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sry for offtopic, according to the current world cup the usual choice for must-win games seems to be the Pirc/Modern. It usually backfires though unless you happen to be Ivanchuk.

Off topic, I think the Zaitsev is Black's best winning try against the Spanish, once you get past the possible repetition. Watson substantiates that in one of his "Mastering" volumes.

Sorry not to address the Berlin.

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I disagree with you on this point. There are a number of forced draws, but Gustafsson's DVD and games like Ivanchuk-Leko show that Black can play for a win against almost any variation if he is well prepared. There is still a lot of scope for further investigations because unlike most gambits, Black's compensation is quite long-term in nature but still offers good short-term compensation in the opening unlike, for instance, the Benko Gambit. 

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This is the case with any Black opening. If someone proved that an opening that gave excellent chances to win at 2700+ level, everyone would be playing it, or everyone would be not allowing it.

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I think the real caveat is that objectively White is slightly better and most of the top guys have appreciated the strength of the e6 sacrifice, as some recent games have shown. 

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I think the Breyer is a better winning try than the Berlin or Petroff because it keeps more tension in the position. Mamedyarov's games are particularly instructive if you want to play for a win with the Breyer as Black. If White makes a slight error then often a timely ...d5 is already better for Black. 

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I doubt it. The main choice of 2700+ players playing for a win is still the Najdorf. 

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That is an interesting choice. That sounds like playing the Najdorf when trying to draw and the Petroff in a must-win situation , but I can see how some want to positionally outplay their opponents in the Berlin. I was not sure how many favour doing so though, especially around the 2200+ level.

I have no idea about the alternative, but ...h4 (after b3) looks like more of a weakening than strength in this game.

If you look at the recent World Cup games you'll see that Black has some losing chances in the Berlin. I could be wrong but I think the Berlin Wall is about to experience a massive drop in popularity.

Are you, say, over 2500 rating?

If not, I really struggle to see the attraction, beyond the Bandwagonesque (thanks Teenage Fanclub for that).

You will suffer a lot.

(and yes I have seen Cox's book).

I got in trouble in a game in correspondence that continued

5. Re1 Nd6 6. Bf1 Be7 7. (tranposing to your move order Nxe5 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. Nc3 Bf6 10. Re1 Nf5 11. Nd5 d6 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. c3 c5 14. Qf3 where white has a little something for sure thanks to the bishop pair. Game is still going but I should hold a draw however this is not a way to play the opening I care to repeat. Maybe I will try your Ne8 next time (Though Cox's book also reocmmends this). Of course, Cox called this whole line harmless for black.