IS there any other situation in the world where an Iranian and American fan could share a photo together?

If there's one lesson to take from this World Cup it's that football has the ability to transcend any divide, whether political or social.

FIFA have put a lot of effort into promoting the World Cup as one big international party, with all the usual clichéd images of lederhosen alongside carnival, English knight meeting Japanese samurai.

It turns out they needn't have bothered. Rio De Janeiro was the base of choice for vast swathes of fans coming to the World Cup and no encouragement was needed for them to bring their nation's colours and songs to the party. From the star spangled Americans to the relentlessly vocal Argentineans, and the home fans who turned Rio yellow on match days, every country was well represented, including those whose home nation didn't even make the finals. Fans swapped photographs, laughter and shirts and there was a contagious sense of joy everywhere you went. This is the way to watch football. Fans of every nation coming together to celebrate their respective cultures, nationalism and football. Anthems were sung with pride, flags were squeezed into every square inch, with none of the antagonism and vitriol that often can turn domestic games sour.

In England the national team often plays second fiddle to the Premier League, which steals the global limelight, and is why some fans don't feel as passionate when the World Cup comes around, but in Brazil the feeling was very much that this tournament is the pinnacle.

Maybe the ease at which England qualify spoils the excitement of major tournaments, certainly smaller nations don't take their place for granted, Colombians in particular were keen to make the most of every second of their first tournament sine 1998.

As the World Cup draws to a close the feeling in Brazil is reminiscent of the London Olympics spirit, there are few things with the power to unite and excite like sport.