Football players can be broadly classified as defenders, midfielders or strikers. And, then a talent like Andres Iniesta comes along.

Different day, similar story. David Villa again struck the winner as Spain eked out their second successive 1-0 triumph in the knockout stage.

Long blonde tresses, a chiselled body, innocent grey eyes and a sculpted face that would be perfectly in place on most fashion ramps. Diego Forlan doesn’t seem like someone who can strike fear into he heart of anyone, but looks can be very deceiving.

Luis Suarez remained defiant on Friday after his handball helped Uruguay book their place in the semifinals of the World Cup at the expense of Ghana, comparing it to Diego Maradona’s infamous Hand of God goal against England in 1986.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Here was team, handpicked by former World Cup winning captain Dunga, with a sole purpose — add a sixth World Cup crown to the trophy cabinet. The manager opted for a pragmatic approach, shedding the team’s all-out attacking ways. And, what was the end result?

Ghana and Africa’s hopes weren’t the only things that went up in smoke on Friday. Socialite Paris Hilton and her entourage literally blazed a smoke trail of their own. Alas, for them a whiff of that spliff was enough for the cops.

This time is not for Africa. The World Cup party is over for the continent after incredible drama at Soccer City on Friday night. The little white spot, 12 yards away from the goal-line, proved to be the graveyard for the aspirations of Ghana and Africa.

Paraguay’s historic run to the World Cup quarterfinals is being lived and breathed by Salvador Cabanas, their star striker who had to miss the finals after being shot in the head in January.

In the Rainbow Nation, Fernando Torres has looked nothing like the man who has been haunting Premier League defenders for the past few years. It’s not just that his long blonde locks have given way for a trimmed look.

On paper it’s the most lop-sided of all the quarterfinals, though of course, the World Cup isn’t won on paper; it’s won on the field. European champions Spain will start favourites when they line up against Paraguay at Ellis Park here on Saturday, and will look to enter their first World Cup semifinal in 60 years.