World Cup 2014 Closing Ceremony: Performers, TV Schedule and Preview
It's only natural that an entertainment extravaganza such as the 2014 World Cup be waved off with a substantial fanfare, and Sunday's final will be marked with a closing ceremony crescendo.
It's no surprise that celebrations will take place at the scene of this year's final, the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, where festivities will kick off half an hour before Germany take on Argentina for the greatest prize of all.
With such a feast of a fixture on the schedule, the acts performing at this year's closing ceremony need to be of a world-class standard, and you can read on for details of which faces will be delighting in Rio this weekend.
Date: Sunday, July 13
Time: 7:30 p.m. BST/2:30 p.m. ET
Live Stream: BBC Sport website or ITV Player (UK), ESPN Watch (U.S.)
TV Info: BBC One or ITV (UK), ABC (U.S.)
Shakira Nets a Hat-Trick
Colombian songstress Shakira will undoubtedly have mixed feelings about the manner in which this World Cup played out, but she'll be mightily pleased to be performing at her third consecutive World Cup closing ceremony.
Having seen her native Colombians knocked out at the hands of Brazil in the quarter-final stage, Shakira is a fitting icon to show the unity of this sport and that rivalries only run so deep.
The Guardian's Owen Gibson speaks of his anticipation for the event:
What's more, her partner, Barcelona defender and Spain international Gerard Pique, failed to make it past this year's group stage, giving yet more reason for Shakira to be upset about proceedings thus far.
BBC News provided quotes from a statement released by Shakira earlier in the month, expressing her delight at being able to perform her World Cup anthem "La La La" in Brazil's curtain call:
"I have an intricate relationship with football for obvious reasons, and I truly understand what the World Cup means to so many people, myself included. The fans have shown the most incredible support for this song and I can't wait to perform it for them.
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The 37-year-old isn't the only spectacle of the evening, however, as Carlos Santana and hip-hop veteran Wyclef Jean are set to team up with Brazilian performer Alexandre Pires for a rendition of "Dar Um Jeito," the official 2014 World Cup anthem.
Closer to home, Brazil's Ivete Sangalo, a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, will perform a mix of Brazilian songs, and there will be a Samba display from local Rio de Janeiro school pupils.
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