Germany v Argentina - Sunday, 13th of July 2014 - 16:00 local.
The Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- This is the third World Cup final between Argentina and Germany (including West Germany). Argentina won the first 3-2 in 1986 but were defeated 1-0 at the 1990 tournament.
- Victory in 1986 is Argentina's only previous World Cup win in six matches against the Germans, and they were eliminated by them at both the 2006 and 2010 tournaments.
- Their overall World Cup record against Germany or West Germany is W1, D2, L3, although one of those draws was a quarter-final in 2006 which the Germans then won on penalties.
- Argentina's 4-0 defeat to Germany in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup is their heaviest defeat at the tournament since 1974.
- The most recent meeting was a friendly in Frankfurt in August 2012 which Argentina won 3-1.
Germany
- This will be the eight time Germany or West Germany have appeared in a World Cup final - a new record. They have won three and lost four of the previous seven finals.
- A fourth victory would see them match Italy's tally - only five-time champions Brazil have a better record.
- A win would mean they become the first European side to win the World Cup in the Americas.
- The Germans have lost more finals (four) than anyone else. That includes three defeats in their last four final appearances.
- Germany are unbeaten in their last 17 internationals (W12, D5). Their last defeat was a 4-3 loss to the USA in a friendly in June 2013.
- In Thomas Muller's 12 World Cup appearances he has scored 10 goals and assisted six more.
Argentina
- La Albiceleste have kept four clean sheets at this World Cup - a joint-high with Netherlands - and have yet to concede a goal in the knock-out stage.
- Lionel Messi has created 21 chances at the 2014 World Cup, more than any other player.
- Messi has failed to score in his last three games. He has not gone four international matches without a goal since Alejandro Sabella took charge of Argentina in August 2011.
- Argentina were eliminated by Germany at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. No team has ever been eliminated by the same opponents in the knock-out stage of three successive World Cups.
- Argentina's squad has an average age of just under 29 - if they win they will replace Italy (2006) as the oldest World Cup winners.
- They are the only team who have yet to fall behind at the 2014 World Cup.
Previous Threads
|OT1| Spa1n v The Netherland5 - Includes all schedule information and team profiles.
|OT2| Germany Müllers Portugal
|OT3| Football is never coming home
|OT4| What can European men do against such reckless heat?
|OT5| Que Jara, Jara. Whatever will be, will be.
|OT6| The beautiful game in all its thrilling glory
|OT7| Krul luck for Costa Rica after masterstroke from van Gaal
|OT8| Brazi1 - German7
Shoutouts
Once again thanks to everyone in the FIFA Thread Organising Committee who helped in the making of the OP in the first thread
Executive Imagery Wizard: SunhiLegend
And all the Report Committee Members: Askani, caramac, Cornballer, Clydefrog, darknil, FootballFan, Herr K, lastflowers, Mr Cola, prematureQuiche, pulga, Sviatoslav, The_Hitcher89, WoodenLung (Chief Location Scout)
And thanks to everyone who has posted and enjoyed the thrills and spills of the whole tournament.
Enjoy the Final!
