To help you get geared up for the World Cup, we provided this primer of stats, numbers and historical background so that you'd be able to contribute to the conversation among soccer-obsessed friends.
Now with one final match set for Sunday between Argentina and Germany to decide the champion, here are some more nuggets to supplement your ever-expanding soccer knowledge.
Prepare For The World Cup Soccer Title Match By Learning These Cool Facts Slideshow
So We Meet Again
This will be the third championship match between Argentina and Germany. Argentina won 3-2 in 1986. Germany won 1-0 in 1990.
Nihilism
In the five of the six championship matches since 1990, the losing team has been shut out. And in 1994 Brazil and Italy played to a 0-0 draw before the Brazilians prevailed in penalty kicks.
Trifecta
Pele won three World Cups, the most by a single player. He led Brazil to the title in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Oh So Close
The Netherlands has the most championship match appearances (three) without a title. The Dutch were runnerups to Germany in 1974, Argentina in 1978 and Spain in 2010.
High Five
The most goals scored by a team in the championship match is five. Brazil beat host Sweden 5-2 in 1958.
Stoppage
There was no champion in 1942 and 1946 as the tournaments were canceled because of World War II. (But as Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone and Pele later showed us, there was soccer being played during the war.)
