It is only natural that the world's biggest sport has the world's biggest rivalries. From European, warring neighbors to mortal enemies, the best sides in the world all have that team that they want to beat more than any other.

　　世界最大的体育赛事自然要配上世界顶级的较量。不管是欧洲，抑或正在交火的邻国，或者是不共戴天的劲敌，世界上实力最强的国家都拥有一支雄心勃勃誓要战无不胜的球队。

　　What follows is by no means the definitive list. Imagine if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea faced off against the US – or if Australia came up against its arch-enemy, New Zealand.

　　以下猜想绝非定论。试想一下，如果朝鲜与美国同场竞技，或者澳大利亚队与劲敌新西兰队狭路相逢，将是怎样一番情景？

　　The following will take you through the World Cup favorites and dishes up the dirt.

　　接下来，我们将一同领略世界杯热门球队的风采，对它们评头论足一番。

　　冰火之争 Apples and oranges rivalry

　　This is a philosophical rivalry. Germany and Brazil are two nations that dominate the World Cup, but their footballing styles are like apples and oranges.

　　这次对阵充满哲学意味。德国和巴西在世界杯上的地位举足轻重，但他们的比赛风格却是截然不同。

　　Brazilian football is an attacking, free-flowing style of play. In Brazil they make sure they play ‘Joga Bonito’ (the beautiful game). German football is about efficiency and tactical mastery. In Germany, they call their team tournament team because they are so good at finding ways to win in tournaments.

　　巴西足球擅长进攻，行云流水自成一格。在巴西，人们确信他们是在享受“美丽足球”。德国足球注重效率与战术专攻。在德国，他们称自己的球队是大赛型球队，因为他们善于在大赛中设法夺冠。

　　Amazingly, the two heavyweights have only ever played each other once in the World Cup. The 2002 World Cup Final saw Ronaldo embarrass Germany. They are on track to meet each other again in this year’s final.

　　令人颇感意外的是，这两支重量级球队在世界杯上只有一次交手。在2002年世界杯决赛上罗纳尔多使整个德国队惨败而归。在今年的决赛中两队有望再次交战。

　　蓝魔之战 Battle of the blues rivalry

　　Zinedine Zidane's baldhead striking Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest in the 2006 World Cup Final is one of the most iconic images in football history. It also cemented the bitter rivalry between the two blue-shirted European countries.

　　2006年世界杯决赛上，齐内丁?齐达内用光头撞向意大利队后卫马尔科?马特拉齐的前胸，这一幕也成为足球史上最具标志性画面之一。这也奠定了两支同样身穿蓝色球衣的欧洲队成为赛场上的死敌。

　　For the last 30 years, France has had the upper hand in major tournaments. They knocked Italy out of the World Cup in 1998 on penalties. And they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the European Championship Final in 2000.

　　在过去的30年中，法国队一直在重要赛事中占据上风。在1998年的世界杯上，法国队以点球击败意大利队。在2000年的欧洲杯决赛中他们险胜意大利。

　　利比里亚半岛之战 Iberian neighbors rivalry

　　Portugal and Spain share the land on the westernmost point of Europe, called the Iberian peninsula. Living so close, they have had a checkered political and cultural history. In one case, in the Middle Ages, King Philip II of Spain decided to declare himself Philip I of Portugal.

　　葡萄牙与西班牙双双地处欧洲最西部，那里被称为利比里亚半岛。由于相互毗邻的关系，两国的政治文化史有着许多交汇之处。一个例子就是，中世纪时期，西班牙国王菲利普二世自称葡萄牙菲利普一世。

　　On the football pitch, they couldn't be more alike. Both teams play a similar passing game with flashes of brilliance. And both are considered perennial underachievers. Most of the Portuguese players also play in the Spanish league.

　　在绿茵场上，他们简直太像了。两队不时闪现出相似的传球手法，都被认为长期成绩平平。许多葡萄牙球员同时也在西班牙足球俱乐部中效力。

　　If the two meet in the second round, the clash will mean more than life itself to the fans. Consider ex-Portuguese coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's comment before a game against Spain in 2004: "This is war, and I have to kill and not be killed."

　　如果两队在第二轮相见，那么球迷一定会将这场比赛看得比自己生命还重要。回想2004年时，葡萄牙队前主教练路易斯?菲利佩?斯科拉里在与西班牙队对阵之前曾表示：“这是一场战役，只许胜不许败。”

　　为“上帝之手”而战 ‘Hand of God' rivalry

　　No two teams have more World Cup history than Argentina and England. It's fair to say they hate each other.

　　没有哪支球队能像阿根廷队和英格兰队与世界杯有如此深的渊源。说他们彼此仇视一点都不假。

　　After the two nations fought each other in the 1982 Falklands War, they came face-to-face in a 1986 World Cup quarter final. Diego Maradona enraged most of England when he scored a crucial goal with his hand. It has gone down in history books as the "Hand of God" goal.

　　1982年马岛战争之后，两国在1986年世界杯1/4决赛时狭路相逢。迭戈?马拉多纳用手攻入了关键一球，此举着实激怒了英国人。这一记“上帝之手”进球已被载入史册。

　　The rivalry deepened at the 1998 World Cup when David Beckham was controversially sent off for kicking an opponent.

　　在1998年世界杯上颇具争议的一幕发生了，大卫?贝克汉姆由于一个脚踢对方球员的争议性动作而被罚下场，这使得两队的竞争进入白热化。

　　They will meet in the quarter-finals, and – if recent history is a guide – it will be a controversial game.

　　这次两队将对阵1/4决赛，就以往的经验来看，这次比赛又将引发众多争议。