RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- The Confederations Cup has the final nearly everyone wanted: A long-awaited matchup between world champion Spain and host Brazil. The most dominant team in recent years and the most successful team of all time will meet on Sunday at the Maracana Stadium to decide the winner of the eight-nation warm-up tournament for next years World Cup. It will be the first time the traditional football nations meet in more than a decade, and the first competitive match between them since Brazils 1-0 win thanks to Socrates goal in the first round of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. "Its the match everyone wanted to happen," Brazilian striker Neymar said. "The entire world wanted it and everybody will be watching it." Brazil hopes a victory will help it regain its status as a global powerhouse after recent struggles, while Spain wants to show that not even the five-time world champions can put a dent in its supremacy. "Brazil is possibly the best team in the history of football and to face them in this situation is something magnificent," Spain midfielder Xavi Hernandez said. "Its a special final, a special night. We want to win it." With more than 70,000 Brazilian fans packing the iconic venue, the world and European champions will be put to the test by a reinvigorated Brazil team led by the 21-year-old Neymar and World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. "Spain is a spectacular team but it has weak points just like any other team," Scolari said Saturday. "I dont think they are the favourites. We are capable of winning. This is our home and we need to make them respect us." The hosts will be trying to win their third-straight title in the World Cup warm-up competition, and fourth overall, while Spain will be looking for its fourth major trophy in five years. Spain won the 2010 World Cup along with the 2008 and 2012 European Championships. The team is unbeaten in a world record 29 competitive matches over three years since losing its 2010 World Cup opener to Switzerland. Lifting another trophy on Sunday would be special for the Spaniards. "We are talking about a match against Brazil, the fathers of football, at the Maracana," Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque said. "We are happy to be having this opportunity and we hope we are back here in 2014, too." Brazil won its fifth World Cup title in 2002, but recently its Spain that has been the dominant team in international football, capturing the last two European championships and the 2010 World Cup. Brazil was eliminated in the quarterfinals in the last two World Cups and hasnt won a significant title since the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. "They are the current world champions, they have to be praised," Brazil captain Thiago Silva said. "But anything can happen in a final and Im certain that Brazil will be fully prepared for the matchup." Spain hasnt lost in 26 matches, since a 1-0 loss against England in London in 2011. Brazil struggled after Scolari returned to the national team, winning only one of its first six matches. But it reaches the final on a five-match winning streak and the passionate support of its fans. "There is no doubt it will be an even match," Brazil right back Daniel Alves said Saturday. "There is mutual respect between these two national teams." Brazil beat Japan, Mexico and Italy in the group stage before edging Uruguay in the semifinals. Spain defeated the Uruguayans in its opener, then routed Tahiti and beat Nigeria before getting past Italy in a penalty shootout in the semifinals. "Its the match everybody has been waiting for," said Brazil assistant coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who led the national team to the 1994 world title. "We all know how good Spain is, but Brazil is going through a sensational moment and is full of confidence." Brazil is also more rested. While the host hasnt played since Wednesday, Spain endured extra time and the shootout in the semifinal against Italy in the heat of Fortaleza on Thursday. Del Bosque has said Spain will not use fatigue as an excuse, and Scolari also downplayed the issue. "They were able to rest all of their starters when they played Tahiti, so basically they had to play one game less than we did," Scolari said. Both coaches will have all of their top players available for the match at the renovated Maracana. Four players who will be in Sundays final were nominated for the Golden Ball award handed to the best players at the Confederations Cup: Brazils Neymar and Paulinho and Spains Andres Iniesta and Sergio Ramos. Authentic NHL Jerseys . Over the course of his career Glenn is 79-71-1 in 151 starts for a .526 career winning percentage. Since becoming a Stampeder, he has elevated his play and raised his stock around the league. NHL Jerseys 2020 .J. -- Fabian Johnson scored his first international goal and Clint Dempsey doubled the lead after a defensive lapse as the United States beat Turkey 2-1 Sunday in the second of three World Cup warm-up matches for the Americans before they head to Brazil. https://www.cheapnhljerseysjustwholesale.com/. He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . Jeff Carter had two goals and an assist as the Kings stretched their streak to seven wins in a row with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. Cheap NHL Jerseys .1 million contract. The club said that Boll will earn $950,000 in 2012-13 and $1.15 million in 2013-14. The 26-year-old Boll had two goals and one assist with 126 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Blue Jackets in 2011-12.In a special Fathers Day edition of the Three Man Weave, Duane Watson and Will Strickland from TSN 1050s "1 On 1 With Will & Duane" bring on Canadian basketball blog boss Ray Bala of the Can Ball Report to collect ties, aftershave, socks and thoughts on the current state of the NBA Finals!Do the Miami Heat have a chance at making history and winning three straight to win the NBA Finals? Bala: I would say no. They have two things going against them. Firstly, the Spurs have been playing some incredible basketball that has been about as textbook as you can imagine. The teamwork and the defence plus some all-world play both by Kawhi Leonard and Boris Diaw, on the road no less, has been unstoppable. Secondly, Game 5 is in San Antonio and since the already rabid Spurs fans will be sniffing the title now, making the environment something akin to the lion food in the Roman Coliseum. And did I mention that history is not with them either? Strickland: Chance? Yes. Multiple chances, as a matter of fact: Slim and none. As great as the narrative could establish itself to be if Miami miraculously came back to make this a competitive and epic Finals, there is nothing exhibited in these first four games that would indicate that the Heat have the valentine or testicular fortitude to climb that mountain now. Watson: None. The Spurs can smell blood and they dismantled the Heat in Games 3 and 4. Coach Gregg Popovich has his team far too disciplined to rest on their laurels on home court. The Spurs will take the Larry OBrien Trophy in five games, as Miami has no sense of urgency and cant find scoring outside of the Big Three or defend anyone and that goes for all 13 members of the Miami roster.What do you look at as the biggest key to the Spurs success in the Finals? Bala: The biggest key to the Spurs success is their depth of experience. Sure Leonard, Green and Diaw have been playing out of their minds and the Big Three of Parker, Duncan and Ginobili had been solid. But its the experience among all of them, as well as others, that have kept the edge on the Heat. The panic button never seems to get pushed when things start to go awry and even after the Game 2 loss at home, they came back to pummel the Heat on their court twice, running their system and playing their game. Key word in the last sentence being THEIR. That kind of poise in a championship final only comes with experience and I think we are being shown that it will beat out youthful athleticism. Strickland: Remembering how to forget. Coach Popovich brought his charges into training camp before the season, slowly and painfully breaking down how the Spurs let one get away last year, then put it away forever. Pops understanding of how to manage his team throughout the regular season, limiting their minutes in preparation for this moment was genius. But his adjustment of inserting the multi-dimensional point forward Boris Diaw into the starting lineup for Game 3 was so masterful that San Antonio may be counting one for the thumb and never see another Game 6 in these playoffs. Watson: When a team is doing everything right, its hard to pick just one thing. They are moving the ball exceptionally well, in addition to shooting at a high field-goal percentage, but their defence is what is giving the Heat fits. Not just contesting shots, activity in passing lanes or stealing the ball, but second-man rotation has been solid by the Spurs and, as their hallmark, its any player on the floor wearing black and silver, not just the starters. Is Kawhi Leonard a similar player if drafted by any other team in the NBA? Bala: I dont think so. Leonard, in his role now with the Spurs, is in the ideal place. He would be asked to do more of one thing or another with any other team, or less, and that could likely lead to a drop-off in something else. Right now, hes the do-everything athletic guy on a Spurs team that, though, has athletes, doesnt have one like him. Teams in the NBA all have a vet guy, or three, like Kawhi and that would compete with him growing as a player. There is no way that he would be the same player anywhere else for what hes shown us in the Finals. Strickland: No. Being able to come into a team aand system that mirrors his character, personality and demeanour to a tee with veteran leaders and a winning culture that wouldnt depend on him to be the face of the franchise right away was ideal for him.dddddddddddd. The Spurs R.C. Buford knew what he was doing and exactly what he was getting when he traded George Hill to the Pacers for Kawhi Leonard.Watson: Of course not. Hes still a talented and gifted player, but he was drafted by a team that didnt need him to come in right away and score or be a lockdown defender. He is coached by the best in the game and has learned and watched from Hall of Fame players and how to conduct himself as a professional. Does the result of the NBA Finals affect the Heats off-season free agency moves? Bala: Either way you cut it, its a yes. With all but two players guaranteed to be on the roster, this should play a huge role now. Assuming that the Three Amigos take their player options, for one of the two years at least, the Heat will need to find the pieces to build around them within a workable budget for necessary complementary talent. If any of them opts for free agency, the team will have to replace that player AND just about everyone else too. That will be a huge problem because the calibre of player and chemistry will be tough to find. Lose or, if you believe in miracles, win, Miami has a long summer ahead of it. Strickland: Absolutely. The roster is aging in dog years, especially with one of their stars whose name rhymes with "Wwyane Dade." The Heat need to address getting younger players who fit their culture and can contribute right away. Pat Riley will also have to look at shoring up problem areas at the point guard (Kyle Lowry?) and down low with solid bigs who can help drag Miami out of the NBAs basement in rebounding, score a bit and be a defensive presence in the paint. Carmelo Anthony is not the answer to the Heats needs right now. Watson: Not really, although the Finals have shown them that they are in worse shape than they previously thought. If Dwyane Wade is going to retire as a Heat player, the team needs more support. This season alone proves they cant coast through and expect to compete in the Finals. Miami has played a lot of games over the last three years and its apparent they are tired and too top-heavy. They can take a note from the Spurs or two regarding balance. Four games deep, who is the Finals MVP? Bala: My pick is Boris Diaw. I cant believe I just said that. I, like Im sure many have before me, have ragged on him at some point in his career, but hes looking like the championship-era Bulls Scottie Pippen right now. Hes been a catalyst on both ends of the floor and its been his ability to not just make plays, but timely ones has been a sparkplug for the Spurs and a dagger for the Heat. I know Leonard had some big performances, as did Parker, but without Diaw the Spurs could be looking at 2-2 or even 3-1. Strickland: Can an entire team and organization be named MVP? No? Okay. Well, I currently have co-MVPs in Boris Diaw and Kawhi Leonard. French Pastrys insertion into the starting lineup shifted the Spurs offence into high gear, especially Kawhi Leonard. Leonards stat lines in Games 3 and 4 are shinier and MVP-calibre, but Diaw as a catalyst facilitating so many good things on the offence cant be overlooked. For a guy who once was the MVP of a foreign hoops league while averaging 7 PPG says a lot about how Boris Diaws impact on this series. Watson: Kawhi Leonard, despite Tim Duncans consistency. Leonard has shot .590 from the field averaging 16.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while defending the best player on the planet in LeBron James. He has also forced to make James and the rest of the Heat work on the defensive end and is poised to be holding the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award. Leonard has taken the next step in his career and no better time than the NBA Finals. The Three-Man Weave contributors are co-hosts of TSN Radio 1050s 1-on-1 with Will and Duane, Will Strickland (@WallStrizzle1) and Duane Watson (@byDuaneWatson) and guest point guard and owner of a quietly hot sneaker collection Ray Bala (@CanBallReport). ' ' '