This has been arguably the best World Cup in the last 20 years, and possibly the best of all time. It will wrap up on Sunday with the final, where Germany and Argentina will square off with everything on the line. Germany has looked like an efficient machine, while Argentina has been lifted by their captain and a little luck. Sunday’s game should be fascinating to watch.
World Cup Odds: Germany +135, Argentina +225, Draw +215
Odds To Win World Cup: Germany -160, Argentina +135
Why Germany Can Win
From front to back, no one has played a team game better than the Germans, as Thomas Muller and Miroslav Klose have been great up front, and keeper Manuel Neuer has stepped up to play a sweep role behind a defense that has improved throughout the tournament. The midfield has been the key and that was no more evident than in their 7-1 pasting of Brazil, and the trio of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira ran their counterparts off the field, both going forward and back. When it comes to consistency, no team has done it better than the Germans.
This is also a core group that has been together for three or four tournaments in a row and most of them play in Germany with a few exception. They have come close many times now, and this Germany team seems like one of destiny. If they play to their potential on Sunday and don’t let nerves get to them, they are going to be very tough to beat.
Why Argentina Can Win
It seems like cliché to say, but as long as Lionel Messi is on the pitch for Argentina, they have a chance to win any game. He has proven that he needs just one moment as he did against Switzerland, and he was rather muted against the Netherlands, who covered him with at least one man all the time and usually two or three. The injury suffered by Angel Di Maria really hurt as teams can focus on Messi, and while Gonzalo Higuain looked great against Belgium, he took a step backwards against Holland.
Someone else has to step up and support Messi out because against a team as loaded as Germany, you’re not going to beat them with one player. They will likely set out their stall to defend as they did against the Netherlands and try for a shootout, because their backs are against the wall here.
Outlook
Argentina has actually dominated this head-to-head matchup against Germany, winning four and drawing three of their eight meetings, but the Germans rolled to a 4-0 victory in the 2010 quarterfinals. Argentina probably has the single most influential player on the pitch in Messi, but Germany has the better team and they’re deeper coming off the bench than the South Americans. Argentina will give it everything they have, but Germany is on a mission and they’re just better. Take the Germans to win their fourth World Cup, tying them with Italy and leaving them one behind Brazil.
Pick: Germany
