And here we go... the German national anthem
And it's the Argentines' turn. No cheeky Thomas Muller-esque wink from Messi...
Christoph Kramer coming in for his FIRST international start. In the World Cup final. At the Maracana. Madness.
1 MIN: And Germany kick us off in the 20th World Cup final!
A measured start from Germany, who work the ball around patiently before Muller is hauled down by Rojo on the edge of the box...
CLOSE! Higuain fires an effort across the goal. It goes out for a German throw-in, but don't let that fool you... decent effort from the Argentine...
Ozil is probing well so far for Germany and he's found himself in some decent spaces.Watch this space...
More Argentina pressure down the right, with Philip Lahm given all the time in the world to whip a dangerous looking ball into the box. Threatening, but no-one was busting a gut to get on the end of it...
First threatening burst from Messi, though he can't complete the cutback...
This time it's Zabaleta raiding down the right. Argentina starting to create now. We have a game on our hands!
Klose gets hacked from behind, earning the Germans a free-kick in a DANGEROUS looking area. Toni Kroos stands over it...
... he whips it towards the far post, but Zabaleta is all over it and clears
Kramer has taken a horrible-looking knock in the head from Zabaleta. That's got to hurt.
He's back on his feet and about to re-enter play. Looks a little unsteady though...
SHOCKER! Higuain has somehow managed to get himself in on goal, he's got all the time of the world to nestle beyond Neuer and he shanks it wide!
That's an extraordinary mess...
Higuain will be having nightmares about that one for the rest of his days...
Top drawer from Romero! Schurrle looks to smash the ball into the top corner following Muller's cutback but the keeper is equal to it... flying across the goal to palm away.