Argentina has not been exciting this cup, but they have been solid. They make few mistakes and get in there when it counts. The Dutch did not look like themselves out there until the game was almost finished. I kept waiting and waiting for them to take control and make relentless runs at the goal, but they waited too long. They let Argentina play the way they wanted to, and it sunk them.

Lol, the commentators are saying this is another nightmare for Brazil - since Argentina is Brazil arch-nemesis. ^^.

Germany, you'd bloody well split this South-American-one-man-team-lucky bunch of [censored] apart. I expect at least 5 goals. At least.

Damn, Netherlands lose. Well it's up to Germany then.

Yeah, I bet there were plenty of Brazillians wearing orange out their today.

I am curious what will happen on Brazil vs Netherlands on Saturday !!!

What's everyone got against Argentina, apart from being very lucky to get through with majorly defensive play?

Yes you are correct.

[edit]

I have nothing against Argentina. They have not been exciting but they have played good defense the last few games. I guess most of us wanted to see Netherlands get to the promised land this time.

Netherlands will hopefully destroy Brazil by 10 goals.

Oh...poor Brazil.

Why are all so hostile to Brazil anyway. lol

I was rooting for Argentina but I'm also a person who likes to give credit where credit is due. I think @Northwind above wrote a good anolysis about Argentina. The Netherlands was the better team through out the tournament than Argentina but the Netherlands let Argentina play their game today. And the rest is history.

I guess it would be worse if we lost to Argentina on the game to decide who's going to be in third place. Which we will probably lose anyway.

Germany has eliminated Argentina from the last two world cups if that means anything.

It's natural to root for the plucky underdog - and the Dutch have lost out on 2 world cups in the past, I think everyone felt this was their year. Argentina have played defensively, boring and almost nonchalant - they stride into the World Cup with 2 previous victories and cruise to the final - nobody can get behind them and nobody wants them to win. At least Germany play attractive football, and seem to have a likeable and charismatic (for Germans) bunch of players, and they certainly deserve the victory on Sunday.

lol

And they have a good chance of beating Argentina again - and the past Argentinian squadrons were better than this one.

It does not really that much since now it is about being World Champs. Will Messi be able to cement his standing as one of the greatest footballers of all time or maybe it will be Mueller that might be throwing in his name as being one of the best.

The Netherlands have lost in 3 Finals without winning 1974, 1978, 2010

I guess this justifies Messi's salary.

He's payed more than the entire Australian team.

I don't know what his salary is. But Australia got $8M for exiting at the group stage. Winner will get $35M and the runner-up will get $25M.

No I mean, if you totalled every Australian players salary it would still be less than Messi's.

Messi is one of the best players of all time so it stands that he makes a lot of money playing football. Also likely makes a lot of money doing commercials

Yeah. Too bad he really hasn't shown his complete explosiveness in this WC. He reminds me of a Warner Bros. cartoon in which a man finds a talented frog who did all kind of Broadway musical acts before his eyes, but the moment he put him in the spotlight, nothing. ^^

Yes he has not shown that much of it but he has a shot at winning the cup

WE GOT DIS

I understood that. I was giving you what the teams make for getting to each stage. So if you know what the salaries are you could break it down. The difference between a cup winner and a group exit is over $1M per player, less for the runner up.

So we'll see. Certainly if Argentina win the cup, Messi will cement his name among the greats of all time, but I doubt he'll silence his detractors with the performance he's put in.

Then there's Mueller and Klose too.

And if they win because of him, it will be glorious for him. Otherwise, I can see his grandchildren on his lap saying, "But grandpa, did you win a WC? Messi: "Uh....no." Grandchild: "Then shut up." *Italian accent*^^