On the eve of the World Cup final, Brazil legend Ronaldo made his prediction for the showdown between Spain and Argentina. Speaking on a program, the former striker said clearly that Spain would beat Argentina comfortably and lift the trophy.
"I think Spain will win, and I think they'll win this match comfortably," Ronaldo said. "France and Spain were always my favorites to win the title. With Spain's extraordinary possession-based football and that DNA that runs through the team, they can win with ease. This isn't football they only started playing at this World Cup. They've been playing this way for a long time, and I think a lot of that comes from the football philosophy Guardiola began at Barcelona."
When asked whether Argentina could come from behind if they fell behind, Ronaldo was direct: "I don't think Argentina have the ability to come back if they go one or two goals down against Spain, because Spain will control possession firmly throughout the entire match."
Even so, Ronaldo still had high praise for Argentina's tournament: "Based on Argentina's performances at this World Cup, reaching this stage is already an absolute success. They've come from behind many times in matches, turning games around even after conceding first. Messi has once again written a beautiful chapter in World Cup history."
But he stressed that Spain's tactical system is already highly mature: "Spain never rush. They are really very composed. They move the ball quickly, they can control the tempo of the match, cool the game down through possession, and suddenly accelerate when needed. They know exactly what to do at every moment and in every phase of the game. That kind of systemized style makes it very hard for opponents to find weaknesses."