The World (Cup) view

Salem County soccer coaches weigh in on Sunday’s World Cup final. Is it Spain or Argentina? It’s a split decision

All the world’s a stage and the biggest stage in the futbol world is set. The FIFA World Cup final.

Spain v. Argentina. Euro champs v defending World Cup champs. Yamal v Messi. Prodigy v Legend.

One can argue whether it’s the best matchup for this year’s final, but after 39 days and 103 matches it’s the one they’ve got. The game already has been dissected and analyzed from every angle in every corner of the globe, and no doubt will be in the weeks that follow.

Riverview Sports News reached out to some of Salem County’s high school soccer coaches to bring some local flavor to the international analysis and provide their pick to raise the golden trophy Sunday night in MetLife Stadium. The consensus is as close as the game is expected to be. Here are their insights, and picks, as told to Al Muskewitz.

Mano Massari, Penns Grove: Passing the torch

THE PICK: Spain.

THE REASON: Spain is going to win the game because of their dominance in their possession and build up play. They are patient with their attack and really do a nice job with their positional rotations. Their midfielders control the pace and tempo of the game. Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz, they are great at overloading and work around compact defenses. I also think Lamine Yamal is going to really control the right side of the pitch on the attacking side.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT: It’ll be the passing of the torch from Messi to Lamine Yamal. I think Lamine Yamal is going to take over the game. I think he’s going to put a goal in the back of the net and have an assist as well. I think he’s going to take over. He looked really good in their semifinal game against France. This is going to be like closing the door on Messi and now it’s Lamine Yamal’s turn. I think he’s going to solidify himself in this tournament with this game. I think it’s just going to be like a passing of the torch moment.

As for the best moment of the World Cup it’s got to be the Cape Verde story, with them being the smallest island ever to get to the World Cup, making it out of the knockout round and then going toe-to-toe with Argentina. That goal that kid scored against Argentina to tie the game was absolutely electric. Cape Verde, to me, is the story of the entire World Cup. I just love it. It’s such a good message to send. I look at it like my guys are small-town players and that’s what happens when you’re believing in a goal. You guys can go toe-to-toe with the defending champs if you all believe and you all put the work in. I just think it’s a great message and why the World Cup is so great.

Will Kemp, Schalick: Always my pick

THE PICK: Spain

THE REASON: They were actually inside my original pick. I said it was either going to be Spain or France that could actually be able to win this, just because France is such a powerhouse. But it’s Spain. Their midfield is unbelievable. The same exact thing for their backline. I’m definitely nodding towards Spain.

When you have a team that has only let up two open-play goals inside the entire tournament, especially with one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Unai Simon, you have Rodri, who is probably one of the best midfielders without a doubt pulling the strings, and then you have Lamine Yamal, there are so many different variables that go into this Spanish team. It seems like they’re finally clicking, especially with the way they played against France; that was the best match that they had, they controlled it completely, shut down the best attack inside the world on the international stage and prevented them from even getting any type of hope.

Now they’re going against Argentina and arguably one of the best players ever inside this same format, a struggling Argentina that really only scores goals inside the last 15-20 minutes of a match. I think if Spain gets up early and controls the game they’re going to have a really good shot at winning this thing.

So my bet’s on Spain, just from their forward attack. You’ve got Lamine Yamal, who’s finally starting to really get back into a groove after his hamstring injury. Then you have one of the best, if this were basketball you’d say sixth man, but inside this the 12th man (Mikel Merino), with him coming off the bench and scoring vital goals; plus he’s an Arsenal player, so, of course, I’m going to root for them.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT: I don’t think the championship moment inside this match is going to be a goal; I think it’s going to be a save. I think it’s actually going to come from the goalkeeper to actually save them and win the match. Unai Simon has been actually amazing this whole entire tournament. There’s been a debate between him and David Raya, once again an Arsenal player. I’m not showing any bias right now, but I should, but Unai Simon’s clearly better than David Raya. I think the moment of the match is actually come from a goalkeeper save – in open play. It’s definitely not going to go to PKs.

Derek Foglein, Pennsville: One more magical day

THE PICK: Argentina.

THE REASON: I honestly think it’s going to be a very close game, and it could go either way. I will definitely be watching the match up between the explosive offense of Argentina and Spain’s defense that has already set the record for most shutouts in a single World Cup. It does seem like Messi and Argentina have that something special that has helped them pull out games (maybe even when they weren’t the better team), so I’m going to take them to have one more magical day and Messi can secure his place atop soccer history.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT: I think it’s going to be a close game, will likely go to PKs, so I’ll say the defining moment will be Lamine Yamal missing his PK and that secures the win for Argentina.

Joe Mannella, Schalick: More Messi magic

THE PICK: Argentina.

THE REASON: I think it’s really hard to pick. It can go either way. I’m going to go with Argentina just because they seem to be playing that style that gets you through this type of situation. They remind me of Haddon Twp. They play a lot of those physical mind games that you see and then they have the quality on top of it. They don’t care how they win, they just win. They just seem to get it done and I think they’ll get it done.

I don’t know if technically they’re better than Spain. They’re kind of a complete team in that they all know their roles and are crazy resilient and they just kind of wait for their opportunity. Obviously they’ve got the best player in the world. If Spain can figure out a way to neutralize him, which no one has ever really been able to do, then certainly it’ll be tough for Argentina to score.

Spain’s probably going to have the ball most of the time and it’s not like Argentina is a fast, counter-attacking team, they just kind of wear you down and punish you when you make a mistake. If I’m going to put my money on somebody, I’m going to put it on the team that’s done it and has done it the whole tournament.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT: If you’re going to put money on anything it’s on Messi doing something outrageous. That’s the easy money on Messi scoring some amazing goal or having a ridiculous pass to set up a goal. Not on the conspiracy side, but I’ve seen VAR have too much to say in some of these games and I’d hate the thing to remember about this World Cup final is that VAR pulled a goal back that shouldn’t have been or allowed a goal that shouldn’t have been.

Argentina plays on such of an edge there could be a red card. I could see them going down to 10 men and winning anyway. Just your backs are against the wall – again – red card, a guy getting his second yellow in the second half and them just holding on, holding on and then Messi putting the ball in the box and somebody getting a head on it. Game over.

Darren Huck, Woodstown: Spain is too solid

THE PICK: Spain

THE REASON: I think Spain overall plays very well defensively and I think they’re going to be a little bit better than some of the teams so far that Messi has gone up against. I think they’re going to contain him pretty well. I think they’re going to keep him in front and I think they’re going to not let him all of a sudden break free. Defensively, they stay very tight, very organized, they don’t give up a whole lot of shots let alone goals, so I think with their defense and the way they work together as a team defensively is what’s going to do it. I think Yamal is going to score the game-winner. I think they’re going to win 2-1.

Spain plays a very simplistic game. They keep it very simple and they’re very disciplined. They’ve been through this before, they know the game is not going to be won in the first 10 minutes. It’s not going to be won in the first 20 minutes. It’s not going to be won in the first half. So, they’ve got stay organized, which they will, and they’ll stay compact and they’ll have good possession. This game is not going to be a bunch of risks. It’s not going to be like that England-France game. It’s going to be a very close game. They’re going to stay behind the ball and they’re not going to give any big transition type goals or breakaways. They’re just too good, they’re too solid. Argentina might want to open it up a little bit, but I don’t think they’re going to be able to.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT: One of Yamal’s gifts, and he’s so young which is so impressive that he can do this, is he’s really good on set pieces. If Argentina gets a little chippy and they play a little too aggressive – it’ll be very interesting to see how the referee calls the game in the beginning – Spain’s going to be looking to take a foul 20-22 yards out and I think the game winner is going to come from something like that. I think he’s going to have a direct kick and he’s going to put it in a spot the Argentinian goalkeeper is not going to be able to get.