Finals Preview, Unified Support for England, Because of the Football King

July 14, 2014.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The entire famed coastal city had long since been engulfed by the heat of the World Cup.

Colorful supporters' flags could be seen everywhere, on every street and alley.

The air was filled with sea breeze, cheers, and football's uniquely scorching atmosphere.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the legendary stadium at the heart of the city.

Maracanã Stadium.

This sacred ground had witnessed countless Football World legends and borne a century of Brazilian football glory.

It was about to host the ultimate showdown of the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

At 3:00 p.m. on July 13 local time in Brazil—early morning on July 14 Beijing time.

The World Cup final officially kicked off.

England's Three Lions Army faced the iron-blooded German War Machine.

It was the ultimate clash between two extreme footballing systems.

A showdown of the century between individual peak talent and the ultimate team system.

In the final three days before the final began.

The entire Football World had completely entered a frenzy of universal anticipation and discussion.

Ever since the two epic semifinal clashes had ended and the final matchup was decided.

Every sports outlet, football legend, professional coach, active player, and veteran commentator across the globe—

Even hundreds of millions of ordinary fans—had all been swept into this grand wave of pre-match predictions.

Online discussion was boiling over, its popularity remaining at fever pitch as it crushed every sports ranking.

Everyone understood that the significance of this final had long surpassed that of an ordinary football match.

This was a god-making battle destined to reshape the Football World's landscape and determine the new era's king of football.

On one side stood the invincible Germany national football team, which had just created the World Cup's greatest massacre in a century by