The 4 Contenders: Who will win the Ultimate Prize?

The World Cup has almost come to an end, and come next Sunday, we will have a new World Champion. It has been one of the most memorable tournaments in recent memory, filled with upsets, surprises and magnificent performances. With only four teams still left in the running, it is time to look at them and try to gauge which of our semifinalists has the best chance of lifting the coveted trophy.

BRAZIL
The hosts and pre-tournament favourites Brazil have lived up to expectations so far and find themselves in the semi-final facing Germany. Their tournament got off to a dream start against Croatia, and led by talisman Neymar, they qualified from the group stages unbeaten. Hard fought wins over Chile and Colombia have ensured their progress, though the road ahead seems tough. The loss of Thiago Silva through suspension and Neymar to a fractured vertebra has hit them hard. Without these two, undoubtedly the best performers of the tournament so far, Brazil will find it hard to play with their usual level of fluency, and this will hurt them against Germany. While it is never wise to underestimate the Samba Kings, they will need to find some inspiration, and players like Oscar and Hulk will need to step up if they want to achieve the country’s dream of lifting the World Cup.

GERMANY
The European Juggernauts have yet again reached the semi-final stages of the World Cup, and based on form so far, seem to be the strongest contenders for the title. Their World Cup campaign started in style with a demolition of Portugal and since then they have performed strongly, with the basis of their success being strong defensive displays. Manuel Neuer has been outstanding in goal as always, and Mats Hummels has been a rock at the back, besides being a threat from set pieces. The tireless midfield has been very effective at retaining possession and manufacturing chances, and Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze have been brilliant. With Muller in great goalscoring form, the Germans are the team to beat, and their clinical demolition of France, another team in good form, was proof of their title credentials. History, however, is not on the side of the Germans, and they have acquired a reputation as chokers in the knockout stages. The team will undoubtedly be hungry for glory and eager to prove their critics wrong, and with the injuries to the Brazilian team, this might well be their year.

ARGENTINA
While the Messi-led Argentina have only lived up to expectations by reaching the semifinal, and are expected by many to reach the final in a dream match-up against Brazil, their performances have probably been the weakest of the teams in the final four. While they have won every single game, they have all been by a one goal margin and some of them were very unconvincing for a team of their stature. A resilient Iran nearly held Argentina to a famous draw in a game that required a moment of genius from Messi to resolve, and Nigeria made Argentina fight for every inch in another game where Messi proved to be the deciding factor. The knockout stages saw them take on Switzerland and Belgium, and while the first game needed extra time to be resolved, the second one was decided by a sweetly placed snapshot from Gonzalo Higuain. After that, Argentina were pinned back in their own half for large periods of play, and this could prove to be a real problem against quality attacks. Also, their play is highly dependent on Messi, and this coupled with the absence of Sergio Aguero through injury, has severely reduced their goalscoring threat. If Messi is frozen out by the opposition defence, it is tough to see Argentina getting a sight of goal, and the injury to the impressive Angel di Maria further compounds this problem. Players like Lavezzi and Higuain need to step up and be counted in Argentina wants to mount a serious title challenge.

NETHERLANDS
The Oranje, finalists in the last edition of the World Cup, have given yet another strong performance on the biggest stage of them all. Handed a group containing defending champions Spain, they showed their title credentials with a 5-1 humbling of the champions. Wins against Australia, in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament, and a strong Chile side saw them top their group as the highest scoring team in the group stages. Since then however, they seem to have lost their drive, and they needed a late comeback to beat Mexico, in a game featuring a controversial penalty. The nest game against Costa Rica went all the way to penalties as the Dutch seemed unable to penetrate a resolute defence. This is a warning sign, as their attack is their strength, and they need their stars in the form of Robben and van Persie to find that lethal touch in front of goal again. Argentina is probably the best team for the Netherlands, since against a comparatively weaker defence there will be more space for the Dutch forwards. Though vitriolic, this team has true quality and may go all the way this time.