Fuelled by decades of hurt, Lionel Messi's Argentina and Arjen Robben's Netherlands will carry competing motivations into Wednesday's tantalising FIFA World Cup™ semi-final showdown at Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena.
Argentina, who last reached the Final in 1990, will be determined to pay appropriate homage to former great Alfredo Di Stefano, who died on Monday aged 88, while arch rivals Brazil could by then be awaiting in the final.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, are eager to rediscover their group-stage swagger and prove they are finally ready to claim football's greatest prize after agonising Final defeats in 1974, 1978 and 2010.