World Cup 2014 Final: Full Fixture and Schedule Info for Germany vs. Argentina

Having come through their respective semi-finals in near opposite fashion, Germany and Argentina will leave it all on the pitch this Sunday, where they meet at the Maracana for the climax of this year's World Cup.

The 2014 tournament has been deemed the finest ever by some, but this crescendo will play a big hand in swaying that opinion more unanimously, with elite powers of the highest order poised to collide.

There aren't many sporting spectacles in the world that can boast the same all-encompassing allure of a World Cup final, and to make you're there every step of the way, read on for a breakdown of the essential viewing information, complete with match preview.

Date: Sunday, July 13

Time: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET

Live Stream: BBC Sport website (UK), ESPN Watch (US)

TV Info: BBC One (UK, coverage at 7 p.m. BST), ABC (US, coverage at 2 p.m. ET)

Key Players To Watch

Germany: Mats Hummels

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Up until the penalty shootout on Wednesday evening, Ron Vlaar had enjoyed a spectacular outing against Argentina, and his presence was especially vital in caging the powers of Lionel Messi.

Mats Hummels is capable of doing the same job when performing at his optimum, with Bundesliga writer Jonathan Harding recently taking note of the centre-back's "one-man display" against France:

Vlaar showed a mixture of steady and rushed defence to restrict Argentina's chances when driving through the central channels,not dissimilar to the way in which Hummels & Co. took Fred out of their semi-final drubbing of Brazil.

For Die Mannschaft to succeed, they must worry about Argentina's attacking strengths, not to the extent in which it will restrict their own plans on the ball but enough to secure their own headquarters before opening any vulnerabilities.

Argentina: Javier Mascherano

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Javier Mascherano has always been a battle-hardened character on the pitch, but the midfield anchor showed more than just a tempestuous character in Wednesday's semi-final victory over the Netherlands.

Shrugging off an early concern over possible concussion, the Argentinian's timing and positioning was superb for great stretches of the display, a tireless, dogged performance that saw him frustrate the likes of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie repeatedly.

It's really no surprise, then, that WhoScored.com are able to show us statistics such as this:

Tracking back time and time again, Mascherano showed some of his centre-back principles against the Dutch, swerving between his midfield hub and the defence, an approach that might do well to seal Germany's biggest dangers.

Thomas Mueller, Toni Kroos and Miroslav Klose, should he start, will all be darting through in a similar manner, although Joachim Low's passing-orientated tactics could provide a far different challenge.