Despite controversy regarding the voting process involved in the awarding of the 2022 World up finals to Qatar, FIFA has announced the first ever festive World Cup Final.

Lucas Bazan Pontoni rifled through his pockets for the 45-cent lunch fee as he stood in line at a downtown soup kitchen. When he came up short, an acquaintance sprang for the government-subsidised meal.

Rose Jacobs asks: Is this the start of a century of German success?

Dunga has been named successor to Luiz Felipe Scolari as Brazil coach.

World Cup winners Germany had a bit of fun after they touched down on home soil this morning as they returned to Berlin with the much-coveted top prize in football.

Luiz Felipe Scolari has resigned as manager of Brazil, the national football federation has announced.

Goalkeepers are often the butt of jokes and the subject of fan fury but in this World Cup final they came into their own, finally taking back some of the spotlight from the strikers.

This German fan was so busy playing up for the cameras she never spotted what was happening beside her.

Clip catches glimpse of streaker with stewards in hot pursuit.

Rihanna showed her support for Germany in last night's FIFA World Cup final clash with Argentina.

A thrilling World Cup packed full of stunning goals came to an end last night when Germany beat Argentina at the Maracana in Brazil to be crowned world champions for the fourth time.

It is being reported that Luis Felipe Scolari has left his position as Brazil manager this morning.

Thousands of Argentine football fans gathered on the golden sands of Copacabana beach gasped and then fell into silence when Germany scored a stunning extra-time goal to claim the World Cup title.

Joachim Low inspired Mario Gotze to win the World Cup for Germany by telling him to show the world he was better than Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

Germany 1 Argentina 0 (after extra-time)

Germany have won the World Cup by beating Argentina 1-0 after extra-time in the final in Rio de Janeiro.

Long-standing issues throughout the Brazilian game have led to disappointment in their home World Cup, according to Gilberto Silva.

Brazil 0 Holland 3

Luiz Felipe Scolari looks set to keep his job despite Brazil’s humiliating World Cup defeat to Germany.

Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta would love nothing more than to win the World Cup in the spiritual home of Brazilian football.

Italy’s early elimination from the World Cup has strengthened the belief that football in the country desperately needs a new direction.

Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta would love nothing more than to win the World Cup in the spiritual home of Brazilian football.

Thomas Muller has warned Germany fans not to expect tomorrow’s World Cup final against Argentina to be as easy as their semi-final cruise over Brazil.

For all the talk of this possibly being the coronation of Lionel Messi and for all his moments of brilliance that have elevated this tournament above the average, facing him tomorrow is a story just as remarkable.

If declarations of this being the greatest World Cup ever were tempered during what has mostly been bland football since the knockout stages began, one theme has been maintained, if not strengthened, throughout.

Charles Miller and his wonderful moustache have become familiar sights during the World Cup, but the man who brought football to Brazil could unintentionally ensure the country has a vibrant rugby team at the next Olympic Games.

As Germany and Argentina prepare to contest tomorrow’s decider at the Maracana, there is one last opportunity for a sensational World Cup to finally achieve greatness

The final postcards from Brazil

What is the point in denying it? There is very little that energises us more than preposterous humiliation. Someone else’s anyway.

The Italian official accused last week of favouring Argentina and Lionel Messi has been chosen to referee their World Cup final against Germany.

Holland coach Louis van Gaal remains convinced the World Cup was set up to favour hosts Brazil.

Luis Suarez will have to decide whether to risk asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to put his four-month biting ban on hold until the outcome of an appeal.

Police in Rio de Janeiro have declared Ray Whelan, the English director of FIFA’s ticket and hospitality partners MATCH, to be “a fugitive” after they attempted to re-arrest him as part of an investigation into ticket touting.

Brazil star Neymar could not hold back the tears as he revealed he had come within a few inches of being paralysed.

Three days on and the images from Belo Horizonte that stick in the mind are not those of David Luiz’s Sideshow Bob- standing-on-a-rake routine, nor Germany’s seven wonders, but instead it’s the youngsters and grown men crying in the stands.

Considering his face is plastered on every other billboard and features in all manner of television adverts, it may seem strange to call Pele ‘the invisible man’.

Despite being branded a jinx for the football teams he backs, Mick Jagger is refusing to take the blame for Brazil’s World Cup thrashing on Tuesday, which he watched live in Belo Horizonte.

Leo Messi looked worried, while Ezequiel Lavezzi couldn’t look at all.

Sergio Romero came back to haunt Louis van Gaal as Argentina beat Holland on penalties to reach the World Cup final.

Despite being branded a jinx for the football teams he backs, Mick Jagger is refusing to take the blame for Brazil’s World Cup thrashing on Tuesday, which he watched live in Belo Horizonte.

Just when Brazilians thought it couldn’t get any worse after Tuesday night’s total humiliation in Belo Horizonte, they must now dry their tears and play host to their final from hell.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has urged his players and his country to move on from their devastating World Cup semi-final defeat to Germany.

Brazil woke up to a new footballing catastrophe this morning, 64 years after it experienced the ’Maracanazo’ when the hosts lost in the final of the first World Cup on their soil.

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.

Holland goalkeeper Tim Krul is ecstatic to be in the semi-finals of the World Cup after his dramatic introduction to the tournament.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee is studying the challenge that led to Brazil’s star player Neymar suffering a fractured vertebra to decide on action against Colombia’s Juan Zuniga.

Neymar’s World Cup is over after he sustained a fractured vertebra in his lower back towards the end of Brazil’s quarter-final victory against Colombia.

WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

One major selection dilemma haunts Alejandro Sabella ahead of the clash with Belgium; will he stick with calamity centre-half, Lorenzo?

World Cup good, bad and ugly