Will Joan Capdevilla be able to keep Arjen Robben in check? Will Stekelenburg be able to do what only Switzerland and Germany managed and stop David Villa from scoring? Richard Aikman looks at four battles within the battle...
"As the playmaker, and virtually the only creative player in the side bar Robben, Sneijder is the focal point, inspiring the Oranje in the same way he inspired Inter Milan to the treble last season. His outstanding vision and eye for goal have made been the determining factor in this Dutch success story."
Despite their great footballing pedigree, the Netherlands and Spain have yet to meet in major competition, and on the nine times they have gone toe to toe, there is nothing to choose between them, with their head-to-heads reporting four wins apiece and a draw. The European Champions are the favourites at 2.18 to win in 90 minutes, but they have already been beaten this tournament, by Switzerland, while the Oranje have now gone 25 matches unbowed. They're 3.85 to win in regular time. Spain are 1.61 to win the World Cup with the Netherlands 2.62.
To get an idea of where this match will be won and lost here are the key battles that will go a long way to deciding the World Cup final.
Stekelenburg v Villa
Maarten Stekelenburg has done plenty to answer those who feared Edwin van der Sar's gloves would be too large to fill by making 16 saves so far this tournament. He is not guarded by the best defence in the world and performed fine displays against Slovakia and Brazil even though he should have done better with Diego Forlan's equaliser for Uruguay. But, assuming the hip injury he picked up in that semi-final doesn't keep him out of the match of his life, the Ajax man will struggle to keep a clean sheet (3.55) here.
Apart from the threat posed by a lethal midfield, David Villa's five goals this tournament reflect his current status as the best striker in the world. Had he not missed a penalty against Chile, the Spaniard would have bagged a hat-trick against Chile, and be even shorter than 2.72 to win the Golden Shoe. Barcelona's new signing will also not need to look twice at the video of Robinho's goal against Holland, where the Brazilian cut in from the left, raced onto a throughball and beat Stekelenburg with ease. Villa delights in cutting in from the left and is priced at 5.3 to repeat what as he has done three times in the last four matches, and score first.
Sneijder v Xavi
Though ostensibly a midfielder, Wesley Sneijder has scored as many goals as Villa, which makes him a tempting bet in the Top Goalscorer market at 4.2. As the playmaker, and virtually the only creative player in the side bar Robben, Sneijder is the focal point, inspiring the Oranje in the same way he inspired Inter Milan to the treble last season. His outstanding vision and eye for goal have made been the determining factor in this Dutch success story.
A huge influence on t his extraordinary Spain side, Xavi, alongside Andreas Iniesta, has forged probably the best midfield partnership in world football. Xavi does not score many, but he sets the tempo of la Furia Roja's extraordinary 'ticcy-taccy' passing style. He has completed 464 passes this campaign, compared to Sneijder's 230 and is the heartbeat of the side. Conversely, he is probably not as important to Spain as Sneijder is to Holland, because the European Champions have so many midfield artists. Cesc Fabregas, for one, can't even get a start.
Robben v Joan Capdevila
Arjen Robben was eased into this tournament due to injury but has grown in influence on Holland's campaign. His pace petrifies defenders and he regularly showed how deadly he can be when cutting in from the right in the Champions League last season. The Bayern winger, who has scored twice in South Africa and is 4.2 to add a third, is also an expert at drawing fouls - and in Felipe Melo's case, red cards - and winning set-pieces from which Sneijder and Robin van Persie can threaten.
If Howard Webb takes a dim view of his diving, Robben may well pick up a card, which he is 5.1 to do. Either way, Joan Capdevila will have his work cut out to contain the fleet-footed winger and will most likely be told to resist making those forward runs down the flank. The left-back has only made five fouls this tournament but how else do you stop Robben? Capdevila is 4.2 to get his name in the book.
Van Bommel v Alonso
When it comes to the dark arts there can be no finer exponent than Mark van Bommel, who is a superb shield for an otherwise ordinary defence, but seemingly immune to sanction for his relentless fouling. He was booked in the last match, but his card was long overdue. He appears to get the referees onside by talking to them throughout matches, but whether Webb falls for his smoothtalk remains to be seen. Van Bommel is 2.4 to pick up a yellow. Webb is 3.9 to brandish a red.
Alonso is no saint either. He has only committed three fouls less than Van Bommel in the tournament, but has more license to invest his energies at the other end of the field as Sergio Busquets is happy to dig in with the dirty work. Indeed, with Germany marking Villa out of the game in the semi-final, Alonso was Spain's principal goal threat, firing three shots in on goal from the edge of the area. The Real Madrid midfieder has a fantastic shot and at 8.4 is a superb bet to score at any time.
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