Franz Beckenbauer World Cup Commentary IV

So far, very few people have come up to me to ask who I favour in the World Cup final - Argentina or Germany?

Instead, everybody wants to know one thing: How is it possible to defeat Brazil, the hosts of this World Cup, by 7-1 in their own country? How did the German team pull off this miracle? This incredible 7-1 has now cast a dark shadow over Brazil, and has paralysed life there, and the joy for the game. There is simply no other topic, and it can take a while before the Brazilians have overcome the shock.

Before the semifinal match I had already warned that the loss of Neymar to injury in Brazil's offence and the yellow card suspension of Thiago Silva in the defence would be hard to compensate, even if the Brazilian team closed ranks even more tightly than before.

I was pretty certain that the Brazilians would have problems, because in their five matches before Germany they had never been really convincing. Right away, in the opening match against Croatia they had problems. It appears to me that this side of brilliant individualists were overburdened by being cast as the favourites. The team did not function as well as in its best times.

Already, you could see a certain fear in the Brazilian players' faces during the national anthem. They were singing with such fervour and almost shouting it out as if to buck up their own courage. I believe they had put themselves under too much pressure, something made visible in the way that keeper Julio Cesar and interim captain David Luiz held up Neymar's jersey during the national anthem. The pressure was already gigantic enough, considering how the fans, the 200 million countrymen, so fervently wanted the title

The Brazilians played fearfully, their self-confidence seemed to have vanished, and it really looked like they had huge respect for the opponent. The gave up goals even when they had more players back on defence than the Germans had on the attack. Above all it was in the first half, up to the point when the score was 5-0, that you could clearly see that they were standing miles away from their opponent. This made it possible for the Germans to calmly pick out the places where they could go with the ball. Somehow, the entire Brazilian system just didn't work, something that naturally had to do with the fact that the German team was outstanding.

The Germans played a strong running game and were well organised on the pitch. Everyone was constantly in motion, each player was there for his team mates. This sounds like it should be self-explanatory, but it isn't. And you saw this in Germany's matches beforehand. Germany doesn't have a Neymar or a Lionel Messi, but Jogi Loew's lads all harmonise together as one team. A team that has a bloc of six Bayern Munich players, including a flawless goalkeeper backing them up, Manuel Neuer, the best keeper in the world.

There is of course no guarantee that Germany can show this form in the final against Argentina. But in any event the respect of the others for this team has grown even more in the wake of the 7-1 result.

On Sunday, Germany can expect to have a home field atmosphere at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. It's not only because the Argentinians are not exactly beloved by their Brazilian neighbours, but also because of the gestures made by the German players after the semifinal that the Brazilians won't forget. How the players went to the downcast Brazilian players and tried to console them. That was a show of fairness, of sportsmanship, gestures that were almost more important than a fantastic football match. They were the gestures of a great team.

Still, the Argentinians can be dangerous. Look at the Dutch, how during the tournament they were a convincing side with their strikers Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie. But in the semifinal, Argentina succeeded in virtually suffocating their opponent with an impenetrable defence. To try to overcome this defence will be a huge challenge for the German team. And of course there is still the superstar Lionel Messi, who, if you don't keep him under control, could decide the final with one stroke of genius.

Beside this, it was in the penalty shoot-out against the Dutch, with keeper Sergio Romero playing the hero in blocking two shots, that the Argentinians showed they have strong nerves.

I'm afraid that in the final we can't expect very many goals. Unless the Germans somehow manage to take their game up yet another level. In any event, they are already world champions in peoples' hearts.