2014 FIFA World Cup Final best player (Lionel Messi) versus the world's best team (Germany). Before the match, Germany had reached the World Cup final seven times (six times as West Germany from 1954 to 1990), winning three (1954, 1974, 1990) and being runners-up four times (1966, 1982, 1986, 2002); Argentina had reached four finals, winning twice (1978, 1986) and placing second twice (1930, 1990). The result marked Germany's fourth World Cup title and their first World championship as a unified nation. The victory meant that three consecutive World Cups have been won by teams from the same continent, following Italy and Spain in 2006
Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in World Cup history to 223, surpassing Brazil's 221 goals to first place overall. The two teams had met in 11 previous meetings, including four times in the FIFA World Cup: Netherlands won 2–0 in the second group stage of the 1974 World Cup and 2–1 in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, and Brazil won 3–2 in the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup and 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw (after extra time) in the semi-finals of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Brazil made six changes in their starting line-up from their semi-final, while the Netherlands