After a month of group and knock out matches the final finally arrived with Germany and Argentina looking to stake their claim as the best teams in the world.
Would it be the German projects that started back in the early 2000s finally bearing fruit or would it be the Lionel Messi show, with the Argentine player looking to finally move out of Maradona’s shadow as well as stake his claim as the best player to ever play the beautiful game.
Germany were hoping to be the first European side to win the world cup in South American soil while Argentina hope to keep the trophy in the continent.
The Germans suffered an early setback with Khedira forced to drop out of the starting eleven due to a calf strain. This meant a first start for German midfielder Kramer.
The Argentines were first off the block after Kroos’s free kick hit the wall prompting an Argentine counter attack but Lavezzi could only drag his effort wide off the goal.
Germany looked to settle into the game the Argentine defenders were on hand to deny Klose make the best of Lahm’s cross in the 13th minute. They were forced into a change as Kramer got a hit to the head that meant his first start in a world cup match came to a premature end.
Argentina had the chance to deal the decisive blow by getting the first goal but Napoli’s Higuan wasted the glorious opportunity to make himself a hero by wasting the chance.
A few minutes later the Argentine striker thought he had made amends but his goal was correctly ruled off for offside.
Romero was on hand to deny Kramer’s replacement, Andre Schulrre, before Boateng made a clearance on the other end to deny Messi.
The half came to a close with Howedes crashing Kroos’s corner onto the post.
The second half started like the first with Argentina on the front foot and Messi almost made the headlines two minutes into the half but he wasted the Bilgia’s perfectly weighted through ball.
The Germans seemed to be struggling without a holding midfielder following Khedira’s injury and the Argentine attack was making it had for the German high line.
The game was increasingly tense as full time approached with neither team finding the back of the net.
Andre Schulrre provided an exciting start to extra time but Romero was up to task to keep his team in the game.
The Argentines were not far behind and continued to look sharp on the counter but for some inefficiency in front of goal from their star strikers.
Palacio almost stole the headlines in the 97th minute after finding his way unnoticed past the German defense only for the Argentine to waste his effort over Neuer.
The wasted opportunities came back to haunt the Argentines as substitute Gotze finally broke the deadlock midway through the second half of extra time. The Bayern Munich playmaker, on a substitute to Klose, chested Schulrre’s cross and volleyed the ball into the back of the net to send the German camp into a frenzy.
The Germans held on to the win to seal off a wonderful campaign and become the world champion 2014.