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On Sunday either Spain or the Netherlands will become just the eighth country to lift the World Cup, meaning a new national anthem will join the select group sung in celebration of the most longed-for sporting achievement on the planet.

The national anthem of the Netherlands, “Het Wilhelmus,” dates to 1574 and is widely considered the world’s oldest. The lyrics are written in the voice of William of Nassau, pledging loyalty to the Spanish king, Philip II, while at the same time explaining why he and the Dutch are rebelling against the excesses of Spanish rule — a nice touch going into a Spain-Netherlands final. “A prince of Orange am I, free and fearless,” go the words; “the king of Spain I have always honored.”

Click through to listen to the Dutch and Spanish anthems, as well as the anthems of the seven nations that have previously won a World Cup. You will also learn why none of the Spanish players sing during their national anthem.

Patrick House, writing in Slate, thinks he’s found the secret to success at the World Cup: high rates of Toxoplasma gondii infection.

What if I told you that last week I predicted all eight winners of a round of the World Cup? And that instead of rankings or divination all I did was look up how many people in each team’s home country had a tiny parasite lurking in their amygdalas? Would you believe me? A decade ago, Discover Magazine concluded that parasites ruled the world, and now I’m going to try to tell you that, at the very least, parasites rule the World Cup.

Tim Vickery previews the Netherlands vs Brazil game by looking back at some previous meetings between the two nations.

Brazil versus the Netherlands has given us some wonderful World Cup memories. The 1998 semi-final was one of Ronaldo’s best performances in the competition. The Dutch should probably have won a pulsating game, losing their nerve in the penalty shoot-out, but they softened up the Brazilians for France in the final.

The 1994 quarter-final had Bebeto’s immortal ‘rock the cradle’ celebration, a shock Holland comeback and finally Branco’s spectacular long-range free-kick.

But the really important contest - the one whose repercussions continue to ripple through the game - was the meeting in West Germany in 1974. In what was effectively a semi-final, the Netherlands won 2-0 while a frustrated Brazil, the reigning world champions, resorted to a full repertoire of rugby tackles and body checks.

Swiss soccer culture is all about defense. They recently set the record for the most consecutive minutes of World Cup play without conceding a goal: 551.

About a decade ago, the Swiss hit on their own unique style: keep 10 men behind the ball all the time (or nine if Valon Behrami is sent off for hitting a Chilean in the face, as happened yesterday) and kill the match. Never produce an unexpected pass or dribble or moment from the playground. The new national style reached even the highest Swiss mountaintops. Shortly before the last World Cup, Germany, on training camp in Switzerland, played against a team of Geneva teenagers. The kids held them scoreless for 25 minutes. The Swiss had created a football culture.

I really hope they don’t make it out of the group stage. If they do, it will be at the expense of either Chile or Spain.

President Clinton was at the US game yesterday. After the game he went and had a beer with the team. He had a lot to say, about the game and about the US bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

I lost my voice yesterday. I had to come home and drink tea and honey for an hour to get my voice back … I was very diplomatic until we scored. Then I was up there screaming just like everybody else.