RIO DE JANEIRO: It seems to be a final fit for the Maracana Stadium with the showpiece clash between the two teams being the most frequented in World Cup history.

Of the six times Germany and Argentina have crossed paths at the World Cup, two of those have come in the final four years apart.

Argentina, inspired by Diego Maradona, won their second World Cup when they beat the Germans — then West Ger­many — 3-2 in Mexico City in the final of 1986 World Cup.

Maradona provided the assist to Jorge Burruchaga’s winner six minutes from time after Germany had come down from 2-0 down to level matters at the Azteca Stadium.

The German revenge came swiftly. Coached by Franz Beckenbauer, Germany beat the Albiceleste 1-0 in the final of the 1990 World Cup to win their third World Cup title.

Andreas Brehme’s late penalty settled an ugly clash in the fantastic setting of Rome’s Olympic Stadium.

Before the two finals, West Germany had beaten Argentina 3-1 in the group stage of the 1958 World Cup while the two teams played a goalless draw in the first round of the 1966 edition.

This year’s final will mark the third time the two illustrious football nations have collided in a final but the Germans can draw inspiration from their last meeting at the World Cup. That came four years ago in South Africa where Joachim Loew’s side humiliated Argentina, coached by Maradona, 4-0 in the quarter-finals.

That defeat will rankle the Argentines and more importantly 17 of the players who were involved in that clash in Cape Town took part in their teams’ semi-final win in Brazil.

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, captain Philipp Lahm and fellow defenders Jerome Boateng and Per Mertesacker, who shut out Argentina four years ago, all featured in Germany’s 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in the semis.

Midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil were all key to unlocking Argentina just the way they did to Brazil on Tuesday.

World Cup record goal-scorer Miroslav Klose, who got his 16th goal of the tournament against, scored twice against the Argentines four years ago while his strike partner Thomas Mueller also got on the scoresheet in that hammering.

Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain, failed to get past the Germans even once four years ago but will hope to do better this time. And so will defender Martin Demichelis, Javier Mascherano and his fellow midfielder Maxi Rodríguez.

They might have played two finals but it’s their quarter-final clash in South Africa which seemingly gives the most clues to how this year’s final will pan out. Then, Germany prevailed 4-2 in a penalty shootout after their quarter-final at the 2006 World Cup ended in a 1-1 draw after extra-time.

Only nine survivors remain from that game are in Brazil, with five from Germany including Schweinsteiger, Klose, Lahm, Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski — who played in their quarter-final win over Argentina four years later but was on the bench in the semi-final against Brazil on Tuesday.

On the bench, eight years ago at the Olympicstadion for Argentina was Messi, who looked on helplessly as his side lost the shootout.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2014