Pemain Argentina Lionel Messi dalam latihan sehari sebelum babak semifinal Piala Dunia antara Belanda dan Argentina, di stadion Itaquerao di Sao Paulo, Brazil, 8 Juli 2014.
Dalam pertandingan semifinal Piala Dunia, Argentina berhadapan dengan Belanda untuk memperebutkan tempat ke babak final.
Kondisi Kapten Belanda Robin van Persie dipertanyakan pada hari Rabu setelah mengalami masalah dengan perutnya. Bintang sepakbola Lionel Messi akan memimpin Argentina di Sao Paulo.
Belanda menduduki tempat kedua di Piala Dunia di Afrika Selatan empat tahun lalu.
Jerman kalahkan Brazil
Dalam pertandingan semifinal pertama hari Selasa di Belo Horizonte, Jerman menampilkan permainan yang menakjubkan dalam sejarah Piala Dunia, melibas tuan rumah Brazil di babak semifinal 7-1, untuk melaju ke babak final.
Pemain Jerman Andre Schuerrle memasukkan gol ke-6 dalam pertandingan semifinal Piala Dunia antara Brazil dan Jerman di stadion Mineirao di Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 8 Juli 2014.
Pemain Jerman Miroslav Klose menambah gol cemerlang setelah memasukkan gol di 25 menit pertama dan mencatat rekor 16 gol di sejarah Piala Dunia. Rekor tersebut berubah di akhir pertandingan, ketika Jerman kembali memasukkan gol dan menjadikannya sebagai tim yang paling banyak menghasilkan gol di babak semifinal Piala Dunia.
Pemain Jerman Toni Kroos dan Andre Schuerrle hampir menciptakan hat trick.
Brazil bermain tanpa kapten Thiago Silva dan bintang penyerang Neymar. Silva diskors satu pertandingan setelah menerima kartu kuning kedua di babak perempat final melawan Kolombia. Neymar, yang memasukkan empat gol di Piala Dunia ini, tidak bermain karena cedera.
Brazil tadinya berharap bisa mengulangi penampilannya di Piala Dunia tahun 1962. Saat itu, pemain legendaris Brazil Pele menderita cedera di pertandingan kedua dan membuatnya tidak bisa bermain di sisa pertandingan Piala Dunia. Namun Brazil tetap berhasil mengalahkan Cekoslowakia di babak final, 3-1.
Pemenang babak semifinal bertemu di pertandingan final di Rio de Janeiro pada hari Minggu. Tim yang kalah bertarung untuk memperebutkan tempat ketiga pada hari Sabtu di Brasilia.
Germany Crushes Brazil in World Cup Semifinal
1/11A Brazil soccer fan cries as Germany scores against her team at a semifinal World Cup match as she watches the game on a live telecast in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
2/11Germany's Miroslav Klose and Brazil's Luiz Gustavo fight for the ball during the World Cup semifinal soccer match at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
3/11Brazil's Marcelo lies on the pitch during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Germany at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
4/11Brazil soccer fans cry as they watch their team lose 7-1 to Germany at a World Cup semifinal match on a live telecast inside the FIFA Fan Fest area on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
5/11Germany's Andre Schuerrle scores his side's 6th goal during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Germany at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
6/11Germany's Andre Schuerrle celebrates scoring his side's 6th goal during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Germany at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
7/11Germany soccer fans celebrate their team's 7-1 victory over Brazil after watching the World Cup semifinal match on a live telecast inside the FIFA Fan Fest area on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
8/11Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar lies on the pitch as Brazil's Marcelo picks up the ball from the net after Germany's Andre Schuerrle scored at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
9/11Brazil's Luiz Gustavo and Germany's Sami Khedira go for the ball during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Germany at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
10/11A view of the pitch during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Brazil and Germany at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
11/11A fan of Brazil sits on the ground as his team loses to Germany in a semi-final match, at the FIFA Fan Fest during the 2014 soccer World Cup in Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 8, 2014.
