The beautiful game just keeps on giving, doesn’t it. As a lifelong American, I appreciate soccer for what it is, which is something different than what and where we put most of our sporting attention. Football, basketball, and even baseball get most of the hype, but soccer is like the rest of the world in that it is slowly and surely creeping its way into our collective conscious, even if painstakingly slow. Sure, we ran out of steam and looked like pre 1994 USMNT, but our first 4 games are cause for optimism. Even if in 4 years from now. As for the final of this edition of the Copa Mundial, what a treat. Defending champion Argentina, along with who most must now consider the GOAT of the sport, Lionel Messi, look to become the first repeat champion since rival Brazil pulled off the feat in 1958 and 1962. A win, and there is no debate, the Argentine midfielder will complete his international career as the most decorated and accomplished futbol-er of all time. Even with a loss, his legacy is cemented. A loss in the final, however, would mean that Spain, along with the top (young) player in the world, Yamal Lamine, will be victorious and the world would then recognize the official passing of the torch from the GOAT to the GOATIT (goat in training). The young Spaniard could be just getting started. But how about this. Messi and Lamine, who will meet for this first time (in international competition), despite the 39 year-old’s long and illustrious career, have know each for 19 years already! In what can only be described as a coincidence, and we know there are no coincidences, the soccer gods introduced these 2 all-time greats when Lamine was but a toddler. It seems as though that fate had already been decided. It has to make us think, what other coincidences are out there in this Mundial.