World Cup 2014 Final Germany Argentina Photos Gallery

The 2014 World Cup has come down to a final match between Germany and Argentina. The game will be played Sunday in Rio de Janeiro at 3 p.m. EST. Here is a glance at the two sides:

World Cup résumé

Germany: 18 appearances, 3 championships (1954, 1974, 1990), 4 runners-up (1966, 1982, 1986, 2002), 4 third places (1934, 1970, 2006, 2010)

Argentina: 16 appearances, 2 championships (1978, 1986), 2 runners-up (1930, 1990)

Coach

Germany: Joachim Löw

Argentina: Alejandro Sabella

How they got here

Germany: 2-1 in group stage (def. Portugal, 4-0; tied Ghana, 2-2; def. U.S., 1-0); def. Algeria, 2-1, in round of 16; def. France, 1-0, in quarterfinals; def. Brazil, 7-1, in semifinals.

Argentina: 3-0 in group stage (def. Bosnia, 2-1; def. Iran, 1-0; def. Nigeria, 3-2); def. Switzerland, 1-0, in round of 16; def. Belgium, 1-0, in quarterfinals; def. Netherlands, 0-0 on penalty kicks, in semifinals

Statistics

Germany: 64 attempts on target, 17 goals (14 open play, 3 set piece), 71 fouls committed, 4 yellow cards, 0 red cards

Argentina: 61 attempts on target, 8 goals (7 open play, 1 set piece), 64 fouls committed, 6 yellow cards, 0 red cards

World Cup head-to-head history

Germany leads, 4-1-1 (does not include 1-1 tie with East Germany in 1974). Argentina def. Germany, 3-2, in 1986 final. Germany def. Argentina, 1-0, in 1990 final.

Player to watch

Germany: Thomas Müller. The second-leading goal-scorer with five (behind Colombia’s James Rodriguez, with six), Müller is so much more than a specialist who lingers near the front and waits for service. He has covered the most ground in the World Cup (68.8 kilometers), a reflection of the fact that he is an indefatigable mover who can play a number of positions, depending his team’s need. In fact, Müller has described himself not as a striker or as any of soccer’s traditional positions, but as a Raumdeuter — literally, a “space interpreter.” Müller has a preternatural ability to make runs into unexpected openings in a defense, and his goals have been not so much spectacularly athletic moments, but the results of someone who knows exactly where he needs to be.