- A win or a draw sends U.S. to the next round
- Germany has won 6 of the 9 times it played U.S.
- The U.S. coach was once Germany's national coach
- The game has several intriguing story lines
(CNN) -- This is a game with intriguing story lines: David against Goliath. Master against apprentice. Determination against precision.
This is a game the U.S. can't afford to lose.
This is a game that will be "massive."
"There's no other word to say (it)," said U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
At noon ET Thursday, the United States soccer team takes on the soccer behemoth Germany in the globe's biggest sporting spectacle, the World Cup.
Chances are, that for those 90-some minutes, your office will get little work done.
Need note to get out of work Thurs? @J_Klinsmann has you covered. Show your cool boss. It will def work! #LetsDoThis pic.twitter.com/i2oCZmGAGZ
â€" U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) June 25, 2014Your co-workers will huddle by the TVs in the break room. Your bosses will likely be away at long "lunches."
Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates with forward Josip Drmic, back, after scoring his team's second goal against Honduras in Manaus, Brazil, on Wednesday, June 25. Click through the gallery to see all the goals scored so far in the World Cup, which is being held in 12 cities across Brazil. 
Shaqiri celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Honduras. 
Avdija Vrsajevic of Bosnia-Herzegovina shoots and scores his team's third goal past goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi of Iran during a match in Salvador, Brazil, on June 25. Bosnia-Herzegovina won 3-1. 
Iran forward Reza Ghoochannejhad, right, kicks to score his team's first goal past Bosnia-Herzegovina goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Toni Sunjic runs during the match. 
Bosnia-Herzegovina forward Edin Dzeko, front right, celebrates with teammates after Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder Miralem Pjanic (not seen) scored his team's second goal. Haghighi, picks up the ball 
Argentina defender Marcos Rojo celebrates his team's third goal against Nigeria in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on June 25. Argentina won 3-2. 
Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Argentina. 
Argentina forward Lionel Messi scores his team's second goal against Nigeria. 
Bosnia-Herzegovina forward Edin Dzeko, left, celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Iran. 
Musa, right, celebrates his goal with Nigeria defender Joseph Yobo during a match against Argentina. 
Messi, left, celebrates with his teammate Angel Di Maria, after scoring his team's first goal against Nigeria. 
Giorgos Samaras of Greece celebrates scoring his team's second goal on a penalty kick against the Ivory Coast on Tuesday, June 24, in Fortaleza, Brazil. Greece won 2-1. 
James Rodriguez of Colombia shoots and scores his team's fourth goal against Japan on June 24 in Cuiaba, Brazil. Colombia won 4-1. 
Jackson Martinez of Colombia, right, celebrates with his teammate Rodriguez after scoring his team's third goal against Japan. 
Ivory Coast's Wilfried Bony, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Greece. 
Jackson Martinez of Colombia shoots and scores his team's second goal against Japan. 
Colombia's goalkeeper David Ospina lies on the ground after Japan's Shinji Okazaki (not pictured) scored his team's first goal. 
Andreas Samaris of Greece scores against the Ivory Coast. 
Colombia's Juan Guillermo Cuadrado scores a penalty during the match against Japan. 
Uruguay's Diego Godin, second right, scores against Italy on June 24 in Natal, Brazil. Uruguay won 1-0. 
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico fails to stop Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic from scoring on Monday, June 23, in Recife, Brazil. Mexico won 3-1. 
Fernandinho of Brazil, right, celebrates with his teammate Ramires after scoring his team's fourth and final goal against Cameroon on June 23 in Brasilia. Brazil won 4-1. 
Mexico's Javier Hernandez celebrates after scoring his team's third goal against Croatia. 
Andres Guardado of Mexico, center, celebrates after scoring the second goal against Croatia. 
Mexico's Rafael Marquez, center, heads the ball to score his team's first goal against Croatia. 
Fred of Brazil scores his team's third goal on a header past Charles Itandje of Cameroon. 
Brazil forward Neymar, left, celebrates with his teammate Dani Alves after scoring Brazil's second goal against Cameroon. 
Cameroon midfielder Joel Matip, right, celebrates with Allan Nyom and Vincent Aboubakar after scoring a goal against Brazil. 
Brazil forward Neymar, right, scores Brazil's first goal past Cameroon goalkeeper Charles Itandje. 
Memphis Depay of the Netherlands scores his team's second goal past Chile's goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in Sao Paulo on June 23. Netherlands won 2-0. 
Juan Mata scores the third goal for Spain past Mathew Ryan of Australia at Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil, on June 23. Spain defeated Australia 3-0, but neither team will advance to the next round. 
Netherlands midfielder Leroy Fer celebrates scoring the team's first goal against Chile. 
Spain's Fernando Torres scores his team's second goal past Australian Mathew Ryan. 
David Villa of Spain scores his team's first goal past Mathew Ryan of Australia. 
Portugal forward Silvestre Varela gets up after scoring his team's dramatic second goal in the last moments against the United States at Arena Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, on Sunday, June 22. The final result was a 2-2 draw. 
Clint Dempsey, left, of the United States celebrates scoring his team's second and go-ahead goal against Portugal. 
Jermaine Jones of the United States celebrates scoring his team's first goal in the second half against Portugal. 
Portugal's Nani, center, celebrates scoring a goal against the United States. He scored on a cross about 6 yards out from the goal. 
South Korean forward Koo Ja-cheol scores his team's second goal against Algeria at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on June 22. Algeria won 4-2. 
Yacine Brahimi, second left, scores Algeria's fourth goal against South Korea. 
Son Heung-min of South Korea scores his team's first goal past Madjid Bougherra of Algeria. 
Algerian forward Abdelmoumene Djabou celebrates scoring his team's third goal against South Korea. 
Algeria's Rafik Halliche scores the second goal against South Korea on a header. 
Islam Slimani of Algeria scores the first goal against South Korea. 
Belgium's forward Divock Origi, center, celebrates after scoring against Russia in Rio de Janeiro on June 22. Belgium won 1-0. 
Nigeria forward Peter Odemwingie, right, shoots past Bosnia-Herzegovina goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, left, on Saturday, June 21, in Cuiaba, Brazil. Nigeria won 1-0. 
Germany substitute Miroslav Klose does a flip to celebrate after equaling the World Cup record of 15 goals overall, giving his team a 2-2 draw with Ghana on June 21 in Fortaleza, Brazil. 
Asamoah Gyan of Ghana puts his team 2-1 head against Germany. 
Andre Ayew scores Ghana's equalizer with a header past Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. 
Germany midfielder Mario Gotze, right, scores the team's first goal against Ghana. 
Argentina forward and captain Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the only goal in Argentina's World Cup victory over Iran on June 21 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. 
Enner Valencia of Ecuador scores his team's second goal on a header against Jerry Bengtson and Juan Carlos Garcia of Honduras on Friday, June 20, in Curitiba, Brazil. The goal brought the score to 2-1, Ecuador. 
Carlo Costly of Honduras celebrates scoring his team's first goal, tying the score 1-1. 
Enner Valencia of Ecuador scores the first goal of the game past Noel Valladares of Honduras. 
Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka scores on a volley in the second half against France on June 20. But France were well ahead by that point, winning 5-2 in Salvador, Brazil. 
French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris can't get to a free kick from Switzerland's Blerim Dzemaili in the second half. France led 5-0 to that point. 
French midfielder Moussa Sissoko celebrates scoring his team's fifth goal. 
Karim Benzema slips the ball past Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio for France's fourth goal. It was Benzema's third goal of the tournament. 
France's Mathieu Valbuena runs past Benaglio after giving his team a 3-0 lead in the first half. 
Blaise Matuidi celebrates his first-half goal, which gave France a 2-0 lead. 
Benaglio kneels near the net after French forward Olivier Giroud, far right, headed in a goal to open the scoring. 
Costa Rican forward Bryan Ruiz heads the ball past Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon during the first half of a World Cup match Friday, June 20, in Recife, Brazil. Costa Rica held on to win 1-0 and clinch a spot in the next round of the tournament. 
Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez drills a shot to score a late second-half goal and defeat England 2-1 in a World Cup match Thursday, June 19, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Suarez had both of Uruguay's goals. 
England forward Wayne Rooney taps the ball past Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to tie the match at 1-1. It was Rooney's first World Cup goal in his career. 
Suarez celebrates after steering a header past English goalkeeper Joe Hart in the first half. 
Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina fails to stop a second-half shot by Ivory Coast forward Gervinho during a World Cup match Thursday, June 19, in Brasilia, Brazil. Colombia won the match 2-1. 
Colombian forward Juan Fernando Quintero celebrates after his goal gave his team a 2-0 lead. 
Colombia players dance after the first goal of the game, which was scored by James Rodriguez (No. 10) on a header. 
Mario Mandzukic of Croatia scores his second goal past Charles Itandje of Cameroon during a World Cup match Wednesday, June 18, in Manaus, Brazil. Croatia won 4-0, eliminating Cameroon from World Cup contention. 
Mandzukic, center, celebrates scoring Croatia's third goal with his teammates Dejan Lovren, left, and Vedran Corluka. 
Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic shoots past Itandje. 
Croatian forward Ivica Olic, center, celebrates after scoring against the team's opening goal against Cameroon. 
Chilean players celebrate together after midfielder Charles Aranguiz gave them a 2-0 lead against Spain. Chile won the match by that score, eliminating the defending world champions from the soccer tournament. 
Eduardo Vargas, right, scores Chile's first goal, firing past Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas. 
Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan can't reach a shot by Memphis Depay on June 18. Depay's second-half goal gave the Netherlands a 3-2 victory in Porto Alegre, Brazil. 
Robin Van Persie of the Netherlands ties the game at 2-2 with a close-range shot in the second half. It was Van Persie's third goal of the tournament. 
A penalty kick from Australian captain Mile Jedinak gives the "Socceroos" a 2-1 lead over the Netherlands. The penalty was awarded after a handball was called against Dutch defender Daryl Janmaat. 
Australian forward Tim Cahill celebrates after scoring a goal against the Netherlands. His impressive volley tied the match at 1-1. 
Arjen Robben of the Netherlands opens the scoring. It was his third goal of the tournament. 
Russian forward Alexander Kerzhakov, second from right, scores the final goal of a 1-1 draw against South Korea on Tuesday, June 17, in Cuiaba, Brazil. 
Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev fails to stop South Korea from scoring the first goal of the game late in the second half. 
Belgium's Dries Mertens shoots what would turn out to be the winning goal during a World Cup match against Algeria on June 17 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Belgium won the match 2-1 after trailing 1-0 at halftime. 
Marouane Fellaini of Belgium, far right, tied the game with a powerful header in the second half. 
Sofiane Feghouli scores on a penalty kick to give Algeria a 1-0 lead. 
American defender John Brooks, bottom left, celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Ghana during a World Cup match Monday, June 16, in Natal, Brazil. The United States won 2-1 thanks to Brooks' header in the 86th minute. 
Andre Ayew of Ghana celebrates after scoring a second-half goal to tie the United States. 
Clint Dempsey of the United States reacts after scoring in the first minute of the Ghana match. 
Germany's Thomas Mueller scores his third goal of the game -- and the fourth for his team -- en route to a 4-0 pasting of Portugal on June 16. 
Mueller's second goal put Germany up 3-0 right before halftime in Salvador, Brazil. 
Mats Hummels, right, celebrates after heading in a corner kick to put Germany up 2-0. 
Mueller opens the scoring on a penalty kick, slotting the ball past Rui Patricio of Portugal. The penalty was awarded after Mario Goetze was brought down in the box. 
Substitute Vedad Ibisevic shoots past Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero to score Bosnia-Herzegovina's historic first World Cup goal Sunday, June 15, at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. But Argentina won the match 2-1. 
Argentina's captain, Lionel Messi, celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina. 
Argentina's Marcos Rojo celebrates after Sead Kolasinac of Bosnia-Herzegovina scored an own goal in the early minutes of the game. 
Karim Benzema, left, celebrates with teammate Blaise Matuidi after scoring France's third goal against Honduras on June 15. It was his second goal of the match, which France won 3-0 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. 
Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares, right, scores an unfortunate own goal after a shot by Benzema rebounded off the post. It was confirmed by FIFA's new goal-line technology. 
Benzema celebrates with Patrice Evra after scoring France's first goal against Honduras. 
Substitute Haris Seferovic scores Switzerland's winning goal against Ecuador, beating goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez in the third minute of extra time to secure a 2-1 victory in the Group E opener June 15 in Brasilia, Brazil. 
Switzerland's halftime replacement, Admir Mehmedi, scores the equalizer against Ecuador. 
Enner Valencia's header puts Ecuador in front against Switzerland. 
Gervinho, left, celebrates with Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast after scoring the team's second goal in their World Cup match against Japan on Saturday, June 14. Ivory Coast trailed 1-0 at halftime but came back to win 2-1 in Recife, Brazil. 
Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima tries in vain to stop a Wilfried Bony header from going in for Ivory Coast's first goal. 
Keisuke Honda, second from right, celebrates scoring Japan's first goal with teammates Yuto Nagatomo, Yuya Osako and Hotaru Yamaguchi. 
Italy striker Mario Balotelli, left, heads the winning goal against England on June 14. Italy defeated England 2-1 in Manaus, Brazil. 
England forward Daniel Sturridge celebrates after scoring a first-half equalizer against Italy. 
England goalkeeper Joe Hart dives as Claudio Marchisio's long-range shot gives Italy the lead. 
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, left, looks on as Costa Rica's players celebrate their team's late winner, scored by substitute Marco Urena, on June 14 in Fortaleza, Brazil. Costa Rica won 3-1. 
Oscar Duarte celebrates after scoring Costa Rica's second goal against Uruguay. 
Forward Joel Campbell scores Costa Rica's equalizer against Uruguay. 
Edinson Cavani puts Uruguay ahead with a first-half penalty kick. 
Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez celebrates after scoring his team's third and final goal during a match against Greece on June 14 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Colombia won 3-0. 
Colombia forward Teofilo Gutierrez scores the second goal. 
Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis fails to keep out a deflected shot by Colombia's Pablo Armero in the fifth minute of the match. 
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