Germany and Uruguay will hope to salvage some pride in their third-place playoff match on Saturday after devastating semifinal defeats earlier this week.
The two teams were largely written-off in the run-up to the finals but can hold their heads high after some stunning performances against top-ranked sides before their respective exits to Spain and Netherlands in the last four.
Germany's high-scoring young side are determined to cap their impressive World Cup with one last win where coach Joachim Loew promised his bitterly disappointed players will be in the right frame of mind and ready to win.
“The disappointment is there but now we need to build up the team a bit,” he said. “I'm certain we will go into the match with the necessary focus. No one needs to hang their heads low and we want to have a good final match,” said Loew.
History will not favour twice World Cup winners Uruguay after fourth place finishes the last two times they reached the semifinals, losing out in the playoff to Austria in 1954 and the Germans in 1970.
Germany have finished third thrice and lost the playoff only once in 1958, to France.
Two players central to the German and Uruguayan marches through the knockout stages will be available again after suspensions that weighed heavily on both teams in the semis.
Attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller was sorely missed by the Germans on Wednesday and will likely start, as will Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, whose handball on the goal line late in the match against Ghana helped put his team in the last four. Uruguay could be without in-form marksman Diego Forlan on Saturday because of a thigh problem sustained in the semis.
Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has recovered from a thigh injury and will play in the World Cup third-place play-off against Germany, coach Oscar Tabarez revealed on Friday.
The influential Atletico Madrid forward was substituted in the 84th minute of Uruguay's 3-2 semifinal defeat by the Netherlands but Tabarez says he is ready to assume a starting role against Joachim Loew's side on Saturday.
"Yes, he's ready, but that doesn't meant he's only going to play to score and for the top goalscorers standings," said Tabarez of four-goal Forlan, who currently trails Spain's David Villa and Holland's Wesley Sneijder by one goal in the race for the Golden Boot.
"We absolutely want to win this match and it's a collective effort."
Winning the prize for the tournament's most prolific marksman would cap a memorable season for Forlan, who netted twice as Atletico Madrid defeated Fulham in the final of the Europa League in May.
Tabarez is convinced he can be decisive once again against the Germans.
"There are lots of good things to say about Diego," he said.
"He's much more than just an excellent footballer and a great professional; he's there in the big matches."
Forlan will be joined at the point of the attack by strike partner Luis Suarez, who missed the semifinal through suspension after being sent off for a controversial handball in the quarter-final win against Ghana.
Uruguay emerged from a tough group featuring 2006 runners-up France, hosts South Africa and a well-drilled Mexico side before defeating South Korea 2-1 to reach the last eight.
Their victory on penalties against Ghana gave Uruguay their first semi-final appearance since 1970 and Tabarez wants his team to round off their memorable campaign on a high by beating Germany.
"They're a marvellous opponent," said Tabarez.
"They belong to the history of the World Cup, having playing at every finals since 1954 and being three-time world champions.
"It's very motivating to meet one of the best teams of the tournament, who play with lots of young players. But it's not impossible, just as it wasn't impossible against the Netherlands."
As he did prior to the game against Holland, Tabarez named his starting XI for the third-place play-off, with regular captain Diego Lugano set to return from injury at centre-back and left-back Jorge Fucile also available after suspension.
Uruguay team to face Germany
Fernando Muslera, Martin Caceres, Diego Lugano, Diego Godin, Jorge Fucile, Maxi Pereira, Diego Perez, Egidio Arevalo Rios, Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan (capt), Luis Suarez
