ARGENTINA (4-3-3)

Romero: 5 - Could have done better at the first goal and failed to truly assert himself after that. Granted he had relatively little to do.

Otamendi: 3 - Completely and utterly out of his depth. Sold the jerseys for Mueller's opener with a failure to challenge in the air; lunged in with colossal naivete to free Podolski to create Germany's second. Hooked after that.

Burdisso: 5.5 - The best of the Argentine defenders on show - not that this is saying much. In fact the reason he was the top performer is that he kept himself out of the way and didn't make mistakes.

Demichelis: 4.5 - Unable to settle down the back line, and torn to shreds by his Bayern team-mates, amongst others. A worrying performance for all concerned.

Heinze: 4 - Achingly slow and clearly not mentally equipped for the battle that ensued in the second period. Never stopped running, it's true - but he probably should have done from time to time to consider his options.

Maxi Rodriguez: 6 - Not quite as bad as the scoreline would suggest, Maxi seldom posed a threat but at least managed to retain possession in his midfield role. A calming influence.

Mascherano: 6 - Again, Argentina could have done with more like him. Tough in the tackle, which eventually brought him a booking but perhaps helped keep the score down.

Di Maria: 5.5 - Certainly looked the part on the ball… at least until it left his boot, or failed to do so. Lacked any ability or foresight in timing his pass or shot, and as such undid all his good work.

Higuain: 4 - A shocker from the Real Madrid man, who would be the first to admit that he can do better. Creaky and slow in reaching any given ball, and not in the game in terms of finishes.

Messi: 7 - Showed some moments of magic in the first half but ultimately couldn't break down the obstinate German back line.

Tevez: 6 - Had a few good flashes but didn't connect with his   team-mates. This of course, is as much as their fault as his.

Substitutes

Pastore: 5.5 - Throwing in a youngster to change a game doesn't always pay off. Such was the case here. Very energetic but lacked focus.

Aguero: 5

GERMANY (4-2-3-1)

Neuer: 6 - Despite keeping a clean sheet the Schalke man showed why he is not first choice ahead of Rene Adler with a nervy showing comprising several spilled balls.

Lahm: 6.5 - Very much dependable in the defensive sphere but tended to waste the ball. Not his finest hour, but nonetheless a good performer.

Mertesacker: 7.5 - On those rare occasions that Argentina managed to break into the box, Per was there to halt them, particularly (as one might expect) in the air.

Friedrich: 8 - Despite being regarded as a weak link prior to the tournament, Friedrich was in inspired form for this match, even picking up a goal.

Boateng: 7.5 - The full-back found himself beaten once or twice, but seldom in a truly dangerous position. This was an excellent tactical performance.

Khedira: 8 - A fine, solid performance from one of Jogi Loew's first picks. It's abundantly clear to see why he's considered undroppable.

Schweinsteiger: 9.5 - And here's another one who won't be away from the team anytime soon. What a performance from Basti. Spent most of the game marshalling the defensive midfield but also found the time to provide assist after assist. In effect, plays as two men.

Mueller: 8 - Less than ten caps? He plays like he's been doing this all his life - and that's because he doesn't try to do what he can't. (Take a note, Angel di Maria.) Short passing, directed running - oh, and a goal as well.

Oezil: 7 - A quiet yet pleasing performance from one of the breakout stars of this tournament. His cross for Klose's curtain call was delicious.

Podolski: 7.5 - He's done a lot better than this in terms of converting product, but one thing that can be said for Poldi is that his activity on the wing keeps his opponents occupied even when he's not crossing or scoring. We saw that against Australia and we saw it against far tougher opposition here.

Klose: 9 - It was just two tap-ins, they say. Rubbish. You can only tap in if you're in the correct position, and that's what Klose does best. He may not score at club level but the Germans cannot do without his teamwork and finishing. The consummate Jogi Loew player: knows exactly what to do and does it well.

Substitutes

Jansen: 8 - OK, the game was already over, but he's actually given Loew a bit of thinking to do now. In twenty minutes he accomplished tons.