German and Argentine fans reach fever pitch as their teams prepare for the World Cup Final

After a month of matches, football fans across the globe were tonight preparing for the culmination of what has been dubbed 'the best World Cup ever' with Germany taking on Argentina in the glittering final in Rio de Janeiro.

As the sun beat down upon the world-famous Maracana stadium, supporters of both teams geared up for tonight's match outside the ground, with millions more getting ready to watch on big screens in Berlin and Buenos Aires, as well as up to one billion fans around the globe.

Expectations for tonight's final match were running high following Germany's 7-1 ruthlessly efficient dismantling of hosts Brazil in the semi final, while Argentina required penalties to make it past the Netherlands on their route to Rio.

Kick off Time: 8:00pm

The Germans are looking to become the first European nation to win the title on South American soil and the Argentines desperate to lift a third World Cup trophy and their first since 1986.

And while Germany go into the match as favourites, in captain Lionel Messi Argentina boast one of the world's greatest current players who can turn a big game in a flash and would dearly love to bring home the World Cup for the first time since 1986 when the team was captained by the great Diego Maradona.

A 79,000 sellout crowd will watch the game from inside the ground, while up to a billion more are expected to tune in on television, potentially making it the most-watched sporting event ever.

According to FIFA, 909.6 million people watched at least one minute of the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, while 900 million people watched the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.

Large crowds of supporters had gathered around the stadium from the early morning, despite the match not kicking off until 8pm BST, flooding the streets around the Maracana with a sea of blue and white, black, red and yellow.

From traditional Bavarian Lederhosen and East Germany vintage tops of the 1970s to giantArgentine flags and those of every South American nation, fans were getting ready for the biggest single event in world sports.

'This is our time. This is our continent and our victory tonight here in Brazil,' said Juan Alvarez, 24, who drove three days from the Argentine capital Buenos Aires with a group of friend, as he showed his ticket for the game. 'Winning it here in Brazil would make it even better,' he said.