Head-to-heads
Germany and Portugal have met 14 times before. Germany have the better record of six wins, five draws and three losses, but the most recent encounter was won by Portugal. That was at Euro 2000, when a hat trick from Sergio Conceicao secured a 3-0 victory for the Portuguese. Oliver Kahn, Jens Nowotny and Michael Ballack (Germany) and Costinha, Pauleta, Nuno Gomes and Quim (Portugal) were involved in that match.
In 1985, Portugal became the first country to defeat Germany on home soil in a World Cup qualifier (0-1). The contest was played in Stuttgart, just like this third place play-off.
Team facts - Germany
This is the fourth time Germany have been involved in a third place play-off match. In 1934 they beat Austria (3-2), in 1958 they lost to France (3-6) and in 1970 they beat Uruguay (1-0). By losing in the semi-final, Germany joined Chile (1962), Italy (1990) and South Korea (2002) as hosts to have been halted at this stage.
Germany have won seven, drawn one and lost two matches in 2006. Their only defeats were both against Italy. The semi-final loss was only the third match in which Germany had failed to score since Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed in July 2004.
Team facts - Portugal
Portugal's best World Cup result came in their debut appearance in 1966 when they finished third. They beat the Soviet Union 2-1 in the play-off decider.
Portugal were unbeaten in 17 competitive matches before losing against France in the semi-final. They have conceded just two goals in their six matches at this World Cup so far. However, they've failed to score in their last two.
Player facts - Germany
Jens Lehmann, Phillip Lahm and Per Mertesacker have not missed a minute of the 2006 World Cup.
Miroslav Klose is currently the World Cup's top scorer with five goals. He has a total of 10 World Cup goals and is one of 12 players in the history of the competition to reach double figures. Gerd Muller (14), Klinsmann (11) and Helmut Rahn (10) are the other Germans on the list.
Player facts - Portugal
Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho is suspended for this match, having been booked twice in the knock-out phase. Carvalho, Fernando Meira and Ricardo had played every minute of every match for Portugal so far.
As a member of VfB Stuttgart, Fernando Meira is used to playing in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadion. Meira could face VfB Stuttgart team mates Timo Hildebrand and Thomas Hitzlsperger.
Miscellaneous Info
World Cup hosts have provided the top scorer of the tournament on four occasions: Brazilian Ademir (1950), Chilean Leonel Sanchez (1962), Argentine Mario Kempes (1978) and Italian Toto Schillaci (1990). Sanchez was joint top scorer in 1962. German Miroslav Klose could become the fifth.
Since the European Championship finals expanded to eight teams in 1980, none of the nations finishing third at the World Cup have qualified for the next European Championship tournament.
