The Germans are rock solid and explosive, front to back, a golden generation ripe on the vine. The Argentines are strong defensively, they have a remarkable holding midfielder in Javier Mascherano, and they have one of the five greatest players ever to lace up his cleats in Lionel Messi. That sounds like a pretty good matchup for the final at Estadio Maracana — or at least a relatively close game. As is often the case, the talk beforehand has been about how to neutralize the other side’s attacking strengths, never a good sign. When that happens, the microphone inevitably finds its way directly to Germany’s left back, Benedikt Howedes, who is notably not a forward. Howedes was largely responsible for marking Cristiano Ronaldo during Germany’s defining 4-0 victory over Portugal, rendering the superstar invisible, and now Howedes is the most likely candidate assigned to slowing Messi. “I’ll do my part, but it will be a collective effort,” Howedes told reporters in Rio, ahead of the final on Sunday. “That’s how even a player of such quality can be stopped.” Howedes knows his place on the field, even if it isn’t exactly where he is accustomed to playing for his club…