As the World Cup draws to a close the genuine contenders have emerged. Both semi-finals are going to be very close affairs but rather than focus on them, which teams would play out the best final?
There are four possibilities, all as mouth watering as each other.
An all-European final would be something to see, just imagine the subdued disinterest of the watching crowd in the home nation’s pointed absence.
The backdrop to a traditional rivalry between Germany and the Netherlands (1974), with the added bonus of crowning the first European champions in the Americas seems almost unfitting, somehow.
And then there are the intercontinental match ups. A sense of familiarity as the Germans seek to deny a left-footed great of Argentina (1990), though hopefully with fewer red cards this time around. ThIt would provide a dilemma for the crowd, to cheer for their greatest rivals or for the team that previously ended their aspirations.
On the other hand, if there was a European counter to the Brazillian game it would probably be the Dutch. Johan Cryff and his total football may be long gone, but the keen viewer will always see some of the truly beautiful game in the Dutch play – or at least think they do.
I like to imagine that both teams would play free-flowing attacking football, and so it could well be technically the most beautiful final ever played.
And then there is an all-South American affair, featuring the bookmakers’ favourite before the tournament had even kicked off and the stadium heaving with every missed shot and spectacular save. The pure bitterness and enmity as the mercurial stars are cut down by the villainous defenders and the crowd howling for red and booing every non-decision would be priceless.
There is no such thing as an easy semi-final in the World Cup, but there are some clues left from the quarter-finals as to which of these four possibilities will eventuate.
Lionel Messi is in and Neymar is out. Again, Messi was able to break free of the considerable attention Belgium showed him and I think he will do so against the Dutch again. If he finds time and space against the Dutch will his opponents in the final fare any better? Can any team contain him?
And Neymar, along with Thiago Silva as I write (they are lodging an appeal), is a bit loss. It would take a miracle to shrug off those losses and continue, but if any team could pull it off, surely it is Brazil.
Luckily we will get to see these teams in action twice with the third place play-off, and to be honest I’m not bothered which teams contest the final.
All the remaining teams can play beautiful football and if there are few dives and some pieces of individual brilliance I will be happy. I won’t mind the games being decided by penalties if both teams are willing to attack during regulation time – and I think they will, or at least I hope.
I am hoping for a Brazil versus Netherlands final, which will keep Messi hungry to win a World Cup (and some poetic flawed hero metaphors).
But, and bear in mind I am still no octopus, with little more than a gut feeling, I think Brazil and Argentina will contest the final.
One more sleep…
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