Group D of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Uruguay, Costa Rica, England and Italy. It was the only group to contain more than one previous winner of the World Cup, as well as the only group in the history of the FIFA World Cup to contain three former world champions. It was also the only group with three top 10 FIFA World Ranking teams as of October 2013 (ranking date for final draw) and at the start of the competition. These unique characteristics made this group to be widely considered as one of the tournament's three groups of death (along with Groups B and G), and among the "toughest" and "most memorable" groups of death in FIFA World Cup history.
Play began on 14 June and ended on 24 June 2014. Costa Rica topped the group undefeated, despite being considered underdogs and expected to finish last in a group containing three former winners of the competition. Of those three, Uruguay qualified second, thereby eliminating Italy and England.
Teams Draw position Team Confederation Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings October 2013 June 2014 D1 (seed) CONMEBOL AFC vs CONMEBOL play-off winners 20 November 2013 12th 2010 Winners (1930, 1950) 6 7 D2 CONCACAF CONCACAF fourth round 2nd runners-up 10 September 2013 4th 2006 Round of 16 (1990) 31 28 D3 UEFA UEFA Group H winners 15 October 2013 14th 2010 Winners (1966) 10 10 D4 UEFA UEFA Group B winners 10 September 2013 18th 2010 Winners (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006) 9 9
Notes
Standings
Costa Rica advanced to play Greece (runner-up of Group C) in the round of 16. Uruguay advanced to play Colombia (winner of Group C) in the round of 16.
Matches Uruguay vs Costa Rica The two teams had met in 10 previous matches, most recently in 2009 in the CONCACAF – CONMEBOL play-off, won by Uruguay 2–1 on aggregate to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Uruguay led the game 1–0 at half time, through an Edinson Cavani penalty after Diego Lugano was pulled down in the box by Júnior Díaz. Keylor Navas prevented Uruguay's lead from doubling by tipping over Diego Forlán's shot. In the second half, Joel Campbell equalised with a low shot to the right corner when the ball fell to him in the box after a deep cross from Cristian Gamboa on the right. Soon afterwards, Costa Rica went into the lead when Óscar Duarte scored with a low diving header to the right corner after a free kick from Christian Bolaños. A pass from Campbell allowed substitute Marco Ureña to make it 3–1 with a low shot from a tight angle on the right, and in injury time Maxi Pereira was given a straight red card for a kick at Campbell.
It was the first time Costa Rica scored three goals in a World Cup match, and also the first time that Uruguay lost to a non-South American or non-European country in the World Cup.
GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 16Maxi Pereira CB 2 Diego Lugano (c) CB 3 Diego GodínLB 22Martín Cáceres RM 11Christian StuaniCM 17Egidio ArévaloCM 5 Walter Gargano LM 7 Cristian Rodríguez CF 10Diego Forlán CF 21Edinson CavaniSubstitutions:MF 14Nicolás Lodeiro MF 20Álvaro González FW 8 Abel Hernández Manager:Óscar Tabárez GK 1 Keylor NavasCB 6 Óscar DuarteCB 3 Giancarlo GonzálezCB 4 Michael UmañaRWB16Cristian GamboaLWB15Júnior DíazCM 5 Celso BorgesCM 17Yeltsin Tejeda AM 10Bryan Ruiz (c) AM 7 Christian Bolaños CF 9 Joel CampbellSubstitutions:MF 22José Miguel Cubero FW 21Marco Ureña MF 11Michael Barrantes Manager: Jorge Luis Pinto
Man of the Match: Joel Campbell (Costa Rica)
Assistant referees: Mark Borsch (Germany) Stefan Lupp (Germany) Fourth official: Víctor Hugo Carrillo (Peru) Fifth official: Rodney Aquino (Paraguay)
England vs Italy The two teams had met in 24 previous matches, including in the 1990 FIFA World Cup match for third place, won by Italy 2–1. Their most recent competitive meeting was in the UEFA Euro 2012 quarter-finals, won by Italy on penalties after a scoreless draw.
Italy went ahead first, when from a short corner, Andrea Pirlo dummied Marco Verratti's pass, and Claudio Marchisio scored with a low right footed shot from outside the penalty box. England quickly equalised through a close-range Daniel Sturridge goal from a Wayne Rooney cross from the left. The scores were level at 1–1 at half time, but Mario Balotelli headed Italy's winner from close range five minutes after play resumed from a cross by Antonio Candreva on the right.
The England physiotherapist Gary Lewin was stretchered off with a dislocated ankle suffered in the celebrations for England's goal, which ruled him out for the rest of the World Cup. With Italy going out in the group stages after losing against both Costa Rica and Uruguay by identical 1-0 scorelines after having previously done so in 2010 (drawing 1-1 vs both Paraguay and New Zealand after conceding the first goal of both games before trailing 2-0 and 3-1 in an eventual 3-2 defeat vs Slovakia in that tournament), then failing to qualify for the next three tournaments, this remains the latest World Cup match Italy scored a goal in, and would be the only World Cup match since winning 2006 they didn’t trail at any point and won in, which also makes it the only match they scored the first goal and held a lead at any point.
GK 1 Joe HartRB 2 Glen JohnsonCB 5 Gary CahillCB 6 Phil JagielkaLB 3 Leighton BainesCM 4 Steven Gerrard (c)CM 14Jordan Henderson RW 11Danny Welbeck AM 19Raheem Sterling LW 10Wayne RooneyCF 9 Daniel Sturridge Substitutions:MF 21Ross Barkley MF 7 Jack Wilshere MF 20Adam Lallana Manager:Roy Hodgson GK 12Salvatore SiriguRB 4 Matteo DarmianCB 15Andrea BarzagliCB 20Gabriel PalettaLB 3 Giorgio ChielliniRM 8 Claudio MarchisioCM 16Daniele De RossiLM 23Marco Verratti AM 21Andrea Pirlo (c)SS 6 Antonio Candreva CF 9 Mario Balotelli Substitutions:MF 5 Thiago Motta FW 17Ciro Immobile MF 18Marco Parolo Manager:Cesare Prandelli
Man of the Match: Mario Balotelli (Italy)
Assistant referees: Sander van Roekel (Netherlands) Erwin Zeinstra (Netherlands) Fourth official: Walter López (Guatemala) Fifth official: Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)
Uruguay vs England The two teams had met in ten previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup (1954, quarter-finals: Uruguay 4–2 England; 1966, group stage: Uruguay 0–0 England). Uruguay defender Maxi Pereira was suspended for the match, after being sent off in the team's match against Costa Rica.
Uruguay took the lead in the first half, the goal headed in by Luis Suárez from a cross by Edinson Cavani on the left. England equalised in the second half, when Wayne Rooney scored his first and only World Cup goal with a tap-in from a cross by Glen Johnson from the right. Suárez later secured Uruguay's victory, receiving the ball from goalkeeper Fernando Muslera's clearance which flicked off Steven Gerrard, and shot home his second goal of the match powerfully with his right foot.
This was the first time that England lost three World Cup Finals matches in a row, dating back to England's loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup round of 16.
GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 22Martín CáceresCB 13José GiménezCB 3 Diego Godín (c) LB 6 Álvaro PereiraCM 20Álvaro González CM 17Egidio ArévaloCM 7 Cristian RodríguezAM 14Nicolás Lodeiro CF 9 Luis Suárez CF 21Edinson CavaniSubstitutions:FW 11Christian Stuani DF 4 Jorge Fucile DF 19Sebastián Coates Manager:Óscar Tabárez GK 1 Joe HartRB 2 Glen JohnsonCB 5 Gary CahillCB 6 Phil JagielkaLB 3 Leighton BainesCM 4 Steven Gerrard (c) CM 14Jordan Henderson RW 19Raheem Sterling AM 10Wayne RooneyLW 11Danny Welbeck CF 9 Daniel SturridgeSubstitutions:MF 21Ross Barkley MF 20Adam Lallana FW 18Rickie Lambert Manager:Roy Hodgson
Man of the Match: Luis Suárez (Uruguay)
Assistant referees: Roberto Alonso (Spain) Juan Carlos Yuste (Spain) Fourth official: Alireza Faghani (Iran) Fifth official: Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)
Italy vs Costa Rica
The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 1994.
Mario Balotelli had Italy's best chance in the first half, lobbing the ball wide from inside the penalty area. Late in the first half, Joel Campbell had a clear penalty appeal denied, but Costa Rica nevertheless took the lead within a minute, as Júnior Díaz crossed from the left for Bryan Ruiz to head the ball onto the crossbar and over the line from close range. Costa Rica was able to hold on for the win in the second half, ensuring their qualification for the knockout stage, their first since 1990, while simultaneously ensuring England's group stage exit, their first since 1958.
Costa Rica became the second country to beat two World Cup champions in the group stage of one tournament, the other being Denmark, who had done it twice in 1986 (Uruguay and West Germany) and 2002 (Uruguay and France). Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon appeared in his fourth World Cup (he was also in the squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but did not appear in any match), the fifth Italian player to do so.
Coincidentally, Costa Rica's qualification to the Round of 16 occurred exactly twenty-four years after their victory against Sweden at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, which also sealed their first-ever qualification to the Round of 16. Because of this, La Nación's Rodrigo Calvo called 20 June "a blessed date" for the Costa Rican team.
GK 1 Gianluigi Buffon (c)RB 4 Matteo DarmianCB 15Andrea BarzagliCB 3 Giorgio ChielliniLB 7 Ignazio AbateDM 16Daniele De RossiCM 21Andrea PirloCM 5 Thiago Motta RW 6 Antonio Candreva LW 8 Claudio Marchisio CF 9 Mario Balotelli Substitutions:FW 10Antonio Cassano FW 22Lorenzo Insigne FW 11Alessio Cerci Manager:Cesare Prandelli GK 1 Keylor NavasSW 3 Giancarlo GonzálezRB 16Cristian GamboaCB 6 Óscar DuarteCB 4 Michael UmañaLB 15Júnior DíazCM 5 Celso BorgesCM 17Yeltsin Tejeda RW 10Bryan Ruiz (c) LW 7 Christian BolañosCF 9 Joel Campbell Substitutions:MF 22José Miguel Cubero FW 21Marco Ureña FW 14Randall Brenes Manager: Jorge Luis Pinto
Man of the Match: Bryan Ruiz (Costa Rica)
Assistant referees: Carlos Astroza (Chile) Sergio Román (Chile) Fourth official: Néant Alioum (Cameroon) Fifth official: Djibril Camara (Senegal)
Italy vs Uruguay
The two teams had met in eight previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup (1970, group stage: Italy 0–0 Uruguay; 1990, round of 16: Italy 2–0 Uruguay). Their most recent meeting was in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup match for third place, won by Italy 3–2 on penalties (2–2 draw after extra time).
After a goalless first half, Italy were reduced to 10 men in the second half when Claudio Marchisio was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Egidio Arévalo.
Around the 79th minute, Uruguay forward Luis Suárez bit the left shoulder of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini. Chiellini showed the bite marks to Mexican referee Marco Rodríguez, who missed the incident. As the Italian players protested to the referee for not penalising Suárez, Uruguay won a corner which Gastón Ramírez delivered from the right. Diego Godín rose to head the ball, with the only goal of the game going in off his back. In the 84th minute, a member of the Italian coaching staff was dismissed from the bench by the referee after an altercation with his Uruguayan counterparts. Uruguay's win qualified them for the knockout stage as the group runners-up, and eliminated Italy from the tournament; this marked the second consecutive time that Italy had been eliminated at the group stage. With Italy failing to qualify for the next three tournaments, this remains their latest World Cup match as of 2026.
After the biting incident, Suárez claimed that he "had contact with [Chiellini's] shoulder, nothing more" and that "these things happen".