Good evening and welcome to LIVE text coverage of the 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.

Messi sprints down the right and into the area. The little magician is tight to the byline but somehow gets the ball past Neuer and Boateng comes to the rescue by hooking away from inside his six-yard box.

STAT: This is the eight time Germany or West Germany have appeared in a World Cup final - a new record. They have won three and lost four of the previous seven finals.

Almost an immediate impact from Schurrle who has been a deadly super sub at this WC.

GOOD SAVE! Romero dives to his right to push away Schurrle's first-time effort after a quick break by the Germans.

Neuer comes and claims Lavezzi's corner all too easily.

Lovely play by Lavezzi and Messi on the counter before the latter attempts to thread it through to Higuain who was in acres of space in the area. Let off for Germany as they manage to get a foot on it and clear for a corner.

Our man in Brazil reckons it could have been worse for Hoewedes.

Another yellow for Germany as Höwedes crunches Zabaleta. Looked a bit high.

Germany have been like a pack of cards constantly reshuffling for the past 45 minutes or so!

BLOW for GERMANY: The pre-match replacement is replaced as Kramer comes off and Schurrle takes his place.

GOAL DISALLOWED!!! The cross from Lavezzi on the right is ruthlessly tucked home by Higuain just outside the six-yard box but the flag is up and it won't count. It's the right call too.

Schweinsteiger the first man in the book for a foul on Higuain.

Lahm teases an audacious outside of the foot cross in towards Mueller who can't reach it, but Romero still needs to palm the curling ball away... It's all rather pointless though as the flag is up and Argentina survive.

Great stat.

PREVIOUS: The most recent match between these two sides was a friendly encounter in Frankfurt in August 2012. Argentina triumphed 3-1.

Proof that it's not been Higuain's day so far... Plenty of time to emerge as a hero though!

Photo of Mesmeric Messi in full flow.

Mueller almost wriggles his way into a shooting position after a nice exchange with Klose but Argentina get bodies around him to slam the door shut.

A taster of some of Twitter's reaction to that Higuain miss...

WHAT A MISS! A shocking back header by Kroos puts Higuain clean through but he snatches at the chance and drags it harmlessly wide from the edge of the area.

Another prediction on Twitter via ex-pro Neil Mellor...