German captain Philipp Lahm lifts the World Cup trophy after defeating Argentina in the final at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On the right is German head coach Joachim Loew. (EPA)
Germany’s impressive strength in depth proved the decisive factor in their 1-0 extra-time World Cup final victory over Argentina on Sunday as Lionel Messi failed to deliver the golden touch for the South Americans.
It was a substitute, Mario Goetze, who struck the decisive blow for Germany after coming on for Miroslav Klose while in contrast, with Messi below his best, Argentina’s other strikers failed to compensate.
International football has become a 14-man game, never more so than when extra time makes it a two-hour contest, and it was Germany’s bench that provided the extra firepower to turn the match in their favour.
Argentina came into this tournament widely described as a team with an abundance of attacking talent but a questionable defence - but throughout the month in Brazil and, in particular, in the final, they proved to be the exact opposite.
The Argentine back four was again tight and disciplined throughout - they did not conceded a goal inside 90 minutes in the entire knockout phase of the tournament - but an attack which managed eight goals in seven games lacked the killer touch.
Half of those eight goals came from Messi but the four-times world player of the year failed to score in the knockout stages.
Germany, though, lived up to their billing as a team with quality options throughout their 23-man squad and when the players on the bench were called on by Joachim Loew in the final, they made the difference.
Loew’s problems on Sunday began before a ball had been kicked as key midfielder Sami Khedira suffered a calf injury during the warm-up and was forced to pull out of the game.
If there is one player in the German midfield who is difficult to replace it is the Real Madrid man who gives defensive support to Bastian Schweinsteiger while providing the intelligent calmness to compliment the energy of those around him.
Loew asked Christoph Kramer, a more typically defensive midfielder, to step in, and surprisingly the 23-year-old found himself making several bursts forward in the early stages.
Even with the inexperienced Borussia Moenchengladbach player, who only made his international debut in May, in an unfamiliar role, the midfield set-up looked to be operating well until another setback for Loew when Kramer was forced off with concussion in the 31st minute.
Lesser teams might have been thrown off course by such bad luck but with winger Andre Schuerrle on for Kramer and Mesut Ozil slotting into a deeper role, Germany adapted well.
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella made a surprise switch at the break, taking off the lively Ezequiel Lavezzi for Sergio Aguero in a bid to give more attacking support to Messi, who looked short of energy and lacking inspiration.
But Aguero, who has battled fitness problems of his own during the tournament, looked off the pace and lacking the sharp movement and close touches that he can show at his best.
Gonzalo Higuain, who had missed a great opportunity to open the scoring in the first half, made way for Rodrigo Palacio in the 78th but the Inter Milan forward only managed to further frustrate Messi as several promising attacks broke down. Palacio also failed to make the most of a promising chance in extra-time.
Although Enzo Perez performed decently, Argentina sorely missed the impact of Angel Di Maria, who sat out the final two games of the tournament with a thigh injury and Sabella had no replacement capable of providing an attacking threat on the flanks.
Sabella might now wonder whether it would have been worth including Carlos Tevez in his squad, despite his questionable influence on the dressing-room.
Super Mario delighted to be Germany’s World Cup winner
Germany’s Mario Goetze said scoring the winning goal in Sunday’s World Cup final win was the crowning glory on a difficult first season following his high-profile move to Bayern Munich.
The 22-year-old’s superb chest and volley sealed Germany’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said the Bayern forward.
“I don’t know how to describe it. You just score that goal and you don’t really know what’s happening after that.
“It’ll be a party with the whole team and the country. It’s a dream come true to win the World Cup, especially in Brazil.”
Goetze came on for veteran striker Miroslav Klose just before the start of extra-time and his 11th goal for Germany will go down in the history books as he made only his 35th appearance for ‘Die Mannschaft’.
He also picked up the man-of-the-match award as Germany became the first European side to win a World Cup in the Americas at the eighth attempt.
Goetze joins ‘Der Bomber’ Gerd Mueller, who netted the winning goal for West Germany in the 1974 World Cup final in Munich, as a Bayern player who made their country world champions.
But Goetze arrived in Brazil after a difficult first season with the Bavarian giants having failed to winning a regular starting place in Pep Guardiola’s star-studded side.
Having won two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund, the club he joined as an eight-year-old, Goetze became public-enemy number one with Borussia fans in April 2013 when he actioned a 37 million euro clause ($50.3 million) in his contract to sign for Bayern.
