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Germany vs Argentina: The World Cup final we deserve

Barcelona take on Juventus in the Champions League return round. (PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO)
Roar Guru
12th July, 2014
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The world’s best team take on the team with the world’s best player in the World Cup final.

Germany against Argentina, a re-run of the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals, is a fitting end to the 2014 edition.

Looking back at their semi-finals, both Die Mannschaft and La Albiceleste deserve to be in the decider.

Brazil were simply abhorrent against Germany, failing to turn up. Shorn of their two best players, Neymar and captain Thiago Silva, having battled and grinded their way to the semis, their minds were focused on the injustice surrounding Neymar’s absence in Belo Horizonte, not on their opponents. The Germans duly took advantage of that fact, spanking the home team 7-1 in a display of pure footballing class.

It was an historic event and one that will be remembered for decades. It will take a long time for Brazil to live down the shame.

Reaching the final is a just reward for this German side. They have played some of the best football in the World Cup, having clinically dispatched Portugal 4-0 in the group stage, edging Algeria in extra time in the round of 16 and then proving too structured for the French to break down in the quarter-final.

Germany are stacked with world-class players, are well organised and play a modern brand of football that is full of movement, speed and substance. They possess potent goal scorers, a quality goalkeeper and have a squad with impressive depth.

The Europeans reached the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup, the final of Euro 2008, the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and the semi of Euro 2012. Now is their chance to go one better and add their first silverware since Euro ’96.

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Spain, their conquerors in 2008 and 2010, are long gone and so are Italy, who triumphed over them in 2006 and 2012. They are confident and the time is right. A World Cup trophy would be a fitting reward for a country that has revolutionised its football in the past decade or so.

Standing in the way is South America’s last standing representative.

Argentina have won six matches in a row heading into the final and are desperate for another World Cup, after beating West Germany 28 years ago.

La Albiceleste have had their moments in Brazil but have not shone in the same way as the Germans. In the group stage they beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria each by one-goal margins, but conceded four goals in the process.

Switzerland and Belgium were also beaten by solitary goals, while they advanced past the Dutch after penalties.

Argentina completely dominated a Dutch team that looked to be aiming to get to penalties from kick-off. The Oranje had no shots on goal in the first 90 minutes, sat deep behind the ball and rarely looked to move forward in attack until extra time.

They did make Lionel Messi largely anonymous in this match, but their negative tactics were not rewarded and the Argentines went through to the final.

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After the poor behaviour from both Dutch keepers in the quarter-final and semi-final during the penalties, where they tried to intimidate the penatly takers, it was good to see Argentina succeed.

Argentina’s defence is not its strong point and they have relied a lot on linchpin Messi. But the presence of Javier Mascherano, breaking up attacks and controlling midfield, was vital against the Dutch.

The loss of Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguerro, who was not at full fitness for the semi-final, has not helped their attack. Argentina will need a big game from Messi, but also from the likes of Mascherano, Gonzalo Higuaín and Ezequiel Lavezzi, if they are to beat Germany.

Man for man, the Germans have the better team but have no individual player to match the sublime skills of Messi. If the pint-sized Barca star, who has practically won everything there is to win in football except the World Cup, is to finally live up to his status as Diego Maradona’s heir apparent then this is the moment.

Messi has managed four goals in this tournament, saving Argentina’s blushes against Iran, providing a brace against Nigeria and then producing an assist for the winner against Switzerland.

He has not dominated every World Cup game in a fashion that many had envisaged, but he has been influential in most matches. But the 27-year-old only needs one touch on the ball or a metre of space to doing something special.

Sidelining Messi will go a long way for Germany winning the final.

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Holland were scared of Argentina’s attacking arsenal and largely tried to contain La Albiceleste. Don’t expect the Germans to do this. Die Mannschaft have the courage and conviction to press the Argentines full-on.

This is not the German team of the 1990 and 1986 finals. They have the XI to match any side in the football both technically and tactically, and the self-belief to crack Europe’s hoodoo of World Cups hosted in South America.

Germany against Argentina, we have been given a fitting final to one of the best World Cups ever.

Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson

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