Semi final fixtures set up two final games

The men have certainly been separated from the boys, as there are just four teams remaining from the initial 32. The semi finals hold this week with uncommon, yet intriguing fixtures.
Brazil will host Germany in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday while next day in São Paulo, Netherlands and Argentina slug it out for the final match ticket. These two semi final pairings replicate the final matches of World Cup 2006 and 1978 respectively.
Brazil and Germany had played the most matches in World Cup history. Tuesday’s match will be Germany’s 105th match in the World Cup and the highest by any team. Brazil ranks next in terms of number of matches played. Today’s match will be the hosts’ 103rd World Cup match.
Though both Brazil and Germany have the highest number of appearances in the World Cup, they hardly meet. Their fixture represents one of the most sought. They had only met once. That was the final match of the 2002 edition in which the trio of ‘R’ – Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldhinho – propelled the Brazilians to their fifth title.
In the other semi final pairing of Netherlands and Argentina, it is a replay of the 1978 final match in which Argentina triumphed at home after extra time. For the Dutch, they will be seeking their first title after agonizingly missing the title in three final matches of 1974 against hosts, Germany again in 1978 against another hosts, Argentina and finally against Spain four years ago in South Africa.
Should both Germany and Holland advance to the final, they will reenact the 1974 encounter.
Whatever the results, one tradition is certain to hold again on Sunday after the final match. An indigenous coach will be a World Cup winner. No foreign coach has ever led a World Cup winning sided since 1930.