THE FINAL: GERMANY VS ARGENTINA

[CricFanBD]

It is good to see few people who are rooting for Germany…a very rare scenerio for Bangladeshi people. Since 1990 I support and follow German Football team closey. They did not win any big since 1996’s Euro. Hopefull they will not frustrate us this time. In my personal opinion, they will face the weaker team of the second semi-final’s match. Good Luck Germany.

[Jadukor]

It will be an injustice if this German team does not lift the trophy because they do look like a champion team. They are playing football at a different level. Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria and Messi will have to find a goal from somewhere to stay in the contest

[iDumb]

Originally Posted by BengaliPagol
Everyone seems to be jumping on the James Rodriguez bandwagon. Sure he looked great in the World Cup, seems to be very talented and has huge potential but that was just for a couple of games against teams like teams like Greece, japan, Ivory coast. Barely anyone was talking about him before and this season for Monaco it wasn't like he was pulling off amazing goal scoring feats.

You have a decent point but you have to keep in mind the stage. All these fancy players C. Ronaldo, Messi are doing great for their respective clubs but come WC, they suck... I don't think Messi scored any goals in previous wc. He is doing much better this wc.

NO matter how good a player you are, you will not really be a legend unless you lift the trophy for you country... Maradona and pele did that and hence they are mentioned all the times.... Messi is an amazing player but not yet a legend simply he hasn't done jack for his country.

J. Rodriquez is mentioned because he has the potential....No body gives colombia a chance to go past group stage, now all of a sudden they are fighting for spot in semifinal for the first time....he was pivotal for his country.... He CAN be a legend for colombia.... replacing Escobar - legend for the wrong thing.

I guess that's why his name appeared.... NOt that anyone thinks he is the best player in the world.... I think colombia will do well with him in next two world cups....

Think of him as the shakib al hasan.... there are much better players out there... but still a legend for us.. and deserve any records that he can get.

[iDumb]

Originally Posted by Jadukor
It will be an injustice if this German team does not lift the trophy because they do look like a champion team. They are playing football at a different level. Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria and Messi will have to find a goal from somewhere to stay in the contest

Thank you. I think it will be crucial on who get the first goal. I think the game against Brazil was actually disadvantaged for Germany as the opponents will have a good plan now.

I think Argentina will play mostly defense and will try to get a goal with counter.... And if they get the first goal, they might go into a shell...

Germany's defense is their offense unfortunately.....that's why it's crucial for them to get the lead so they expose the opponent more as they try to equalize....

Hopefully, Argentina play attacking and then we have ourselves a treat.... of a final....

And jadukor you better be a german supporter on Sunday.... I want every member in this site to be a winner...

[Jadukor]

Sorry dude i am an Arg fan since 1990 but i am not the kind that needlessly hates on Brazil or any other team. I appreciate good football and if it results in a thrashing received by Arg then i will be sad but not sour over it.

[Sohel]

The Germans have played the most consistently attractive soccer since 2006 and are likely to be rewarded with the biggest trophy of them all at long last. Great example of unit cohesion and positive soccer with flair. From Fritz Walter in 1954 to Miroslav Klose and Thomas Muller 60 years later, they have produced the most clinical finishers of any team in the history of the World Cup. Add great goaltending, thoroughly organized defense, and tremendous fitness into the mix, and one can't help but understand and appreciate their well deserved success in the World Cup. They deserve to win the Cup this year but soccer isn't always fair, and can always be a cruel mistress. I love the way Germany have played over the last eight years and will be rooting for them in a World Cup final for the first time since 1986 and 1990.

[One World]

35 million USD

[al-Sagar]

World Cup 2014: Nicola Rizzoli to referee Germany v Argentina final


Italian Nicola Rizzoli has been chosen by Fifa to referee the 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina.

Englishman Howard Webb, who refereed the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, was one of Fifa's shortlisted officials but was not selected.

Germany and Argentina play in the Maracana stadium, Rio De Janeiro, at 21:00 BST on Sunday, 13 July.

Rizzoli, an architect from Bologna, has already refereed three matches at this year's tournament in Brazil.

The 42-year-old took charge of Spain v Netherlands, Nigeria v Argentina and Argentina v Belgium.

Rizzoli also refereed the 2010 Europa League final between Atletico Madrid and Fulham, and the 2013 Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

On Sunday he will be assisted by compatriots Renato Faverani and Andrea Stefani, while Ecuadorian Carlos Vera will be the fourth official.

He will become the third Italian referee to officiate a final, after Sergio Gonella in 1978 and Pierluigi Collina in 2002.

[al-Sagar]

Nicola Rizzoli during the ARG vs BEL game

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During the SPAiN vs NETHERLAND

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LinesMan : Renato Fevarini

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Andea Stefani

[Rifat]

another classical episode of David vs. Goliath. I am supporting Argentina. Though, Germany would be very tough to defend i dunno how Spain did it four years ago

[iDumb]

Originally Posted by Rifat
i dunno how Spain did it four years ago

by one goal and deservingly the champion , the team to knock out Germany. I reckon Germany 2010 team was better than the current 2014 one.

Also Mueller didn't play the game against Spain.. so a weakened German side.. :P

[Alien]

Bangladesh farmer lifetime Germany fan club member


Not only the Charge d'Affaires of the German Embassy went to see it, but Hossain also got a lifetime membership of the official fan club of Philipp Lahm's team.

German Charge d'Affaires Ferdinand von Weyhe went to Magura on Saturday to see the flag made by the peasant.

Weyhe announced to award Hossain a lifetime membership of the fan club. He was also given a football and a flag of the German national team.

Hossain says that he didn't make the 3.5 km long flag keeping in mind anything but to express his love for his favourite football team.

While speaking to reporters on Saturday, he said that the next time he would make an even longer flag and that he would invite a thousand people to his home for a feast if the Germans clinch the World Cup this time.

Hossain, who hails from Ghoramara village, sold a 50 decimal land to raise the money to create the flag, which cost him Tk 150,000.

He had employed three tailors, who were paid over Tk 40,000, to sew together the over three-kilometre long flag.

Hossain, 65, is not a fan of Germany for no reason. He claimed that, in 1987, he was afflicted by an incurable disease that failed all treatment. Then a medicine from Germany gave him back his life.

Since then, Amzad has been a diehard fan of Germany.

The flag was brought to Magura district town on Saturday on the occasion of the German official's visit.

It was displayed at the stadium where Weyhe and his colleagues along with hundreds of locals came to see it.

http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2014/...an-club-member

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12 hours left

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TEAM NEWS

Germany centre-back Mats Hummels missed the second half against Brazil as a precaution because of tendonitis, but is expected to be available.

The Germans could name the same side which thrashed the hosts 7-1.

Argentina's Angel Di Maria has returned to light training after a thigh injury, but is unlikely to be fit to start.

Striker Sergio Aguero is fully recovered from a similar problem and could replace either Ezequiel Lavezzi or Gonzalo Higuain.

Argentina fielded Higuain, Aguero and Lionel Messi as part of a front three earlier on in the tournament.

However, they may be reluctant to pick such an attacking line-up against the in-form Germans.

Left-back Marcos Rojo failed to complete a training session on Friday because of a sore ankle but the problem is not thought to be serious.

[al-Sagar]

MATCH PREVIEW


After 32 days of vintage World Cup action, the stage is set on Sunday for a dramatic final act.

Will it be Germany's all-star cast taking the curtain call at the Maracana? Can leading man Thomas Muller become the first player to win back-to-back Golden Boots? Or will Lionel Messi steal the show and inspire Argentina to a third World Cup triumph?

Muller is Germany's leading scorer with five goals at this tournament, but Joachim Low's men are anything but a one-man band.

A further seven Germans have also scored, and the likes of Miroslav Klose, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil and Andre Schurrle could just as easily prove Maracana match-winners.

Argentina arrived in Brazil with, by common consent, the most potent forward line in world football.

But so far - Messi aside - their attacking players have failed to justify their "Fantastic Four" tag.

Fitness problems have made it tough for Sergio Aguero to shine, while Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria have managed just one goal apiece.

Di Maria has nonetheless been nominated by Fifa's Technical Study Group as a contender for the Golden Ball.

But it remains to be seen whether his recovery from a thigh injury has been swift enough for him to make an impact in the final.

But while Argentina's attack has disappointed, their defence - pinpointed as a potential Achilles' heel before the tournament - has stood firm.

Goalkeeper Sergio Romero spent almost all of the 2013-14 season on the bench with Monaco, but has kept a tournament-high four clean sheets in Brazil.

And the 27-year-old believes it is Argentina's battling spirit which will be crucial against Germany.

"We will remember what the champions of 1978 and 1986 achieved but we will also try to achieve glory by the fight and heart of this team," he said.

"Maybe for many people it is not the dream final, because they wanted us to play Brazil, but it will be a fantastic game," he added.

German fans at the Maracana will be hugely outnumbered by their Argentine counterparts, but they could enjoy support from many Brazilians.

The locals' attempts to get over defeat to Germany have not been helped by the presence of approximately 100,000 Argentina fans in Rio - many raucously asking Brazilians "how it feels" to concede seven times via a popular terrace song.

So while Argentina represent the last obstacle to a European side winning a World Cup in the Americas for the first time, don't expect too much continental solidarity from Brazilians on Sunday.

[al-Sagar]

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.

[al-Sagar]

1hour left

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Puyol to present trophy

Former Spain and Barcelona defender Carles Puyol will present the trophy to tonight's winners and has described the act as "an honour."

"I never imagined I'd have the kind of career I've had, living a dream cherished by millions of children and doing what I enjoy most," says the 36-year-old. "Likewise, I never thought that the last act of my sporting career would be presenting the trophy at the World Cup final."

Puyol retired at Barcelona at the end of the season after 18 years and has been appointed assistant to director of football Andoni Zubizarreta.

[One World]

Good luck Argentina.

[al-Sagar]

the jerseys tonite

[al-Sagar]

Team News

Germany v Argentina (20:00 BST)

The teams are in - and both teams are unchanged from their semi-final wins over Brazil and the Netherlands.

Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Hummels, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Klose, Muller, Lahm (c), Kroos, Boateng

Argentina: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Biglia, Perez, Higuain, Messi (c), Mascherano, Demichelis, Rojo, Lavezzi

[Rifat]

I just want to see a good soccer match. top quality soccer.