Football: Germany Makes History, Winning World Cup 2014

-By Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal

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As grand finale of World Cup 2014 at Rio, Brazil, Bayern Munich star Mario Goetze's superb extra-time volley sealed a fourth World Cup for Germany with a 1-0 win over Argentina in a thrilling final on Sunday the 13rd July. Germay has become the first European team to triumph on South American soil.  Only Brazil, with five World Cups, have won the trophy more times.

The 22-year-old Goetze took the ball down on his chest brilliantly from Schuerrle's cross and sweetly fired home the 171st goal of the tournament to equal the record set in France in 1998.  Goetze struck in the 113th minute to finally break Argentina's resistance as Lionel Messi's dream of emulating Diego Maradona ended in defeat.  A thunderous final meeting between Germany and bitter rivals Argentina was settled by a stunning goal from substitute Goetze befitting of such an outstanding tournament.  With only seven minutes remaining, and the game seemingly headed for penalties, Andre Schuerrle escaped down the left and sent in a spinning cross that 22-year-old Goetze controlled on his chest before slamming the ball past keeper Sergio Romero.

As their general strategy for the final, Germany deliberately denied chances to Messi, perhaps making him unhappiest man on earth now. Germany continued to probe for openings, and the pace of Argentina on the counter-attack continued to unsettle Germany however.

The magical Goetze strike meant Germany broke the South American stranglehold on World Cups held in the Americas, and Goetze became the first substitute to score the winner in the final. "All of Germany is world champion now," the winners' immense goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said after the Germans added the title to West Germany's triumphs of 1954, 1974 and 1990. The result also left Argentina forward Lionel Messi without the title he so craved to crown his glittering career.

It will be a richly deserved smile on Manuel Neuer’s face.

As badly as all of Argentina hankered for a triumph in Brazil, Germany were worth their win over a subdued Messi and his team mates who counter-attacked dangerously but lacked the killer touch in front of goal, failing to get a shot on target. Messi, attempting to emulate the great Diego Maradona by leading Argentina to a World Cup triumph, had a poor final which was summed up with almost the last kick of the game when he had a chance to equalise with a free kick 30 metres out.

Indeed it was a thrilling  final. Both teams went looking to create chances in an open, attacking match that proved a real contrast in styles. Germany passed and moved the ball around far more than Argentina who relied on counter attacks but with scant reward.

With best defenses at the net, Germany dominated possession and came close to making their superiority pay off.  A pivotal moment came in the 88th minute when Miroslav Klose, Germany's 36-year-old striker who set the all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals in the demolition of Brazil, went off to be replaced by the baby-faced Goetze.

Penalties looked to be the likeliest outcome, but Goetze had other ideas. Germany controlled possession without really testing Romero, while Argentina were unable to pass a German defence superbly marshalled by Mats Hummels and Boateng.

Argentina could have broken the deadlock in the first period of extra time when exhausted defender Mats Hummels allowed substitute Rodrigo Palacio a chance to score but Neuer came out fast and the forward lobbed his effort wide. The decisive moment was not far away, however, and it gave the World Cup a fitting finale.  “It's unbelievable what we have achieved. Whether we have the best individual player doesn't matter at all, you just need to have the best team,” said delighted Germany captain Philipp Lahm.  “We improved throughout the tournament and didn't get down when things didn't always go our way, we just stuck to our path and at the end we're standing here as world champions. It's an unbelievable feeling. “The team stayed calm and patient, we knew that we had something left at the end.”

Although the scoreline was the same as West Germany's 1-0 win over Argentina in 1990, it never reflected that dour game in Rome and had far more in common with their exciting final in 1986 which a Maradona-inspired Argentina won 3-2 in Mexico City.

Germany has now won four World Cups, putting the European powerhouses just one behind Brazil's record tally of five and it is eager to equalize and overtake Brazil at the earliest, if possible.