The greatest soccer game in the world comes but once every four years.

A single national team is crowned the greatest squad on the planet by winning the World Cup. This isn't an annual event where broken dreams have hopes for the very next year. This is the World Cup.

And the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil between two mighty soccer nations, Argentina and Germany, takes place on Sunday with Argentina's Lionel Messi and Germany's Thomas Mueller looking to etch their names in the annals of soccer history.

Players, coaches and fans may only get to witness this one time for their country.

Argentina and Germany have one of the most storied rivalries in soccer history. This will be the seventh time these two play each other in the World Cup tournament all-time and the third time they duel in the finals. Their third meeting is the most frequent matchup in World Cup history. Argentina defeated Germany in the 1986 Finals, but Germany returned the favor in the 1990 Championship.

Argentina

Argentina came in ranked No. 5 in the world. and this country is trying to capture their third World Cup title. They defeated the Netherlands in 1978 and Germany in 1986. For the Argentines, nothing would be better than winning their third World Cup against the team that defeated them in 1990 and doing it in Brazil. Brazil and Argentina have had their rivalry moments over the years, as well.

All eyes will be on Lionel Messi.

Messi has a team-leading four goals this tournament, but he hasn't scored during any of the knockout stage games. Argentina has won all of their five games by a single goal, leaving their fans nervously on the edge of their seats all game long. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero made what many believe was the best save of the tournament in the semifinals against Wesley Sneijder in the shootout. Argentina is going to need his services more than ever against Germany.

Germany

Germany was the favored European team to make it this far, and they did just that. Germany hasn't won the World Cup since they competed as West Germany in 1990, when they defeated Argentina. Again, this rivalry runs deep. The last time Germany was in the Finals was 2002, when they lost to Brazil and Ronaldo, 2-0.

Miroslav Klose scored his 16th career World Cup goal in the semifinals against Brazil, making him the highest-scoring player in World Cup history. He has surpassed Brazilian favorite Ronaldo and is now trying to win his first world championship. Germany's leading scorer has been Thomas Muller, who has five goals this competition and is playing in his second World Cup. Germany hasn't allowed more than one goal since they faced Ghana on June 21. This defense is as good as it gets.

Prediction

Germany is the odds-on favorites to win, as expected. Many people thought this team would win before the tournament even began. Germany's middle field is elite, but Argentina will have to control the ball and win a low-scoring game. Argentina wins 2-1.

Where and when to watch

Argentina and Germany will play each other on Sunday, July 13, at 4 p.m. EST on ESPN. The game will be played in Rio de Janeiro at the Estádio do Maracanã, the largest of all World Cup stadiums. Fans can watch live streaming of the game via the WatchESPN app.

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