Quote Originally Posted by warriorfan4life View Post
I did not believe in the Germans, primarily due to their back line and Sami Khedira looking like crap at the end of the club season in his recovery from knee surgery. Khedira played some of the best football of his life, and Germany lucked out that there were few center forwards capable enough to take advantage of their back line (like Balotelli did in the Euro 2012 semis). If Higuain remains on-side during the disallowed goal or finishes off Kroos's early blunder, I think Argentines could have won 1-0 or even 2-0.

I would have loved to have seen a Colombia-Germany game, but alas the Colombian defense betrayed them on set pieces and Brazil mangled their way to the German pounding. The Colombians could be really good in 2018, but I fear that they will be up against a good number of dangerous European sides that will be in great form as their core stars hit their prime. I expect for the Americans to be a bigger threat to make a run, but again they could be up against some European firepower (especially if we are stuck in a group with two European teams again and do not earn a seed).
I couldn't agree more. Argies had their chances and couldn't make the most of them. Three very good scoring chances in regulation (including the one Messi slotted wide) but it all comes down to finishing, and Germany did just that. Great match, and the best team in Brazil won.

I also think Germany/Colombia would have been fantastic. Brazil kind of backed into that semifinal and I think Colombia would have made a much better opponent. Colombia was the best team of the group stage and quite possibly the tournament. That's the greatest match that didn't happen.

Germany though deserved the title. I don't agree with everyone trumping them as a dominant side, though. They were good, but definitely mortal. Their gaudy goal differential was almost all down to how easily Portugal and Brazil rolled over once they were down a couple goals. Ghana, USA, Algeria, & France all made Germany look pretty average. Great teams find ways to win, and Germany did, but any talk of them being an all-time great team (like Spain 2010) is very premature.