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"When teams win big and legends are born on the pitch, there's only one thing to do: hug it out.\nIn a World Cup brimming with action, players, coaches and fans have both felt the cruel pangs of defeat and the indescribable joy of victory, so the hugs go both ways \u2014 to both comfort and to congratulate.\nSee also: The 12 Most Painful Moments of the World Cup So Far\nNational heroes in Tim Cahill of Australia and the Arjen Robben of Holland hugged it out after a hard fought battle on the pitch on Wednesday. Mexico's Rafael Marquez hugged Guillermo Ochoa \u2014 the impenetrable fortress of team Mexico \u2014 after his stellar performance in the goal against Brazil on Tuesday. Hugs also get you close to the gods of the pitch, like Bosnia-Herzegovina's Haris Medunjanin congratulating Lionel Messi after Argentina's victory on Sundaywith a brilliant Messi goal to secure the win.\nChile handily defeated the reigning world champs on Wednesday, and hugs were to be had all around.\nGods of soccer are still, at the end of the day, human beings participating in a celebration of sport and nations. And in the World Cup of Hugs, everyone ultimately wins.\nCheck out the tournament's best hugs thus far, below, that are sure to put a smile on your face.\n\n\nWorld Cup of Hugs\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnited States' goalkeeper Tim Howard, left, embraces Kyle Beckerman after the Group G World Cup soccer match between Ghana and the United States at the Arena das Dunas in Natal, Brazil on June 16, 2014. The United States won the match 2-1.\n\nImage: Ricardo Mazalan/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBelgium's Dries Mertens, front, is embraced by Axel Witsel as he celebrates after scoring Belgium's second goal during the Group H World Cup soccer match between Belgium and Algeria at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on June 17.\n\nImage: Hassan Ammar/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nArgentina's Lionel Messi (10) is congratulated by Bosnia's Haris Medunjanin (18) following Argentina's 2-1 victory in a Group F World Cup soccer match at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 15.\n\nImage: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBrazil's Neymar celebrates his goal in the first half with his teammates during the Group A World Cup soccer match between Brazil and Croatia, the opening game of the tournament, in the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 12.\n\nImage: Fabrizio Bensch/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBrazil's coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, left, hugs Mexico's head coach Miguel Herrera after the Group A World Cup soccer match between Brazil and Mexico at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil on June 17. \n\nImage: Themba Hadebe/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIvory Coast's Serge Aurier is hugged by a team member after their 2-1 victory over Japan in a Group C World Cup soccer match at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on June 15.\n\nImage: Dolores Ochoa/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChile's Gary Medel (17) hugs goalkeeper Claudio Bravo after Eduardo Vargas scored Chile's first goal during the Group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and Chile at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 18.\n\nImage: Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nItaly's Thiago Motta (5) hugs Andrea Pirlo (21) as Giorgio Chiellini (3) joins them after defeating England 2-1 in their Group D World Cup soccer match at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil on June 14.\n\nImage: Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMexico's Rafael Marquez, left, embraces Mexico's goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa after the Group A World Cup soccer match between Brazil and Mexico at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil on June 17. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.\n\nImage: Martin Mejia/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNetherlands' Arjen Robben, left, hugs Australia's Tim Cahill following Australia's 3-2 loss to the Netherlands during the Group B World Cup soccer match at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, Brazil on June 18.\n\nImage: Fernando Vergara/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChile's Gary Medel hugs Spain's Sergio Ramos following the Group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and Chile at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 18. Defending champion Spain was eliminated from the World Cup after losing to Chile 2-0.\n\nImage: Frank Augstein/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChile's Eduardo Vargas, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and Chile at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 18.\n\nImage: Manu Fernandez/Associated Press\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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