Argentina vs. Germany: Here is how to decide who to cheer for

After one month and 63 games, the World Cup final is here. There have been a few twists, turns -- and even teeth -- along the way, one truly eye-popping result, and a lot of excitement. But in the final, there are only two teams standing. This has left the majority of us to grapple with the question of who to cheer for. As for me, I’ll be cheering for the team that has done the best job of communicating its story.

Naturally, teams most closely associated with your own region, nationality, or heritage are most likely to garner your most fervent support. But who do you cheer for when these biases don’t have a major influence? Why is it that a team like Manchester United became the world’s most valuable sporting franchise? Success is certainly part of it, as few of the worlds most famous sports teams don’t also have a long record of championships. However, history is more than just a record of wins and losses. It is an accumulation of important events and emotions that are collected along the way that shape the character of an organization. Perhaps it was the nature of how a team won (or lost) or events outside of the game itself. For Manchester United, a plane crash in Munich that claimed the lives of one of the most talented teams in the world at the time is an important part of their history. For the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs, despite being in two of North America’s most important sports markets, their long histories without championships have become a part of their stories (though Boston has rewritten part of its story over the past few years). In all cases, the stories of these franchises has helped them win legions of fans worldwide.

So, what’s the point? The point is that for any organization, be it a sports team, a coffee bean roaster, or a bank, if you want to win fans you need to effectively communicate your story. People like great prices and great service, but people love great prices, great service, and a great story.

Now, as for the World Cup final, I’ll keep my predictions to myself this time. But one prediction I will make is that at the next World Cup, the Brazilian team that will raise from the ashes of this defeat will have legions more fans around the world than it does today.

Photo: AFP via Getty Images