Flea Bite?

It’s been a long time coming. Thirty-six years after Mexico played hosts to Maradona and all that magic, the World Cup returns to South America, and after an inexplicable 64 years, to Brazil. They will be wary, though, because the last time this happened the Maracana was packed to the gills with over 2,00,000 in attendance for the final, where Uruguay shocked the hosts and there were reported suicides in Rio. Also because the Little Flea is coming from across the border. Diego Maradona has a successor now and, mercifully, after their not-so-telepathic understanding failed the Albicelestes in 2010, Messi will not have El Diego looking over his shoulder this time.

Meanwhile, the list of Pele’s appointed successors is long but this time the Selecao have a genuine thoroughbred in Neymar, who’s kept the Brazilian media busy since he was 17. It’s remarkable that Santos held on to him for so long, but when the Catalan passing carousel came calling with €87.2 million last season, the Brazilian chose to line up alongside Messi. And although the experiment sputtered in Barca this season, Neymar has bedded in. Meanwhile, Messi has had a less than “eventful” season by his standards, which could work in his favour, as he’ll be primed and ready for the carnival in Rio.

What is fascinating is that these two great soccer nations, with seven World Cups and 11 finals between them, have never met in one. Now if Brazil tops Group A, and Argentina overcome the likes of Iran, Nigeria and Bosnia & Herzegovina in Group F, a dream final could be in the offing. It’s Brazil who will have a tougher job in the group stages with  Croatia and Luka Modric up first, followed by fellow South Americans Mexico and a Cameroon side who cannot be taken lightly. They will also have the added headache of negotiating with England or Italy in the quarterfinal, and a probable duel with Die Mannschaft in the semi-finals. The knock-out stages should be relatively quiet for Argentina though, until an expected encounter with the Spanish armada in the semis.

Five days short of 10 years. The two countries didn’t play each other until the 5th of February, 1956, after the Brazilian Jair had fractured the Argentinian captain Jose Salomon’s leg in two places when the two countries met in 1946. The Battle Of Santiago in 1978 was also one where neither of the two countries covered themselves in glory. Then came 1990 with the Brazilian Branco accusing the opponent’s coaches of giving him ‘holy water’, the water-laced-with-tranquiliser incident the Argentinian FA denied all existence of. Pele and Maradona’s endless childlike quibbling over the ‘greatest player ever’ debate only punctuates a blockbuster script replete with characters, and enough action to hopefully fill up the Maracana for a final once again, on the 13th of July.

An aspiring journalist and wannabe engineer, Mishra has had a stint with the Tata Football Academy.