Confederations Cup 2013 Schedule: Last-Minute Info for Final Two Fixtures

After a thrilling run in the group stages and two stunning semifinals in Brazil, the final two matches of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup are in order for Sunday. 

Uruguay and Italy will square off in the third-place match after failing to get past tournament darlings Spain and Brazil, who in turn will square off in the night cap with an eye toward momentum for next summer's World Cup in the same venues that have been home to the event this year. 

All six players up for the Golden Ball award, given to the most outstanding player at the Confederations Cup, will be represented in the two matches on Sunday (h/t AP via Fox Sports). 

Neymar, Paulinho, Sergio Ramos, Andres Iniesta (Brazil and Spain) will all have a shot at the award while playing in the championship match. Andrea Pirlo (Italy) and Luis Suarez (Uruguay) are also nominated, though Pirlo will not play for the Azzurri. 

Real Madrid posted support for their star up for the award on Twitter.

While Brazil will look to continue its dominance at the Confederations Cup by winning its fourth title (France is the next closest country with two), Spain will look to top the podium for the first time at this event (third place in 2009). 

On the flip side, Uruguay can secure its first top-three finish with a win, and Italy will be making history no matter the outcome—the Azzurri have never made it to the top four at the Confederations Cup. 

As we prepare for what should be a worthy finish to a strong tournament for all eight nations that have competed in Brazil, here's a look at the schedule for both fixtures to wrap up the Cup on Sunday. 

2013 Confederations Cup Third-Place Match

Who: Uruguay vs. Spain

When: Sunday, June 30, at Noon ET

Where: Arena Fonte Nova; Salvador, Brazil

Watch: ESPN 2

Referee: Djamel Haimoudi

 

Italy and Uruguay fell short in their semifinal matches, but each will have a shot at the third-place title on Sunday. 

However, not everyone has been thrilled with the idea of a third-place match in a tournament that features just eight teams. 

Italy manager Cesare Prandelli is among them, and this tweet from Fox Sports sheds some light on what the Azzurri boss thinks is an unnecessary match in a tournament like this:

Prandelli's squad will be without both Pirlo and Mario Balotelli on Sunday, and he'll also be without several other key contributors from his side's early tournament run after the 120-minute thriller against Spain in the semifinals. 

That should give Uruguay, who had an extra day of rest to prepare after a 90-minute loss to Brazil in the other semifinal, a strong chance to take home the brass and the momentum with an eye toward the World Cup next summer. 

Uruguay's potent front line of Suarez, transfer target Edinson Cavani and Diego Forlan have been strong for Oscar Tabarez's group in the latter stages of the tournament, but Uruguay couldn't break through against the tournament finalist—La Celeste lost to both Spain and Brazil by 2-1 tallies. 

The paper description sides with Uruguay, but don't count out this resilient Italian squad from at least making things interesting and playing the kind of defense they did against Spain before bowing out in the penalty kick section of the match. 

2013 Confederations Cup Championship Match

Who: Brazil vs. Spain

When: Sunday, June 30, at 6 p.m. ET

Where: Estadio de Maracana; Rio De Janiero, Brazil

Watch: ESPN

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers

The world's best versus the Confederations Cup best would be a good way to bill this match, but Brazil can cement the fact that the gap between Spain and the rest of the world has been closed by winning this match in front of home fans on Sunday. 

It won't be an easy task. 

Neymar leads an exiting new wave of Verde-Amarela players to the pitch on Sunday, but he's far from the only player that has contributed for Brazil in the big time of this tournament. 

Fred, Oscar, Paulinho, Hulk and Jo have all played major roles so far, and the goaltending of Julio Cesar has been nothing short of magnificent at times as Brazil has given up just three goals in four matches (two clean sheets) at the tournament so far. 

Then again, they've yet to face Spain. 

As noted by this tweet from WhoScored.com, the Spaniards are going to be efficient in lulling the defense to sleep, forcing mistakes by having pinpoint accuracy and knowledge of where teammates will be at all times. Iniesta is the catalyst for that effort:

He and new teammate Neymar will be at odds for the title on Saturday, but Barcelona fans will be watching with keen interest as two of the team's top stars go head to head in a major tournament before returning to Camp Nou later this summer. 

The highlight-reel ability of Brazil in the attacking half of the field against the patience and calm force of Spain will be a key point in this match to watch, whereas the strategy of Brazil will also be an interesting talking point for the post-match analysis segments. 

It's the final we all wanted—now Brazil and Spain have to make it the "dream" matchup we were all dying to see when the Confederations Cup began. 

Follow Bleacher Report's Ethan Grant (@DowntownEG) on Twitter.