The World Cup was apparently a Cold War battle between the Soviets and US with the Americans using lasers to defeat the Russians. According to the team's coach, Italian Fabio Capello, insisted that his goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev had been blinded by a green laser aimed from the crowd. As the Guardian reports, this happened just before Algeria scored an equalising goal.

It is no as daft as it sounds. TV footage certainly confirms that a laser was shone at Akinfeev. Capello explained in a press conference: "He was blinded by the laser beam. There are pictures. You can see that in the footage. This not an excuse, it is a fact. There was a laser. I have never come up with excuses to get by in my entire life."

To be fair though, Akinfeev was not having a good series of games even if the CIA was zapping him with a laser. In Russia's first game against South Korea, an easy catch was not only slipped through his hands, but managed to get behind him into the Russian goal.

Capello is right about one thing though. The Russians have gone home and the Americans, who really don’t care about football at all are through.