5 teams that have improved since their 2014 World Cup campaign

The 2014 World Cup saw plenty of teams perform beyond expectations while others crashed and burned spectacularly. Among those who crumbled on the biggest footballing stage, some have since begun to rebuild and push forward. Whether it was a change in tactics or the coming into form of a few key players, these squads have evolved and come into their own after a dire World Cup campaign.We look at five of the best recoveries from teams that fell apart at the 2014 World Cup.

#1 England

England's winless 2014 World Cup campaign was heavily dissected and criticised by the fans and the media. They have long been labelled "constant underperformers" and "chokers", guilty of being hyped up with no end results.

Their post-World Cup performances, however, tell a different story. They have been unbeaten in their last eight outings (7 wins, 1 draw). You could argue that their matches have all been against opponents of relatively lower quality. However, hardly any of these matches have been walkovers. Moreover, the way England have approached these games has been the crux of their post-World Cup rebuilding process that has been the most impressive – they have been more patient in attack and do not squander possession.

The approach from England has been splendid and some of the credit has to go to Roy Hodgson for sticking to his best performers and judging the right periods to experiment. There has been a distinct rise in intensity and integration of a better style of play within the squad that has taken them to the top of their European Championship Qualifying (ECQ) group. Their five wins out of five in the qualifiers have ensured that they are top of Group E with a lead of six points.

It would be sage advice for England to not get carried away on the back of their recent run of results. The same form could make them definite challengers come Euro 2016.

#2 Brazil

Usually, World Cup semi-finalists wouldn't be taken too lightly as far as footballing quality goes, but the nature of Brasil's exit in the 2014 edition at home provided a dismal outlook for the Brazilian national squad. The 1-7 loss to Germany followed by a failure to ensure a third-place finish with a 0-3 loss to the Netherlands diminished, by far, any other achievement Brazil had in the tournament.

Dunga's second spell following the World Cup has been a refreshing new ray of hope for the South American footballing nation. Brazil registered an 8-game winning streak through tactical flexibility and tremendous control in the games they have played. The squad's versatility was apparent when they used different styles depending on the opposition – more compact against the bigger teams while playing free-flowing football against the weaker teams.

The post-World Cup Brazil national team has shown more resilience and organisation. Though some of the flair has been sacrificed for practicality, Dunga's squad is doing plenty of things right. They have been dominant when expected and compact when required.

#3 Belgium

Their foray into the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup was appreciable but they failed to inspire confidence through their performances. The Belgians' lacklustre show in the tournament barely showed signs of life with a number of their key players failing to fire on the big stage.

Their current form is far from their World Cup frustration. Like England, they are currently top of their Euro qualifying group ahead of the highly fancied Wales, albeit only on goal difference. Players such as Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are starting to find their feet for the national squad. Their prospects have been boosted by the form of other players including Radja Nainggolan, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, Michy Batshuayi and the recent return of Christian Benteke.

While they are still not a finished article, it definitely promises to be a treat to watch the Red Devils in their bid for the European Championship in 2016.

#4 Australia

A winless World Cup was a largely expected but nonetheless disappointing result for the visitors from down under. They seemed to be filled with desire yet lacked a certain quality you would expect of teams competing at the highest level. Post the World Cup, they went on to lose their following two friendly bouts against Japan and Qatar.

Since that miserable run, the Australian team has picked up the slack to go on and win the 2015 Asian Cup and they were widely praised for their achievements in light of their recent performances. Speaking before an international friendly between Germany and Australia that ended in a 2-2 draw, Germany national coach Joachim Loew expressed great admiration for the tactical evolution that the Socceroos have shown since 2010.

Australia's newfound style of high pressing and attacking flexibility might surprise a few established national sides that will face them.

#5 Ivory Coast

In the aftermath of a below par showing at the 2014 World Cup, where they were seen by many as the best chance of African representation in the knockout stages but failed, Ivory Coast took a couple of games to pick up the pieces. Eventually, they began to play with the organisation and quality that many have come to expect of the talented squad they are blessed with.

They were rewarded with their second-ever African Cup of Nations title in early February 2015. They showed immense determination in a thrilling win on penalties against Ghana (9-8). The squad involved many promising aspects for Ivory Coast such as the likes of Max Gradel and Serge Aurier who shone through and the Elephants seem to be on course to achieving their full potential.