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On Sunday, another World Championship curtain will fall - in the decisive match for the trophy, Netherlands and Spain will clash.
Final 21:30 Lithuania time "Soccer City stadium", Johannesburg Netherlands - Spain Referee: Howard Webb (England)
The composition of the Dutch national team should include Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong, who missed the semifinals due to yellow cards.
The goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and Wesley Sneijder were nursing minor injuries, but that won't stop them from stepping onto the field.
It is unclear whether Demy de Zeeuw, who was elbowed in the face against Uruguay, will be able to appear. The midfielder lost several teeth.
The biggest intrigue in the Spanish national team - whether coach Vicente Del Bosque will find a place in the starting lineup for forward Fernando Torres.
For the first time in the championship taking place in Africa, we will have an entirely new winner - despite both Spain and the Netherlands being powerful football nations, they have never become world champions.
Spain's best achievement - fourth place in 1950. But now they have a chance to win even two of the most prestigious trophies in two years - they won the European Championship in 2008.
Reasons to expect this are - led by Del Bosque, the champions of the Old Continent won 50 out of 54 matches.
The Dutch played in the World Championship finals in 1974 and 1978, but lost both times. Now Bert van Marwijk's team is unbeaten in 25 consecutive matches and will seek to replicate the Brazilian record - ending both the qualifying tournament and the final stage without any losses.
Interestingly, this is already the thirteenth World Championship for Spain and the ninth for the Netherlands, but these teams have not clashed with each other in either the World Cup or the European Championship, and have only played against each other nine times.
Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg; Gregory van der Wiel, Johnny Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni van Bronkchorst; Mark van Bommel, Nigel de Jong; Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt; Robin van Persie.
Spain: Iker Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila; Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso; Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro; David Villa.
Prediction: Neither team can expect an easy victory in the final. If a choice must be made, let it be as the octopus said - Spain.
