Chapter 314: The Final Arrives, With a Billion Viewers Worldwide Tuned In!
As the coaches of both teams were engaged in tactical battles, the 2014 World Cup third-place play-off kicked off first. Host Brazil, still reeling from their devastating defeat by Germany, faced their South American neighbors, Argentina, at the National Stadium in Brasilia. Both teams, having seen their dreams shattered at this World Cup, watched as Europeans reached the final for the third consecutive time—marking a low point for both teams and South American football as a whole.
Once pioneers of football innovation, Latin football has gradually lost its edge in competition with European football, even falling behind in the times. This has sparked widespread reflection among South American footballers: Have we truly lost our way? Is there a future for South American football if this trend continues? No one could provide them with answers; they had to find their own. If they didn't want the next World Cup to be just another backdrop to a European show, reforms would need to start now.
That said, pondering the future of South American football would have to wait. The immediate concern was how to overcome their current opponent. Deep-seated rivalries already existed between the two teams, and both desperately needed a victory to boost morale. With old and new grievances fueling them, the match was fiercely contested.
Despite missing Neymar, Brazil's defense was bolstered by the return of Thiago Silva, making it far sturdier than in their last match, which crumbled upon contact. Freed from the pressure of achieving results, Argentina's forwards, including Messi, visibly improved. In the 7th minute, Messi broke through to score, making it 1-0. By the 11th minute, Brazil responded with a set-piece, Thiago Silva, freshly back from suspension, equalized. In the 24th minute, Higuain, receiving a pass from Messi in the box, seized a fleeting chance to shoot calmly into the far corner, reclaiming the lead for Argentina, 2-1.
Brazil quickly counterattacked. Oscar took a long shot from midfield, which Romero deflected with a focused save. However, Brazil's Fred, ghost-like, suddenly appeared to slot in the rebound, equalizing the score once more. The atmosphere was initially subdued; fans were demoralized by only competing for third place, but the exciting gameplay, aggressive attacks, and frequent scoring soon whipped them into a frenzy, making the match worthwhile.
Even those watching from home felt stirred: "If only they had played like this earlier, maybe they would have been in the finals!" "Yeah, Brazil was just unlucky, while Argentina basically shot themselves in the foot!" "Argentina and Spain being in the same bracket didn't help either..." "If Argentina had been in the upper bracket, maybe they could have beaten Germany to reach the final!" "It's hard to say, Argentina has fallen to Germany in the last two World Cups; they might not have managed this time either." "Some think FIFA should make a rule to put two strong South American teams in one bracket to ensure a non-European final, to avoid European dominance."
While the World Cup is supposed to be a global feast, disparities in the quality of football across continents often reduce it to a stage for Europe and South America. With Africa, North America, and Asia playing at most destabilizing roles, and Asia often not even managing that, the tournament becomes dominated by Europe. If South American football continues to decline, it could lead to a monopoly by European teams, which wouldn't be good for the World Cup's viewership or international impact.
"But seriously, even if those two teams were in the same bracket, who's to say they wouldn't just get knocked out by some strong European team?" "That's right, Europe has so many strong teams like Germany, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Who knows what could happen at the next World Cup; unless FIFA openly rigs the matches, South American teams still can't be sure of making it to the finals!" "Frankly, instead of relying on draws and group placements, it would be better to genuinely elevate their level of play." Many European fans think Latin Americans, after a series of defeats, should humble themselves and learn from Europe. After all, European football, thriving on high-quality league play and strong youth development, has proven to be the way forward. Europe's strength in football is built on the high standard of the major leagues and a robust youth system, supported by a wealthy middle class and a comprehensive welfare system. This provides a stable and healthy environment for professional football, unlike the big-money leagues in China and the Middle East.
Latin America lacks these conditions, with their best local talents often heading to Europe, where the leagues are more appealing. Raising the level of domestic competitions like the Brazilian Serie A and the Argentine Primera División is challenging.
Fans debate endlessly online without reaching any solid conclusions. Some even suggest that since the domestic leagues can't compete, why not send promising young players to Europe? This is what some Asian countries are doing. South American players could use the major European leagues to hone their skills and learn advanced concepts, which they could then bring back home. However, this would likely dilute the distinctive style of South American football, gradually aligning it more with European standards.
The online debates rage on, but on the field, the sparks fly even higher. After halftime, Argentina pressed hard. In the 55th minute, Messi scored his second goal of the game, giving his team the lead once more. His total for this World Cup reached eight goals! Following his goal, the Argentine fans in the stands chanted his name and applauded enthusiastically. Hearing the roaring cheers, Messi, who had been down since the loss to Spain, finally smiled. He waved to the fans in gratitude for their applause and cheers.
The Argentine fans were thrilled, but nearby Brazilian fans were infuriated. This was their home turf; how could they tolerate such boldness from the Argentinians? They booed Messi unreservedly, some even making offensive gestures. Brazil's players, feeling provoked, intensified their attacks while also frequently fouling Messi. However, simply fouling Messi didn't address their problems. In the 75th minute, Di Maria, known for drawing penalties, was tripped in the box by David Luiz. The referee promptly awarded a penalty. Replay showed the call was fair, but given Di Maria's reputation for diving, which had earned him many penalties in European play, this call was controversial.
But when it comes to breakthrough ability, isn't Lin Quan far superior to Di Maria? Yet, Lin Quan does not win as many penalties as Di Maria. The reason Di Maria wins more penalties is mainly due to his acting skills. Once in the penalty area, he falls at the slightest touch, regardless of whether it's a foul or not. Last season, nearly half of the penalties Di Maria won were suspected of being dives, as seen in slow-motion TV replays, earning him the nickname "The Diving Man."
In the last match against Spain, Di Maria performed such acts in the penalty area. This time, the victims were the host team, Brazil. Naturally, the Brazilians were not pleased. Inside the National Stadium of Brasilia, cries of "referee bias" and verbal abuse towards players were rampant. Brazilian fans were so outraged they wished they could storm the pitch and confront Di Maria. However, the referee, unmoved by the protests from the stands, insisted it was a penalty.
Messi took the penalty, choosing to shoot into the top left corner of the net, facing Cesar. The goalkeeper, facing such a bold move, could only watch helplessly as the ball sailed past him. Scoring this goal, Messi achieved his first World Cup hat-trick and increased his total goals for this tournament to nine. Currently, Lin Quan also has exactly nine goals, tying him for first place in the tournament's top scorer list.
This means Messi has finally caught up to his rival in the rankings. If Lin Quan fails to score in the upcoming World Cup final, he and Messi will share this year's Golden Boot. For Messi, winning a World Cup Golden Boot would not be a complete loss. However, compared to the prestige of the World Cup Trophy, this personal accolade might seem minor, especially since he has already won four Ballon d'Or awards.
After Messi's penalty, the Brazilian team's morale was severely damaged. They became as agitated as they had been in the previous game, with players frequently receiving yellow cards for overly aggressive behavior. Their defensive performance also slipped, nearly allowing Argentina to extend their lead. Fortunately, coach Scolari made timely adjustments, stabilizing Brazil's defense. The score remained 4-2 until the end.
In this South American internal battle, Messi's Argentina emerged victorious, securing third place in the World Cup. As for the hosts, Brazil, after two defeats, had to settle for fourth place. With the appetizer over, it was time for the main course.
The day after the match between Brazil and Argentina, the final of the World Cup between Spain and Germany was set to take place at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. This famous stadium can accommodate 200,000 spectators. The Brazilians had hoped to witness their team lift the trophy here, but after Brazil fell in the semifinals, their carefully prepared stage ended up benefitting others. However, attracting German and Spanish fans to watch the game and spend money locally was a significant boost for the Brazilian economy.
FIFA predicted on its official website that the global audience for tonight's match might exceed one billion people, based on viewership ratings from the semifinals and the previous World Cup final. The Germany vs. Brazil match attracted 390 million viewers, while the Spain vs. Argentina match drew 670 million, surpassing the 2010 final's 530 million viewers.
Both teams' coaches tried to relieve their players' pressure before the final—a monumental challenge for any player, potentially their only chance to play on such a stage. Missing out on the championship trophy would be a regret of a lifetime. The expectations from outside, personal nerves, and anxiety could lead to immense psychological pressure, possibly causing poor performance and loss.
Both teams brought psychologists to provide emotional support and lessen the psychological burden on their players. Whether it helped was uncertain, but doing nothing would certainly leave them uneasy. Yet, it seemed all efforts were in vain as the King and Prime Minister of Spain visited the team, reigniting the players' nerves. The situation wasn't any better for Germany, as Chancellor Merkel visited and encouraged the German team to strive hard and bring glory to their country.