Originally published by Ace Magazine, June 2014.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is only the third time the country that gave democracy to the world has qualified for the final stages. There is though something very pleasing in that in their third tournament they upset the form book and make their way into the last 16 thanks to the man who has been a great servant to Celtic the last few seasons. As Georgios Samaras stepped up to take the penalty that would either send his team marching on or see them trip up in the group stages as they did in 1994 and 2010, what emotions must have been going through his head? What emotions must have been going through the mind of Didier Drogba and the Lion of African football, Yaya Touré?