Bastian Schweinsteiger bagged a stunning brace as Germany secured a third-placed World Cup finish with a 3-1 win over Portugal in Stuttgart.

The hosts started brightly and should have been awarded a penalty in the fourth minute when Nuno Valente handled Sebastian Kehl's goalbound shot.

At the other end Pauleta should have done better in the 15th minute when he was played in on goal by Simao, but Portugal's all-time leading scorer was denied by the sprawling Oliver Kahn.

Portugal keeper Ricardo, so impressive in the quarter-final win over England, did well to keep out long-range strikes from Kehl and Lukas Podolski as the Germans continued to look the more likely to score going into the half-time break.

But Luiz Felipe Scolari's men came out strongly at the start of the second period, with Simao curling a 20-yard free-kick over the bar and Pauleta wasting a good opportunity after being played in by Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, against the run of play, Jurgen Klinsmann's men took the lead in the 56th minute when Schweinsteiger cut in from the left and let fly with a 25-yard stunner which swerved beyond the despairing dive of Ricardo.

And five minutes later it was 2-0 when Schweinsteiger's free-kick from the left was deflected past his own keeper by the shin of Petit.

Portugal looked to hit straight back but Kahn did superbly to push Deco's fierce drive around the post.

And it was well and truly game over with 12 minutes to go when Schweinsteiger repeated his earlier antics when he rattled in another cracker from distance.

The retiring Luis Figo left his mark on international football with three minutes to go when his magnificent cross from the right was headed home from close range by Nuno Gomes - but it was Germany's night.