Germany are world champions

                   

Germany dashed Argentina’s hopes of winning the World Cup for a third time after they beat the South Americans 1-0 in the final of Brazil 2014 at the iconic Maracana Stadium on Sunday.

Both countries had earlier met in the World Cup final — Mexico 1986, Italia ’90 — with the Diego Maradona-led Argentina beating the Germans 3-2 in Mexico while Germany won in 1-0 in Italy — with M

aradona on the losing side.

An extra time goal scored by Mario Goetze was all the Germans needed to win their fourth World Cup title at the expense of Argentina.

Argentina had beaten the Germans in the 1986 final in Mexico but since then Germany had dominated the encounters between the two sides.

Messi missed an early second-half chance, breaking free on the left side and shooting toward the far post. The ball rolled wide of the Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and his net. Messi again shot wide in the 75th.

The statistics might suggest Argentina, who failed to muster a single shot on target all game, never deserved to win the biggest prize in world football. This is perhaps true but they did have their chances—Gonzalo Higuain, Rodrigo Palacio and, yes, Lionel Messi all failing to force Manuel Neuer into a save with glorious opportunities that more than the equaled anything Germany created.

Goetze did not disappoint as he made important contributions immediately he came in. His energetic display paid off in the 113th minute when he brilliantly controlled Schurrle’s cross with his chest and then hit it past Sergio Romero to get the only goal of the game.
Messi had the opportunity to send the encounter into penalties in the dying minutes but his free-kick went wide.