World Cup final - Live coverage

Welcome to Wide World of Sports' live online coverage of the 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina at the Maracana Stadium in Brazil.

After 63 matches and 170 goals, just two teams remain.

The Germans are favourites after demolishing the host nation 7-1 in the semi-final while the Argentinians had to rely on penalties to down The Netherlands and progress into the final.

Will Lionel Messi seal his place in history by emulating his idol Diego Maradona and leading Argentina to its third World Cup triumph? Or will the more cohesive effort of Germany prove too strong?

The Germans are vying to win a fourth World Cup crown and their first since reunification having reached seven previous finals.

Join us for live commentary, the best from Twitter, images of the World Cup final which kicks off at 0500am (AEST).

Click here for all the live scores and stats throughout the match.

Germany 1 - 0 Argentina

8.01am: The moment arrives for Germany now, with Lahm to lift the trophy.

7.58am: The officials receiving their medals now as Argentina are clapped up onto the stage by the Germans. Lovely touch.

7.56am: Messi has been named the player of the tournament award while Manuel Neuer has won the golden glove.

7.36am: The win their fourth World Cup, the first in 24 years and the first since reunification. They certainly deserve the trophy after being clearly the best team in the tournament.

124th minute: It's all over! Germany have won it.

123rd minute: Messi blasts the shot over and it's all but German'ys World Cup now.

122nd minute: A late free kick for Argentina after Messi is brought down. The maestro to step up... Slight to the left, great spot for a left footer. It's come down to this.

116th minute: Great opportunity for Palacio but the substitute was unable to contort his body enough to get power on the header.

GOAL: Germany score in the 113th minute through replacement Gotze. #WorldCup #9News pic.twitter.com/acx051ZctW

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 13, 2014

120th minute: A German cross goes across goal as they make their final substitution. Can Argentina pull off a miracle?

Great ball and finish but what is the keeper doing?

— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) July 13, 2014

112th minute: Goal! Germany have broken the deadlock with substitute Goetze finding the back of the net with a great finish at the near post after a beautiful cross from the left.

112th minute: Schweinsteiger returns to the pitch to cheers from the German supporters.

110th minute: Nasty head clash between Muller and Demichelis from the free kick. Both players okay though.

109th minute: Schweinsteiger down receiving treatment on a cut to his face folllowing an aerial challenge with Aguero.

107th minute: Schweinsteiger is awarded a free kick after beiong collected by a sliding tackle from not one, but two Argentine players. The delivery is not deep enough though and it's cleared.

105th minute: Nice turn from Palacio and that's the end of the first period of extra time. One great chance from each side early in that period. We're now just 15 minutes away from the dreaded penalty shootout. It'd be the third World Cup final (after 1994 & 2006) to be decided by penalties if we don't have a goal in this next 15 minutes. They would appear to favour Germany, who are four from four in World Cup penalty shootouts.

Massive chance for Argentina but a heavy touch beats everyone to the goal line. #WorldCup #9News pic.twitter.com/6ZzyDJB8cZ

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 13, 2014

Heart in mouth moment! #Palacio chests the ball down in the area, lobs @Manuel_Neuer but the ball drops wide of the post. Phew! 98' #GERARG

— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) July 13, 2014

97th minute: Oh! A great chance to Palacio! But he is unable to control the ball.

Extra time has kicked off in the #WorldCup final, will an extra half an hour split Argentina and Germany? #9News pic.twitter.com/Fh5t5S5h7U

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 13, 2014

92nd minute: A great through ball from Palacio to Aguero but there's no one on the box to get on the end of the Man City star's cross.

91st minute: Romero saves! Schuerrle with a great opportunity to break the deadlock.

90+ minute: That's the end of the 90 minutes and we'll need extra time to split the two teams for the third straight World Cup final.

Boetang has been immense today. Hummels lacking mobility, outside the box been left a few times. Garay & DiMicheles been very good too

— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) July 13, 2014

92nd minute: A promising German attack breaks down and Argentina break.

88th minute: Apparently there was a streaker. LeBron James completing a big weekend with this video.

88th minute: A huge ovation from the German supporters as Klose, the all-time World Cup finals goalscorer, is replaced in what will be his last appearance on this stage.

87th minute: A take-no-prisoners tackle from Boateng stops a Messi run in its tracks.

86th minute: Both teams making changes now. Argentina's coach uses his third change to bring Gago on for Perez.

83rd minute: Beautiful play as Argentina play out from the back but once again the final pass is astray.

82nd minute: Kroos can't hit the target after a nice cut-back from the right. Nice play though from the Germans.

78th minute: A sustained period of attack for the Germans with a decent opportunity to shoot for Hoewedes.

78th minute: A threatening Messi run is thwarted by the German defence. As an aside, Palacio's balding rat-tail style really is that bad.

78th minute: Palacio and his all-time bad haircut coming on for Higuain.

75th minute: Messi cuts inside from the right but his left foot shot is well wide.

74th minute: Messi can't control a long ball on the left. The prospect of extra time is starting to loom.

71st minute: The ball fell nicely to Schuerrle but he couldn't shoot. Romero off his line to claim the ball. Probably needed a first time shot from the German substitute.

68th minute: A nice long ball from Mascherano sets up an Argentine attack but the German defence manages to clear a dangerous looking cross.

64th minute: Aguero has also been shown a yellow card. We're level at two bookings apiece.

German keeper Neuer taking no chances with an aggressive save. Scores still locked 0-0. #WorldCup #9News pic.twitter.com/8STydhNilh

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 13, 2014

64th minute: Mascherano fails to control a ball and is then booked for a foul on Klose. That's a couple of mistakes now from one of Argentina's most important players.

62nd minute: Argentina give the ball away in their own half but ozil can't react quickly enough to a deflected Schuerrle cross.

60th minute: Lahm cuts inside but his pass evades Muller.

59th minute: Klose climbs high but can't get enough power on the header to trouble Romero.

56th minute: Neuer comes charging off the line and absolutely crunches Higuain. The Argentina striker is down receiving treatment. He'll have to go off the pitch. Incredibly, the free kick goes to Germany.

Beautiful @Earth_Pics: Sunset in Rio right now. Wow pic.twitter.com/07qPluxsa9”

— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) July 13, 2014

55th minute: German corner but Muller is penalised.

.@LioMessi_ with a great chance to start the second half but the shot just goes wide. #9News pic.twitter.com/ZoJ7AgSneN

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 13, 2014

51st minute: Amazing images of the sunset over the Christ the Redeemer statue.

50th minute: A stray pass from Perez but Mascherano manages to cover for him.

Ooof! #Messi almost gets #ARG off the mark, but his shot is narrowly wide of the post. Stay cool, boys! 47' #GERARG

— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) July 13, 2014

47th minute: Messi with a great chance! The Argentina captain got on the end of a through ball but dragged his shot wide. By his standards...

46th minute: The players are back out on the pitch and an interesting change from Argentina. With Aguero coming on for Lavezzi.

6am: Incredible aerial shot of Copacabana beach where thousands of Argentina fans are watching the match.

Del Maracana a Copacabana. De Copacabana a cada rincon de la Argentina. Empuja un pais. #VamosArgentina pic.twitter.com/5oqUnfOW2R

— Seleccion Argentina (@Argentina) July 13, 2014

There has been no shortage of chances, with Argentina striker Higuain unable to convert arguably the best of them after he was put in on goal by a German mistake. Tactically, it played out as we expected with Germany dominating possession and Argentina looking to create chances on the break. Join us after the break.

This is how close Germany came to opening the scores in the dying stages of the first half. #9News pic.twitter.com/8NSHM7cQr0

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 13, 2014

The Germans had the opportunity to snatch the lead there with basically the last kick of an entertaining first half.

46th minute: Wow! A Hoewedes header hits the post with the German player offside from the rebound. Great chance for the German defender. That's halftime.

44th minute: A Muller cross from the right is too quick for Klose at the back post.

There would have to be close to 200,000 Argentinians on Copacabana right now...it's heaving! #worldcup @9newsaus pic.twitter.com/GDEGiEpGdn

— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) July 13, 2014

43rd minute: A rare mistake from Mascherano gifts Germany possession but Kroos' strike is straight at Romero.

42nd minute: Another nice looking cross from Lahm on the right but it's a touch deep and Zabaleta heads clear.

40th minute: The referee is forced to calm down Rojo and Muller. Tempers starting to fray a little as challenges fly in.

40th minute: Messi gets on the ball in the box and gets to the byline on the right. His shot is blocked and the German defence manages to clear the ball off the line. More brilliance from the maestro.

35th minute: Romero makes a fine save but Ozil was offside so the Schurrle strike would not have counted had it gone in. Lovely play down the left from German though.

34th minute: A block falls into the path of Messi but the Germans manage to block his cross. Out for a corner.

What a start that would've been for #ARG I'm like nooooo #timcahilling #offside pic.twitter.com/gR2y8Xn5sV

— Tim Cahill (@Tim_Cahill) July 13, 2014

33nd minute: Hoewedes is the second German player booked for a rash challenge on Zabaleta. It has to be said that it has been a much better spectacle that the final four years ago, though that wouldn't be too difficult.

32nd minute: Germany have been forced to make a change because of injury with Kramer coming off for Schurrle.

29th minute: Higuain has scored! But it's been disallowed for offside. Replays show the linesman was correct.

27th minute: First booking of the final with Schweinsteiger shown yellow for a foul.

27th minute: Muller tests Romero but the flag was up for offside.

26th minute: Germany keeping possession nicely but unable to make any progress into the final third. Argentina defending strongly.

20th minute: A horrible mistake from one of the German midfielders as he heads the ball into the path of Higuain who can't hit the target despite being one-on-one with Neuer. Best chance so far!

19th minute: Kramer is down receiving treatment after a challenge from Garay.

14th minute: A German free kick from the left is cleared by Zabaleta at the back post.

13th minute: A delightful cross from Lahm on the right but Demichelis prevents Klose from getting to it.

13th minute: Intriguing start with Argentina probably creating the better chances on the counter attack despite the Germans dominating possession.

10th minute: Zabaleta this time in behind the German defence but his cross from the right runs dangerously across the box.

9th minute: Messi gets past the German left back but his cross is cleared at the near post. He did that pretty easily!

4th minute: A lovely German build-up is snuffed out by an Argentina defender. The Europeans are starting to get on the ball with Argentina sitting deep.

4th minute: The wall does its job and Argentina break, with Higuain shooting across the face of the goal.

3rd minute: Argentina turn the ball over and Muller earns a free kick in a dangerous position after a challenge from Rojo.

1st minute: Germany kick off in the 20th World Cup final!

6.58am: All set for kick-off here. The main selection news is that both di Maria and Aguero will start from the bench after their recent injury problems.