Will Cesc or Robin be celebrating at Soccer City?
World Cup Final: It's Fabregas v Van Persie
Seven different nations selected Arsenal players in their World Cup squads and two of those are still standing in South Africa - Spain and Holland.
Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie will line up against each other when their countries contest the Final at Soccer City on Sunday evening.
Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie
Spain v Holland, Final
Sunday, July 11, 7.30pm (UK time)
Soccer City, Johannesburg
An Arsenal player will get his hands on the World Cup on Sunday but who will it be? Cesc Fabregas? Or Robin van Persie?
The club-mates will be on opposite sides when Spain and Holland battle for the most prestigious prize in football and, if you believe the bookies, Fabregas has the edge.
Spain are the reigning European champions and stopped an impressive German side in its tracks at the Semi-Final stage thanks to Carles Puyol's second-half header.
But Van Persie will fancy his chances after the Dutch saw off tournament favourites Brazil in the Quarter-Finals before beating dark horses Uruguay in the last four.
Fabregas has come off the bench three times during the World Cup but has yet to start for Spain in South Africa. And that is unlikely to change on Sunday.
But Van Persie has been a regular for Holland and is expected to line up at centre forward in Johannesburg.
Whichever side comes out on top, Arsenal will have its first World Cup winner since Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit lifted the trophy with France in 1998.
Soccer City, Johannesburg
| Holland wins - 4 | Draws -1 | Spain wins -4 |
TRIVIA TREBLE
- The Dutch are bidding to become only the second team to qualify for the World Cup with a 100% record and win every match at the tournament itself (matching Brazil in 1970)
- Spain have lost only two of their last 54 games (to USA and Switzerland). Defeat to the Swiss was a bad omen - no side has ever won the World Cup after losing their opening game
- Spain have completed 3,387 passes at the World Cup, more than any other side. The Netherlands have managed 2,434. Prior to the third-place play-off, Spain had the tournament's top four passers: Xavi (464 completed passes), Busquets (420), Alonso (399) and Pique (378)
[Friday, July 09, 2010]
