2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil 3rd/4th place Play-Off Brazil Vs Netherlands Saturday July 12,2014

 

 Brazil Vs Netherlands at Estadio Nacional, Brasilia

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• This will be the 12th game between Brazil and Netherlands (W3, D5, L3), and the fifth in World Cup finals.
• The Dutch have won two of the three most recent World Cup meetings, including a 2-1 win in the quarter-finals of the last World Cup.
• The two nations have given away the most fouls in the tournament - Brazil 107, Netherlands 106.
• Brazil's last victory over the Dutch was a 3-1 win in 1999. The match saw five players sent off; Edgar Davids, Andre Ooijer and Peter van Vossen for the Dutch, Rivaldo and Amoroso for Brazil.
• Netherlands had just one shot on target in their semi-final against Argentina, while Brazil had eight in their 7-1 loss against Germany.

Brazil

• This is the fourth time Brazil have been involved in the third-place play-off. They have two wins (1938 and 1978) and one defeat (1974) from the previous three.
• Brazil have scored 11 goals and conceded 11 at this tournament. They have never let in more than 11 at a World Cup, having also done so in 1938.
• Brazil have had more shots (76) than any other country at this World Cup.
• Julio Cesar, David Luiz and Marcelo have featured in all 570 minutes of Brazil's 2014 World Cup campaign
• Marcelo has created 10 goalscoring chances for Brazil - only Neymar (13) has managed more for the hosts.
• Maxwell is the only outfield player yet to feature for Brazil.

Netherlands

• This is the second time Netherland have been involved in the third-place play-off. They lost 2-1 to Croatia in 1998 having lost to Brazil on penalties in the semi-final.
• The Dutch scored 11 goals during their three groups matches but have managed just one in three knock-out games.
• Ten of the Netherlands' 12 goals in this tournament have come after half-time; the last four have come after the 75th minute.
• For the second time, after 1974 and 1978, Netherlands will finish in the top four in consecutive World Cups.
• Only Karim Benzema (15) has had more shots on target than Robin van Persie (10) in this World Cup, but the Dutchman is yet to score in the knock-out stage.
• Michel Vorm is sole player within the Dutch squad yet to make an appearance at this World Cup.

The third-place play-off was introduced at the second World Cup finals in Italy in 1934
A game between the two losing semi-finalists, first introduced at the 1934 World Cup, was originally envisaged as a match to whet the appetite ahead of the final.
Yet Dutch coach Louis van Gaal believes the fixture is an irrelevance.
"There is only one award that counts and that is becoming world champions," Van Gaal said.
"The worst thing is that there is a chance you are going to lose twice in a row," he added.

Most recent World Cup third-place play-off winners
2010: Germany 3-2 Uruguay
2006: Germany 3-1 Portugal
2002: Turkey 3-2 South Korea
1998: Croatia 2-1 Netherlands
1994: Sweden 4-0 Bulgaria
1990: Italy 2-1 England
1986: France 4-2 Belgium
1982: Poland 3-2 France Netherlands beats Brazil 3-0 Goal Scorers -Robin van Persie(3rd minute penalty),Daley Blind(16)and Georginio Wijnaldum(90) Brazil was convincingly beaten by Netherlands in the 3rd place play-off Injured Neymar watches from the bench Brazil's World Cup of woe This is the first time since 1940 that Brazil have lost consecutive matches on home soil (in 1940 they lost 3-0 v Argentina and 4-3 v Uruguay). Brazil have failed to score in two games in a World Cup tournament for the first time since 1978. This is only the second time in the past 10 World Cup third-place play-offs that a team has failed to score (Bulgaria lost 4-0 v Sweden in 1994). Belgium in 1986 (15 goals conceded) were the last team to concede 14 or more goals in a World Cup finals before Brazil this year (14) Brazil conceded 14 goals this tournament - the most they have let in at a single World Cup