Joachim Loew has again saved Germany’s best until the World Cup finals with the 54-year-old poised to finally claim his first major title in Brazil.

Having been appointed Jurgen Klinsmann's assistant in 2004 before becoming head coach in 2006, Germany have reached at least the semi-finals of all five major tournaments during his decade involved.

Argentina's Lionel Messi will never have a better opportunity to prove he is one of the greatest players of all time than in Sunday's World Cup final against Germany.

For all the breath-taking goals and teeming towers of silverware he has accumulated with Barcelona, it is in the World Cup final that the true greats confirm their legacies.

LeBron James' decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers after four seasons with Miami sparked a flurry of reaction Friday around the NBA, across American sports and beyond.

But few were as happy as Dave Blatt, who took over as the Cavaliers coach three weeks ago and will make his NBA debut the same night James plays his first game for Cleveland since 2010.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard paid an emotional tribute to Luis Suarez as the Uruguay striker's move to Barcelona was confirmed on Friday.

Suarez will make a £75 million switch to the Nou Camp after agreeing a five-year contract with the Spanish club.

Netherlands winger Arjen Robben has been the standout performer of this year's World Cup in the eyes of Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Brazil and the Netherlands meet in Saturday's third-place play-off in Brasilia and Scolari indicated that he will be making a special effort to stop Robben from hurting his side as they try to end the tournament on a high.

Italian Matteo Trentin won the seventh stage of the Tour de France on Friday to pile the agony on Peter Sagan.

OPQS rider Trentin beat the Slovak by barely an inch in a thrilling sprint finish at the end of the 234.5km stage from Epernay to Nancy.

Argentina and Brazil, South America's rival giants, have been getting over their mutual mistrust in recent years, but their newfound spirit of friendship definitely does not extend to football.

Fans from both sides had dreamed the World Cup would end with a mega-showdown against the team they most love to hate.

Thousands of Argentine fans are expected to attend Sunday's World Cup final but President Cristina Kirchner will not be among them as she is sick with throat trouble.

Kirchner disclosed the news Thursday in a letter to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Barcelona announced Friday they had struck a deal to sign Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez from Liverpool, sealing the transfer despite the uproar over him biting a World Cup rival.

Suarez "will be traveling to Barcelona next week for a medical, to sign his five-year contract and to be officially presented to the media and fans as an FC Barcelona player," the club said in a statement.

Real Madrid says former captain Fernando Hierro will replace Zinedine Zidane as assistant to coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Hierro returns to Madrid 11 years after surprisingly exiting alongside former coach Vicente del Bosque. The former defender made 601 appearances for Madrid, scoring 127 goals and winning the Champions League three times. He also earned 89 caps for Spain.