Fifa World Cup Final 2014: Germany v Argentina Preview

After a month of blood, sweat and tears, not to mention biting and diving, the 2014 World Cup reaches its conclusion on Sunday 13 July when the players of Germany and Argentina walk out onto the pitch in Rio de Janeiro for the final.

The biggest shock in the semi-finals was not that Germany beat Brazil – that was always a possibility in a match between two heavyweights – but the manner in which they did so, a 7-1 thrashing that reduced previously celebrating fans to tears.

In contrast, the other semi-final started with a dull, goalless first half as Argentina and the Netherlands cancelled each other out. Though better, the rest of the match failed to produce a goal and so it was via the penalty shoot-out that Argentina progressed to the final.

Germany are trying to become the first team from Europe to win a World Cup in South America and to win it for the first time as a united Germany; their three previous victories were all as West Germany. Argentina have won this trophy twice before. This will be the third time the two teams have met in the final. The first was in 1986 in Mexico when Argentina came out winners. Four years later in Italy West Germany were the victors.

Germany’s Route to the Final

Germany started their group games with a 4-0 destruction of Portugal, but in match two they were held to a 2-2 draw by Ghana. Needing only a point from their last match against the USA, they went in relaxed and ended up winning 1-0.

They had a hard battle against Algeria in the round of 16, with no goals in ninety minutes but two goals in extra time, the first from André Schürrle on two minutes and the second from Mezut Ozil with a minute to go. Algeria scored an injury time consolation goal.

Germany slugged it out with France in the quarter-finals and won by the solitary goal scored by Mats Hummels after just 13 minutes.

Then came that dramatic semi-final, a game that many predicted would be a close-fought battle. Such predictions were soon out of the window when Germany found themselves 5-0 up against Brazil within 30 minutes and then went onto win 7-1 in a match that will be talked about for, well, forever.

Argentina’s Route to the Final

Argentina won all three of their group games, but none convincingly. They started with a tough 2-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina and then were held for 90 minutes of goalless football by Iran before Lionel Messi scored a wonder goal in injury time to break the deadlock. They won their final match against Nigeria 3-2.

They survived the round of 16 by the skin of their teeth with a 1-0 victory over Switzerland, the only goal coming two minutes from the end of the second period of extra time when Angel Di Maria hit a stunning finish. Gonzalo Higuain’s fine strike eight minutes into Argentina’s quarter final against Belgium was the only goal of the match.

The semi-final against the Netherlands was a dull affair and ended goalless. Argentina won the resultant penalty shoot-out 4-2.

Football Betting Odds for Argentina vs Germany

The bookmakers have put Germany as favourites at around the 11/8 mark with Argentina out at 13/5 to win this game in ninety minutes. The best odds available for the draw are 12/5.