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HOLLAND VS ARGENTINA

This could turn into the Lionel Messi v Arjen Robben show with both players having been instrumental in getting their sides this far, but they have more than enough star quality around them to turn this into a mouthwatering fixture.

Head-to-head 

Holland have been the stronger side, having won four of their eight meetings to Argentina's one victory " but that one came in the 1978 World Cup Final. 

The last time they met was in the group stage of the 2006 World Cup in South Africa, which ended in a goalless draw.

What Holland are worrying about...

Lionel Messi. He scored four goals in the group stage to haul Argentina through, and while his team-mates have shrunk on the big stage, he has been virtually unplayable.

What Argentina are worrying about...

They have a plethora of talent but have struggled to integrate it in a way that would allow them to crush their opponents.

What the bookies say 

Argentina (5/4) have been made the firm favourites, well ahead of Holland (11/5).

Where can I watch it? 

ITV1 from 8.30pm (9pm kick off).

Germany coach Joachim Low believes the current Brazil side have little of the flair traditionally associated with the country's national team.

Low said he was expecting a physical encounter when the teams meet in the World Cup semi-final on Tuesday, which is live on BBC1 and BBC Radio 5 live.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's side have committed 96 fouls at the tournament, picking up 10 yellow cards.

"They're playing more robustly than any other team here," said Low.

"There's little left of that traditional Brazilian style of football. At the end of the day, it's up to the referee to come up with the correct punishment."

Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger agreed with his manager's assessment.

"I am all for a healthy hardness, but some of Brazil's fouls were over the limit," he said. "Brazilians are not only football magicians. Hard tackling is part of their game. We have to be careful and so does the referee.''

Brazil will be without one of their most technically gifted players on Tuesday, with Barcelona striker Neymar ruled out after injuring his backin Friday's quarter-final win against Colombia.

Schweinsteiger fears his absence could galvanise his Brazil team-mates.

"Neymar's team-mates will want to win the World Cup for him," he added. "They'll derive strength from that."

Germany finished runners-up at the 2002 World Cup, when they lost 2-0 to Brazil in the final.

Since then, they have lost at the semi-final stage in each of the last two tournaments.

They lost to eventual champions Spain in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but Schweinsteiger believes the current Germany squad is stronger than the one from four years ago.

"We're a step further now," he added. "The number of really good players on the team is greater now than before."

Howard Webb is among the referees in contention for the World Cup final.

The English official has presided over two fixtures at this year's finals in Brazil and has won praise for his performance.

Webb was in charge for Colombia's 2-1 win over Ivory Coast in the group stage and was again in the middle when Brazil met Chile in the last 16.

Brazil have Thiago Silva's suspension appeal rejected... and Juan Zuniga won't face further action for Neymar challenge

• Brazil's federation the CBF had appealed against Thiago's yellow card
• The centre-back will be suspended for the World Cup semi-final vs Germany
• Zuniga's challenge on Neymar also deemed unworthy of further action

Thiago Silva will be suspended for Brazil's World Cup semi-final against Germany - and FIFA has also ruled out action by its disciplinary committee for the challenge by Colombia's Juan Zuniga which left Neymar with a serious injury.

Brazil's federation the CBF had appealed against Thiago's yellow card but FIFA's disciplinary committee refused to consider it - appeals against cautions are only permitted in exceptional circumstances.

A FIFA statement said: 'The disciplinary committee... cannot consider the matter given the fact that there is no legal basis entitling it to grant such request.'

The CBF had also pushed for action against Zuniga but this was rejected by FIFA's disciplinary committee who said the referee had seen the incident.

FIFA added: 'After an analysis of the matter and the extensive submission and documentation received from the CBF, the chairman came to the conclusion that the FIFA disciplinary committee cannot consider this matter in light of the conditions outlined in the FIFA disciplinary code... to be able to intervene in such a situation.'