It might not be the way Brazilians wanted the World Cup to end but tonight’s final between Argentina and Germany will provide a nerve-jangling climax to the best tournament in history even though the goals that have lit it up may not flow.

Argentina will bank on the genius of their star striker Lionel Messi (left) as they look to win their third World Cup.Argentina will bank on the genius of their star striker Lionel Messi (left) as they look to win their third World Cup.

While hosts Brazil are still coming to terms with their 7-1 semi-final humiliation by Germany, Argentina and Germany are gearing up to settle old scores

According to his agent, this will be Argentine coach Alejandro Sabella’s last match in charge – win or lose – and he will leave the job a national hero if his team triumph in the third final between the European and South American heavyweights.

But whether this match is a high-scoring thriller like their 1986 showdown in Mexico City which Argentina won 3-2, or more resembles the dire spectacle of West Germany’s 1-0 win in 1990 in Rome is difficult to predict.

The trend in recent finals has been for tight, cagey, defensive games with narrow, low-scoring victories and those finals of 1986 and 1990 reflect the dividing line in the finals story.

The six finals up to and including 1986 produced 27 goals, the six since 1990, when Argentina became the first team to fail to score in the final, have produced nine.

And there is every indication that, paradoxically, this goal-laded World Cup – which has produced 167 goals so far and could beat the all-time record of 171 set in France’98 – will be won by defensive steel rather than attacking brilliance.

Both teams have goalkeepers in the form of their lives with Germany’s Manuel Neuer, probably the best in the world, and Argentina’s Sergio Romero, putting aside his season on the bench at Monaco with some impressive displays, not least his two stops in the penalty shootout win over the Dutch on Wednesday.

In front of Neuer, Benedict Hoewedes has played every minute of the competition at left-back and Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng have looked impressive in the centre of defence.

And since coach Joachim Loew re-positioned skipper Philipp Lahm at right-back rather than midfield, the defence has been even tighter.

Argentina’s rearguard though has been even more impressive. They have not conceded a goal for three successive matches since a 3-2 win over Nigeria in their last Group F match on June 25, and Sabella can also call on a solid, well-established formation.

Romero has gained in confidence and stature as the tournament has progressed while right-back Pablo Zabaleta, centre-back Ezequiel Garay and defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano have all been impressive as they have played every minute of every match.

There is of course, another Argentine player who has played all matches for his country –Lionel Messi.

The world’s number one player has enjoyed a satisfactory rather than scintillating tournament so far, scoring four times in Argentina’s three group wins against Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria but failing to find the net against Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands in the knockout stages.

And while Argentina have struggled for goals since qualifying with one against Switzerland from Angel di Maria and one against Belgium from Gonzalo Higuain, Germany have flourished, with 10 in the last three games.

Thomas Mueller, who scored a hat-trick in the group stage against Portugal, now has five goals, but their total of 17 has been spread around the side.

Miroslav Klose, now the top scorer of all time in the World Cup with 16 goals, has two, Andre Schuerrle three, defender Hummels and Toni Kroos two, while, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Mario Goetze have also found the net.

But they have yet to come up against a defence as formidable as Argentina’s.

Lothar Matthaus, the last German skipper to lift the World Cup in 1990, said last week: “There is an old saying in Germany that defences win titles, while the attack wins the glory.”

Those words could yet be borne out in tonight’s intriguing finale.

Key statistics

• Germany vs Argentina is the most frequently contested World Cup final, with tonight’s game marking their third clash for the biggest prize in football.

• Twice champions Argentina are returning to the final for the first time since losing 1-0 to West Germany in 1990.

• The South Americans won their first title in 1978, beating the Netherlands in the final, and their second in 1986 with a 3-2 win over West Germany.

• The Germans have won the world title three times, though all three triumphs were as West Germany (1954, 1974, 1990).

Previous meetings

• Argentina and Germany have played 20 times. Argentina have won nine, Germany seven with four draws.

Statistics at this tournament

  Argentina Germany
Games played 6 6
Goals scored 8 17
Goals from set piece 1 3
Shots on target 61 64
Corners awarded 44 32
Fouls committed 64 71
Yellow cards 6 4
Red cards 0 0
Distance ran per match 113.9 km 116 km
Passes completed 2,928, 3,421
Pass completion rate 78 per cent 82 per cent

Teams’ path to Maracana

Germany

Group G
vs Portugal 4-0; vs Ghana 2-2; vs USA 1-0.

Round of 16
June 30, Porto Alegre - Germany 2 Algeria 1 (aet)

Quarter-finals
July 4, Rio de Janeiro - France 0 Germany 1

Semi-finals
July 8, Belo Horizonte - Brazil 1 Germany 7

Argentina

Group F
vs Bosnia 2-1; vs Iran 1-0; vs Nigeria 3-2.

Round of 16
July 1, Sao Paulo - Argentina 1 Switzerland 0 (aet)

Quarter-finals
July 5, Brasilia - Argentina 1 Belgium 0

Semi-finals
July 9, Sao PauloNetherlands 0 Argentina 0 (aet) (Argentina win 4-2 on penalties)

Last 10 World Cup finals

1974 W. Germany vs Netherlands 2-1
1978 Argentina vs Netherlands 3-1
1982 Italy vs W. Germany 3-1
1986 Argentina vs W. Germany 3-2
1990 W. Germany vs Argentina 1-0
1994 Brazil vs Italy 0-0
  (aet; Brazil won 3-2 on penalties)
1998 France vs Brazil 3-0
2002 Brazil vs Germany 2-0
2006 Italy vs France 1-1
  (aet; Italy won 5-3 on penalties)
2010 Spain vs Netherlands 1-0

The two previous Argentina-Germany finals

1986 Mexico City: Argentina 3 West Germany 2

• The first meeting between this year’s two finalists was a classic, with Argentina inspired to victory by the irrepressible Diego Maradona.

Jose Luis Brown and Jorge Valdano scored for Argentina, who were coasting to victory until the Germans rallied in the final stages with a goal from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and an equaliser from Rudi Voeller.

But just when the Germans thought they had done enough to force extra-time, Maradona found the perfect pass for Jorge Burruchaga to run on and score the winner six minutes from time.

Diego Maradona goes down during the 1990 World Cup final.Diego Maradona goes down during the 1990 World Cup final.

1990 Rome: West Germany 1 Argentina 0

• After the magnificent final in Mexico City, West Germany and Argentina met again four years later and produced arguably the worst.

Argentina substitute Pedro Monzon became the first player to be sent off in the final when he tried to take out Juergen Klinsmann in the 65th minute. Gustavo Dezotti was also sent off in the 87th minute, two minutes after a woeful spectacle had been decided by an 85th minute Andreas Brehme penalty.

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