Simon Parker column

OTHER than Neymar, is there anyone outside Argentina who doesn't want Germany to lift the World Cup?

I've been rooting against Messi and Co ever since the day before the tournament – when I forgot to lay the planned bet on them to win the whole shebang.

Their route through to the last two has been painfully inevitable ever since.

But it's more than about my pocket. For football's sake, it should be Philipp Lahm thrusting the trophy into the Brazilian sky tomorrow night.

This year's World Cup has for once lived up to the hype. After the dreadful contest in South Africa in 2010, the pressure was on to deliver a spectacle actually worth watching.

And barring one or two predictably cautious chess matches – Holland v Argentina, anyone – the teams have delivered.

The likes of Colombia, Costa Rica and Chile were a delight to watch, playing with pace, panache and an all-round positivity. Attacking play has earned its rewards.

But then that brings us to Messi-tina – sorry, Argentina.

While Germany have rattled in 17 goals on their unstoppable march to the final, their opponents have mustered only eight. That was the same number which Spain scored when they won it before.

After all the joy and excitement of the last month, the last thing such a football fiesta needs is another curmudgeonly champion.

Fingers crossed for a contest worth its billing – and for a winner worthy of the stage.