This a fitting end to the spectacle of great football artistry that the entire world has witnessed in the last one month. Now, the Germans and the South Americans are just hours away from showing the stuff they are made of in the run to claiming the trophy.
There are too many storylines in today’s final. First is the invincibility of the South Americans in their region. History is replete with many failed attempts to end this seeming jinx of no-show for European teams in The Americas.
As Mexico ’86 was a Diego Armando Maradona show, will Brazil 2014 final also turn out to be a Lionel Messi anticlimax? The four-time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner is generally believed not accorded his rightful place along with Pele and Maradona simply because he is yet to add a World Cup title. Now, this final presents the perfect place for the Barcelona forward to make the final statement that he is indeed, the heir apparent to the throne vacated by both Pele and Maradona. Nothing appears to be in the space to stop this one-of-a-kind football magician!
Messi who will turn 31 by the time the next World Cup holds in Russia in four years’ time, certainly knows, age may not be on his side to claim what ought to be his right at the moment. This is the prime of his career and there can be no better time than this third appearance at the Mundial to earn a permanent place in football history.
His journey to stardom began shortly after leading Argentina’s youth team to snatch the FIFA Under-20 World Cup trophy from the grip of Samson Siasia and his Flying Eagles at Holland 2005. Messi also defeated a blooming John Mikel Obi to pick the best player of the tournament award. While Messi has hit world-acclaimed height, Mikel turned out at Brazil 2014 to be opposite of what Nigerians dreamt of.
Having also won all available titles in the Beautiful Game, only a World Cup medal is what is left to be the Argentine’s crowning glory. Like Maradona led the Agentines to a 2-0 lead at half time of the 1986 final, before the Germans, managed then by Franz Beckenbauer, pegged it back to 2-2, with goals from Karl-Heinz Rummennigge and Rudi Völler, Messi holds the ace and is looked up to for inspiration today. Whether he can also conjure the type of magic Maradona used to send a telepathic pass to Jorge Burruchaga for the winning goal remains to be seen at the end of 90 minutes at Maracana.
Will the German Machines who rewrote World Cup history by demolishing ‘Almighty’ Brazil 7-1 at the semi-final stage continue on the same path? After the massacre of the Samba Men, nothing can stop Joachim Loew’s men except themselves.
Like Messi, Thomas Muller also has a reputation as being one of the most light-hearted members of the German Machines, but ahead of the final, even his seemingly permanent smile has been replaced by an expression of steely resolve not to leave Brazil without the ultimate prize. He is set for the biggest of big games of his life.
“In terms of prestige and importance, the World Cup Final is the biggest game you can play in as a footballer,” Muller said ahead of the final match. And having found the net five times already, his objective is clear: to help Germany win a fourth FIFA World Cup after triumphs in 1954, 1974 and 1990.
There is, he explained, no time for anything else. “Unfortunately we’ve not managed a sightseeing tour of Rio de Janeiro to get to know the magic of this city,” he said, “So for me there’s only one reason to come back to Rio: to win the Trophy.”
The current squad is well equipped to do so, even if it has a rather different complexion to fabled teams of the past.
The Germany side that lost the 1986 Final to Argentina at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City were famed for their fighting spirit; the ensemble that exacted revenge on La Albiceleste four years later at Italia ’90 to lift the trophy for a third time were renowned for their dynamism, while the Germany team at South Africa 2010 stunned the football world with their attractive, attacking style. It was these same Germans that stopped Argentina at the quarter finals of South Africa 2010.
Yet the modern Germany assembled by Low is a squad that appears to be more balanced than ever before, combining all of those standout qualities of previous generations into a group led by players who realise this could be their last chance at glory.
“Now we’re just a step away from making our dream come true and achieving our common aim,” said Philipp Lahm, winner of a UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup like Messi.
“When you’re this close there’s only one thing you can do: stay fully focused and just concentrate on the task at hand. That’s what we’re going to do on Sunday (today) in order to bring the trophy, which we’ve worked so hard to win and which we’ve all been waiting such a long time for, back to Germany.”
Despite the massacre Germany handed out to Brazil, the host country football followers are bound to root for the Europeans rather than doing so for their bitter, arc-rivals. And of course, the Germans will not be bothered by Messi, after all, he was part of the team at the last two World Cup when Low’s men beat them.
No comments:
Post a Comment