Excited about the Spain–Chile game? It's about to get a little more exciting

Swim Daily Staff | Jun 17, 2014

Colombian fans at the FIFA Fan Fest area on Rio's Copacabana beach :: Silvia Izquierdo/AP

AS MUCH as we know you love the ladies, if you're anything like us you are presently preoccupied, if not consumed, by the World Cup which kicked off last Thursday. Why not make things a little easier for you by bringing the two together?

Today brings three matches: The Netherlands vs. Australia, Spain vs. Chile, and Croatia vs. Cameroon. Of all the games, though, it's the Spain–Chile match-up that's got the most tongues wagging. All eyes are on the defending champs Spain today as it's their first game since that complete and utter implosion versus the Netherlands. Was the loss a fluke? Has the tone for La Roja been set? We can't answer those questions, and so instead we offer you Spain vs. Chile, in the form of SI Swimsuit models.

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Welcome to the main event: Judit Masco vs. Rita Santos

Representing Spain is a name you know well: Judit Masco, the Barcelonian who scored the cover of the SI Swimsuit Issue on her very first cap try in 1990. Judit would go on to appear in four subsequent issues ('91-'92, '94-'95). It's expected that Judit would easily take this one, as her competitor has limited modeling experience, but the big question is whether the quintessentially 90s blonde hair-flip look can stack up against the Latin flavor of her competitor.

Judit Masco, Swimsuit 1992 :: Robert Huntzinger/SI

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Which brings us to our Chilean representative, and most assuredly the underdog in this showdown. Rita Santos appeared in the 2004 issue's "Better Halves" feature with husband and Chilean hall of fame jockey José Santos. Aside from the fact that she is not technically a model, there's a good chance she's not even Chilean. Aaand then there's the minor fact that the couple has since divorced, and José has remarried. But why must we harp on such trifling technicalities? The fact stands that Rita has the face and the body of a true contender. I mean, those abs are the abs of a woman who has four children. FOUR. Also, posing with an animal never hurts (though looking morose whilst doing so might).

Rita and José Santos, and Ben the Pony in Saratoga, 2004 :: Richard Corman/SI

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OK. We've done our part. Tell us, who do you think deserves the win?