!

As for me, the best goal of the tournament (and maybe of all World Cups) was the Maxi Rodriguez volley. Even Rodriguez himself said that the ball could have just as easily ended up well in the stands.

I miss the World Cup already. It truly is the greatest sporting event ever created.

Me too.... Despite its many imperfections, the World Cup rises so far above any other imaginable sports event... And though it's painful to think of another four years of anticipation, it's also the rarity of the tournament that helps to keep it on such a pedestal.