There is probably no fiercer rivalry in world soccer than the one between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The two Spanish sides are not only renowned for their respective greatness but also for their tremendous spending habits during transfer windows.
Real Madrid officially announced last week that German star Toni Kroos would be joining the club. The former Bayern Munich star adds tremendous depth to Real Madrid's the midfield and gives coach Carlo Ancelotti a diverse array of tactical options.
Germany will compete in its record seventh World Cup final, hoping to come away with their fourth title. The team won in 1954 before taking home the prize in 1974 and 1990, all on European soil, and are looking to become the first European side to win the Cup in South America.
Real Madrid reportedly edged Manchester United in the bidding war for Toni Kroos as reports indicated that the Bayern Munich midfielder will be moving to Bernabeu next season.
The World Cup is a showcase for some of the best teams in the world, but also one in which the major stars make get a chance to express themselves to billions of people. The 2010 World Cup featured a number of brilliant superstars playing their best soccer. Uruguay's Diego Forlan managed to win the Golden Ball for a sizzling performance as he led his nation to the semifinals. Wesley Sneijder was the star behind the Netherland's finals berth while Thomas Muller was a major breakout star for Germany in their third place finish. But the performance of the tournament would go to Spain's top goaltender Iker Casillas who became the backbone of a team that won with a team-first mentality.
