Battle of the giants is fitting finale

When Germany and Brazil's players shake hands and wish each other luck before today's World Cup final, no-one would be surprised if they all admitted to each other: "Well, fancy seeing you here."

For despite winning the World Cup seven times between them, and despite this being the seventh final for both countries, neither was really expected to make it this far.

World champions France and pre-tournament favourites Argentina were strongly tipped to contest the final - but after both were eliminated in the first round, Brazil and Germany took full advantage of the way the competition opened up.

Just one month ago British bookies priced Brazil at odds of between 6-1 and 13-2 to win the World Cup, while Germany were considered even less of a chance at odds ranging between 12-1 to 16-1.

But as so often happens when the serious stuff starts, indifferent form in the qualifiers or the friendlies has been forgotten about.

Brazil and Germany have dug into their reserves of mental strength, of superior organisation, invoked their sense of destinies and also produced some very fine play when it mattered, and are now just one game away from the ultimate triumph in the game.

Brazil begin as favourites primarily because Ronaldo and Rivaldo cannot stop scoring goals and because Germany have lost their main creative player Michael Ballack, who is suspended.

But Brazil will not underestimate their opponents in what is, incredibly, the first ever meeting in the finals between the two traditionally dominant countries of world soccer.

Italy and Argentina might like to claim otherwise, but Germany come to the final with the greatest record of any European country, while Brazil boast not only the best record among the South Americans, but also the world.

In many ways it is the perfect finale for the first finals in Asia and could bring the tournament to a close on a high.

Brazil's assault on their fifth world title - their eagerly awaited "penta", following their previous successes in 1958, 1962, 1970 and 1994 - will be spearheaded by the twin strike force of Ronaldo and Rivaldo.

They will need to be at their sharpest and most incisive to beat Germany's best player - skipper and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.

Ronaldo (6 goals) and Rivaldo (5) will also give the severest test to the German defence, which has conceded only one goal in the entire tournament - Robbie Keane's late equaliser for Ireland in their 1-1 draw with Germany in the first round.

Since then Germany have gone four matches without conceding a goal and, while their football has not exactly been brimming with dazzling ball skills and flair, it has been effective enough.

Much of the attention will be on Ronaldo, playing in his second World Cup final following his own personal nightmare of 1998. Then, just a few hours after suffering a fit, he was a shadow of his usual self.

He will be aiming to consign that personal demon to the rubbish bin of his own personal memory book. Cafu, meanwhile, will be making history of another kind by becoming the first player ever to appear in three World Cup finals after appearing as a substitute in 1994 and playing in 1998.

Coach Luiz Felipe "Big Phil" Scolari is expected to start with the same team that beat England 2-1 in the quarter-finals, reinstating Ronaldinho to the starting line-up after he was suspended from the semi-final win over Turkey after his red card against England.

Germany will rely on their traditional virtues which, according to coach Rudi Voeller, means "plenty of order and discipline".

"We must switch to the attacking mode but we must do it carefully because Brazil have players capable of using any opportunity to counter-attack," added the former World Cup striker.

"In terms of individual players, they have more class than we have but that's not something we should be ashamed of," Voeller said. "All the other teams are in the same situation when compared to Brazil."

As always, Voeller declined to drop any hints on his starting line-up but he said all his preferred players were ready to go, despite minor injury worries.

Top striker Miroslav Klose, who has scored five goals in the tournament, trained fully on Thursday despite a sore hip and should start up front alongside Oliver Neuville.

Kahn, who was instrumental in his side's run to the final by conceding only one goal, had to receive treatment on a painful neck during a training session on Thursday, but Voeller said there was nothing to worry about.

Midfielder Dietmar Hamann should take over the playmaking duties from the suspended Ballack and Jens Jeremies should be handed Hamann's usual defensive role at the centre of midfield.

Probable teams...

Brazil (3-5-2): Marcos; Lucio, Edmilson, Roque Junior; Cafu, Gilberto Silva, Kleberson, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos; Ronaldo, Rivaldo.

Germany (4-4-2): Kahn; Frings, Linke, Ramelow, Metzelder; Schneider, Jeremies, Hamann, Bode; Neuville, Klose.

Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy).

Linesmen: Leif Lindberg (Sweden), Philip Sharp (England).

On TV: Live on TVM, RAI Uno 1 p.m.