To this day, in his mind, his side were the best team. "We knew we were much better than them, we were not afraid at all." Johan Cruyff shakes his head when thinking back to the day his Dutch side lost in the 1974 World Cup final to hosts West Germany. The shake, however, is not full of bitterness, bewilderness or even disappointment. Cruyff didnt need a trophy to tell him his team was the best. After all, for the next 40 years, all he and the rest of us have heard is how good that team was. It speaks volumes about Cruyff, and indeed the Dutch philosophy, that they were happy to be the Peoples Champions, rather than the World Champions. Greatness, instead, is used to describe the team that came from behind to beat them that day, a team featuring stars like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Paul Breitner. Sixteen years later, in Rome, West Germany became World Champions once again. Great players like Lothar Matthaus, Andreas Brehme and Jurgen Klinsmann helped to dispose of an extremely average Argentina team. It was only one game of football. The same length of a match that can happen at your local park. Yet, despite it being an awful match, it accomplished something so important. It was able to separate greatness and mediocrity, ensuring the chronicles of football history were told the way they should. Since then five other teams would go on to win the World Cup in their own different ways. Some were better than others, but all of them deserved to win it and were better than their opponents. In Brazil we are now down to the final four. It has been a great World Cup, full of great moments, many of them coming from great players. However, where greatness has yet to be sprinkled is upon any of the teams. Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Netherlands is a wonderful final group to have in the semi-finals. Indeed, it is the first time ever that the two South American powerhouses have been at this stage in the same World Cup. All four are true giants in the game, without question, but so far the 2014 versions have been far from great. They all head into the final two laps of this World Cup knowing one of them will become the champions when they cross the line for the final time next Sunday inside the famous Maracana. All four have shown glimpses of individual greatness. Netherlands, who had to come from behind against Spain, Australia and Mexico, are inexperienced in defence and have significant weaknesses in midfield but they have lethal, clinical, great finishers who have helped them get this far although Robin Van Persie has gotten progressively worse as the tournament has gone on. Argentina saved their best performance for their latest victory, a 1-0 quarter-final defeat of Belgium. However, it was far from an outstanding performance. Coach Alejandro Sabella will be glad some players stepped up in key areas that badly needed to be improved but they remain a team that is very vulnerable in defence and the collective balance of the side is still nowhere near complete. Lionel Messi has been great at this World Cup, scoring or assisting on five of their eight goals so far, but Argentina have benefitted from a very kind draw and, other than at Messi, it would be wrong to place any kind of greatness on anyone else at the moment. In fact, it has been a clinic in countering the argument that Messi himself must carry Argentina to glory, showing glaring examples of how average the team really is. The same can be said for Brazil, whose two truly great players will not feature for them in the semi-finals. Thiago Silva (suspension) and Neymar (back injury) will be a huge loss for the hosts against Germany. However, what this allows us all to do is to sit back and see if greatness can be found by others. It will be up to the other eleven players for Brazil to see if they can reach the final in front of an expectant home crowd. The Brazilian public often demands to see winners, while being entertained at the same time, and so far the team has only managed to, barely, win. With two games to go to win an historic World Cup on home soil it appears, based on the quarter-final crowd, that the winning ugly method is fine as long as they keep jumping the hurdles towards greatness. However, more often than not, winning ugly and losing usually meet at the same point. Eventually. Luiz Felipe Scolaris side have not been anywhere close to great at this World Cup but have two games left to save their reputation and cast aside any labels that have been thrown at them so far. Standing in their way is a Germany team who has also showed some significant flaws getting to the last four. Their captain Philipp Lahm hasnt been at his best, in either position he has been played at, while Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze have been dubbed the invisible duo by the German press while coach Joachin Low remains undecided on who plays up front. However, their latest victory, a narrow 1-0 win over France in the quarter-finals, did give us a glimpse into what could be a victorious German team going forward. The balance of the midfield is better with the outstanding Sami Khedira in it, Bastian Schweinsteiger is starting to look more and more fit and influential, while Mats Hummels returned from the flu and ensured the back four were excellent for the first time. Make no mistake, this is not a great team. Yet. However, of the final four, they look the closest to such a label at the moment. It is a team that relies heavily on the influence of its Bayern Munich players, winners who have succeeded at the highest level of the game. It is a team that has learned how to lose at the international level and modeled themselves on past victors, Spain. Spain are on their holidays now but they have played an enormous part of what is happening in Brazil. Four years ago, at this stage, they were preparing for a game against the aforementioned Germans, after finally getting over the hump of the World Cup quarter-finals, a hurdle that had knocked them out so many times before. Their run to the trophy in South Africa showed us all what greatness was. This time we have had to wait much longer for it to show up. With one week left to go at this World Cup we still need to be patient. Four teams in a knock-out stage tournament where only one will reign supreme. Thankfully, we know from past years that at least the World Cup will hand us a deserved winner. There is still time for a Peoples Champion to be crowned but there is no time for more than one team to become great. It has taken some time but it is coming. Glen Rice Jersey . - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to meet with Richie Incognito to determine if one of the central figures in the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal can help their struggling offensive line. Justise Winslow Jersey .4 seconds left and dribbled up court, weaving through Pitts defence. http://www.basketballheatshop.com/Cheap-...em-Heat-Jersey/. LaQuinton Ross scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half, hitting his first four 3-pointers, to send No. Goran Dragic Jersey .com) - Thursday marks the official debut of a new dirt racing surface at Meydan Racecourse. Tim Hardaway Jersey . -- Peyton Manning is the only player in this Super Bowl who has won the big game.We asked the Soccer Saturday pundits whether Manchester United can still win the Premier League following their latest slip-up. Jose Mourinhos men ended the weekend nine points behind leaders Chelsea after failing to beat Arsenal at Old Trafford, leaving them with just five wins from 12 this season. Sky Sports Black Friday sale Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price! That result also prompted Sky Bet to push their title odds out from 25/1 to 33/1, with little between favourites Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool at the head of the betting. Here are the Soccer Saturday pundits verdicts as to whether United are already out of the title race...Matt Le Tissier: In a word, yesJeff asked me the question on Saturday that if they had lost to Arsenal would they have been out of the title race and I said I thought they already were. Manchester United players not good enough, says Le Tiss Theyre well off the top sides in terms of the the points and quality of players. The performances that weve seen so far havent been that of title contenders.I think if you asked most Manchester United fans right now then I think theyd bite your hand off for fourth place.Paul Merson: Im not writing them offTheir odds tell you everything! I said at the start of the season it would be an achievement to make the top four and I still think theyre players short. Juan Mata puts United ahead against Arsenal However, I thought they played well at the weekend, theyd just beaten Swansea convincingly and if they play like they did against Arsenal everyy week then theyll climb the table.ddddddddddddI wouldnt like to count them out just yet. Liverpool drew at Southampton and Manchester City nearly dropped points at Crystal Palace so its not as though anyone is running away with it.Charlie Nicholas: Theres five better teamsI think theyre out of the title trace. There are too many better teams than them. I dont agree with Jose Mourinho that theyre the most unlucky team in the league.Theyve not won the games theyve dominated which tells you theyre not clinical enough. Thats not luck. Jose Mourinho believes Man Utd are the league most unlucky side Theyre not strong enough up the back and for me the five sides above them are all stronger sides than them.Unless they do something in January, I cant see them challenging the title race and I think it would be a success for them to finish in the top four.Phil Thompson: Too early to dismiss UnitedNo, I dont think so for a couple of reasons, one being its Manchester United. Secondly, its too early and weve still got the January transfer window. Pep Guardiolas Man City are favourites to win the Premier League All of those top teams, the big six or seven, are going to take points off each other. Its going to be a lot more difficult for them because of the points but its certainly not impossible.Youve got to look at Chelsea v Tottenham coming up next weekend - somebody above them is going to drop points, so with how wide open it is you cant discount them at this stage.Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price. 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