WORLD CUP OPEN THREAD: BRAZIL VS GERMANY

Somehow, Brazil and Germany -- arguably the two most successful teams in the history of the World Cup -- have only met once previously in the World Cup.  That previous showdown was a pretty big one -- the 2002 World Cup final, won by Brazil 2-0 -- but it's still striking that two powerhouses have managed to avoid each other so frequently in the history of the tournament.  (In comparison, Italy is probably the third-most successful team in the history of the World Cup and they've played multiple games against both Germany and Brazil in the history of the World Cup.)  Well, today the number of World Cup matches that Germany and Brazil have played against one another will double because they're facing each other in the first of two semifinals (the second semifinal, between Argentina and The Netherlands, takes place tomorrow afternoon).

Let's get ready to rumble.

TODAY'S GAME:

Brazil v. Germany (3 PM CT, ESPN and WatchESPN)

The usual rules apply.