A new era has begun. With Germany's elimination at the hands of Spain, Sunday's final will be devoid of one factor that has unified all of the tournament's showpiece games. Each of the previous 17 finals - in 1950 the trophy was decided in a three-team round-robin contest won by Uruguay - have featured the tournament's big four: at least one of Germany, Argentina, Brazil and Italy have appeared in every title decider since the World Cup started in 1930.
All but four of the preceding 18 world championships have been shared around the quartet, with Brazil claiming five, Italy four, Germany three and two going to Argentina. But this time a new name will sit among the pantheon of winners.
It is the absence, though, of one of the competition's more successful nations that comes as something of a surprise at a World Cup that was once seen as South America's to lose, but which will now be on its way to Europe. With 90 minutes remaining of South Africa 2010, that is one of the few certainties that exists.
Of the hallowed quartet, all but Italy made it to the business end of the competition. Marcello Lippi's side were little short of woeful despite their status as champions and deserved to have time called on their defence at such an early stage. The elimination of both Brazil and Argentina in the last eight, however, meant the chances of the old guard maintaining their record rested on the shoulders of Joachim Low's young German team.
For a side who have provided much of what has been positive at this year's tournament thanks to their counterattacking fluency, victory over European champions Spain proved beyond them; the heavy weight of history - and the loss through suspension of the inspirational Thomas Muller - turned out to be too much to overcome. The Germans, though, will have their time again and they will no doubt be installed among the favourites for the 2012 edition of the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.
Now the Dutch will go head to head with Spain at the stadium fashioned in the style of a traditional African cooking pot on the edge of Soweto. It promises to be an interesting concoction of a stew. The styles of the two teams are radically different and the individuals who personify the manner in which each side goes about its business play the game in a contrasting way.