Germany 3 Uruguay 2: It may be scant consolation for the Germans after defeat in the semi-final but Joachim Loew's side claimed third place in the 2010 World Cup with a thrilling 3-2 defeat of Uruguay in Port Elizabeth.
With the pressure of both sides went for the jugular and produced a five-goal game that saw Thomas Mueller and Diego Forlan join finalists Wesley Sneijder and David Villa on five goals apiece.
Mueller opened the scoring when following up Bastian Schweinsteiger's shot in the 19th minute but Edinson Cavani made sure the sides were level at the break after the German midfielder's error was punished by Uruguay.
Forlan volleyed Uruguay into the lead six minutes after the break but Marcell Jansen pegged them back moments later.
Extra-time looked a distinct possibility as the game wore on until Sami Khedira headed the winner with nine minutes remaining.
Forlan had a chance to force another half an hour but his last minute free-kick rattled off the crossbar and the final whistle sounded immediately afterwards.
Germany’s hopes had looked dented when Miroslav Klose — who could have broken Ronaldo’s all-time scoring record of 15 World Cup goals — was ruled out by a back injury.
Mueller was back from suspension however, as was Luis Suarez, the man whose controversial handball prevented Ghana from reaching the semi-finals.
It was Germany who seized control of the match in the opening exchanges with Cacau having a goal ruled out and Arne Friedrich thumping a header against the crossbar.
Germany made their dominance tell in the 19th minute when Schweinsteiger let fly from 30 yards and Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera misjudged the shot, allowing Mueller to tuck home the loose ball with a minimum of fuss.
That should have been the cue for Loew’s side to impose their game on the South Americans but instead Schweinsteiger, their skipper and inspiration all tournament, allowed himself to be caught in possession by Diego Perez and suddenly it was the Germans being hit on the break.
Suarez’s perfectly-timed pass put Cavani through on the left and he finished expertly low into the far corner to put Uruguay on level terms in the 28th minute.
Suarez, the striker who has been so deadly for Ajax, spurned an excellent chance to seize the lead when he fired wide late in the first half.
The same player was denied again in the second by a reaction block from Hans-Jorg Butt, seconds after he had thwarted Cavani, but Germany’s keeper could do nothing when Forlan’s first-time shot from the edge of the box.
Egidio Arevalo muscled his way down the right and Forlan met his cross on the volley, the ball bouncing down into the ground and whistling into the net with Butt helpless.
But just when Uruguay looked on top another goalkeeping blunder allowed Germany back into the game. Muslera came for Jerome Boateng’s cross but missed it completely, allowing Jansen to head into an empty net.
Butt kept Forlan at bay while at the other end substitute Stefan Kiessling twice came close to restoring Germany’s lead.
With nine minutes left Mesut Ozil’s corner caused chaos in the Uruguay area and Khedira looped a header into the corner to make it 3-2.
Kiessling scooped over from a great position before with the very last kick of the game Forlan blasted a free-kick against the frame of the goal.