Brazil to take on Netherlands in third place playoff

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari will welcome back skipper Thiago Silva for the clash at the Brasilia national stadium against the Dutch, who are also grieving after missing out on a place in the final following a penalty shootout defeat by Argentina.

Departing Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal previously said he thought the third-place match was a waste of time but he is now targeting victory to ensure his team become the first Dutch side to go through a World Cup unbeaten in regulation time.

However, both Van Gaal and Scolari would much rather be in Rio de Janeiro where Germany and Argentina are going through their final preparations for Sunday’s final at the Maracana.

Saturday’s game will be the twelveth clash between Brazil and the Netherlands and the fifth in World Cup finals. The two sides have recorded two victories each so far in World Cup matches against each other.

The records of both the teams in head to head clashes are equivalent as total 30 goals have been scored in the games played with 15 scored by Brazil and 15 by Netherlands.