After four weeks of tantalizing football, heroics and heartbreak, the World Cup finale is less than 24 hours away. Now that the “I believe that we will win” chants have died down, do Americans still care about the final?
The answer is muddled. The semi-final that pitted the Germans against hosts Brazil drew a 12.4 million rating in US markets, smashing the previous record for the most watched football match. That said, there are still a large portion of Americans who have made plans at 4 PM on Sunday that don’t involve watching Muller or Messi. While the tournament has been a hit in the United States, especially with the US faring reasonably well against top dogs Germany, Portugal and Belgium; we won’t be able to tell whether the excitement behind Brazil 2014 was a flash in the pan or a sign for things to come.
As for the game itself, the final is a dream match for viewers worldwide. Lionel Messi, arguably the most recognizable athlete in the world, looks to lead his nation to the promised land while the machine that is the German National side is 90 minutes away from the fourth star on their jersey. Here’s a breakdown of the game.
—————-Neuer——————
Lahm-Boateng-Hummels-Howedes
—–Schweinsteiger-Khedira—–
Muller———-Ozil————Kroos
—————–Klose——————-
Jogi Löw surprised a lot of people when he opted to drop Mario Götze in favor of Miroslav Klose for both the quarterfinal and semifinal. Klose gives Germany a recognizable poacher with an outstanding goal scoring record in the four World Cup’s he’s participated in. Don’t be surprised if Löw throws a wrench in the lineup and gives a start to either Andre Schurrle or Götze in the final. Schurrle’s scored three times in the last three matches, and the width he provides on the left side could prove invaluable. Mesut Özil is a candidate for relegation to the bench after a series of disappointing performances in which he hasn’t exerted himself to the same extent as previous years. Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller are both untouchables in the attacking third, with both producing mesmerizing performances in the semifinal against Brazil. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira have been brilliant in the middle of the park, particularly Khedira who’s seen his value skyrocket after dispatching the likes of Paul Pogba, Luiz Gustavo and Fernandinho in recent days. The back line looks to remain unchanged with the only wildcard for selection coming in the form of 6-6 Per Mertesacker who was dropped for both the quarterfinal and semifinal. Manuel Neuer has been simply superb for the entirety of the tournament playing as a sweeper outside the box as well as making game saving stops inside it.
—————-Romero——————
Zabaleta—Garay—Demichelis—Rojo
—-Biglia—-Mascherano—Perez—–
Messi———-Higuain————Lavezzi
The Argentinian lineup is much more unpredictable than their German counterparts. Sergio Aguero and Angel di Maria could both make a return into the starting XI after Aguero came on as a sub against Holland while di Maria sat out with injury. The trio of Enzo Perez, Lucas Biglia and Javier Mascherano have marshalled proceedings in midfield while Sergio Romero and the back four have kept things clean with three clean sheets in three tries. Surprisingly, goals have been hard to come by for the Argentinians. Lio Messi hasn’t netted a strike since his nations 3-2 victory over Nigeria in the final game of the group stage, while Gonzalo Higuain has scored only once in the quarterfinal against Belgium. Di Maria could prove the difference maker, and Alejandro Sabella will be sweating the Real Madrid man’s fitness.
Tactical Battle: The worlds greatest match will be won in midfield, where Schweinsteiger, Khedira and Kroos will likely battle Mascherano, Biglia and Perez. Mascherano has been hailed as a national hero after his brave tackle on Arjen Robben kept the two sides level in the semifinal with just a minute to play in regular time. Perez and Biglia have performed nicely during the tournament and could see themselves move to bigger clubs at the conclusion of the tournament. That said Khedira and Kroos have been second to none over the last month and were the driving force behind the 7-1 demolition of Brazil. Look for Germany to surrender possession to the Argentineans and attempt to hit them on the break with the likes of Özil and Müller.
Javier Mascherano made a tournament changing tackle on Arjen Robben to deny the Dutchman
Personally, I’d back the Germans to win tomorrow and clinch the fourth star for the shirt. The back line has been rock solid with Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels in top form. When the chances present themselves, one can count on the likes of Müller and Klose to convert. All things withstanding, the Argentinians haven’t conceded a goal since their win over Nigeria in the group stage. With that said, as long as the line holds, Messi and co. should be able to produce at least one moment of inspiration to send the South Americans to eternal glory. Despite the pundits talk of how Germany should steamroll the opposition, this game will be closer than most would think. Argentina mustn’t be underestimated especially when considering their spectacular defensive record. The stakes are high. If Messi wins, he can be counted alongside the best of them with Pele, Maradona and Zidane, at a level of success at least. It all boils down to The Machine vs Messi. I’ll back the team rather than the individual.
