After deep initial scepticism, Dutch coach Louis van Gaal goes into Saturday's third place play-off determined to down hosts Brazil and end the World Cup on a high note.

His last match before taking over at Manchester United sees van Gaal's Netherlands, beaten on penalties by Argentina in the semi-final, facing a Brazil side dismantled on Tuesday by Germany in a 7-1 rout.

After Wednesday's game in Sao Paulo van Gaal lashed out at the necessity of a play-off.

"I think this match should never be played," van Gaal told reporters. "I've been saying this for 10 years. But we'll just have to play this match.

"It's unfair also because we have one less day to recover, so that's not fair play. But the worst thing is that chances are you lose twice in a row."

Forty-eight hours later and the 62-year-old was singing from a very different hymn sheet.

"We are going to do everything to finish third," he told the pre-match press conference in Brasilia.

"We want to leave the World Cup unbeaten, something a Dutch side has never achieved."