Durban: Germany and Spain lock horns in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup at the Durban Stadium in Durban on Wednesday evening. It is expected to be one of the most entertaining and intriguing matches in South Africa and indeed either side can win it.
The two European countries are not exactly great rivals but they have encountered each other a number of times in the World Cup finals in the past.
We now take a look at the times that they clashed with each other on the world's biggest footballing stage.
We also take at a look at a couple of key European Championship ties in which the two sides have confronted each other.
1966 World Cup
West Germany and Spain met in the World Cup finals in 1966. Along with Argentina and Switzerland, the duo were clubbed in Group 2 in the opening stage. The two sides met in the third round of matches in the group stage at Villa Park in Birmingham in what was eventually going to decide which teams qualified from the group.
In front of just over 50,000 spectators, Josep Fuste gave Spain the lead in the 23rd minute. But just 16 minutes later Lothar Emmerich equalised for the Germans.
With just six minutes remaining, Uwe Seeler netted the ball to win the game and send West Germany through to the second round. Spain were eliminated - Argentina's 2-0 win against Switzerland meant that La Furia Roja finished third in Group 2.
West Germany would go on to contest the final against England, which they lost under memorably controversial circumstances.
1982 World Cup
West Germany and Spain were clubbed together along with England in Group B in the second round of the 1982 World Cup finals held in Spain. The match between the two Europeans was played at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid and was won by the Germans.
Pierre Littbarski put West Germany ahead in the 50th minute and Klaus Fischer doubled their advantage in the 75th minute. However, with eight minutes of normal time remaining Jesus Maria Zamora halved the deficit to set up a tense final few minutes.
Spain lost that match, finished bottom of the group and went out of the competition. Germany, on the other hand, won the group and eventually reached the final, only to lose to Italy.
1994 World Cup
In 1994 Germany and Spain clashed once again, this time in the group stage. The duo were placed in Group C along with South Korea and Bolivia. Germany and Spain took on each other at the Soldier Field in Chicago.
Ion Andoni Goikoetxea broke the deadlock as early as the 14th minute for La Furia Roja but Juergen Klinsmann secured a draw for the Germans three minutes into the second half.
Both sides progressed to the second round from this group, Germany as group winners with seven points and Spain as runners-up with five.
Both of them would go on to reach the quarter-finals, but both would get knocked out at that stage - Die Mannschaft went down 2-1 to Bulgaria while La Roja were defeated by Italy by the same scoreline.
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