Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup held in the Americas with a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the tournament final.
Germany’s captured its fourth World Cup title and its first World Cup since 1990, when West Germany beat…you guessed it…Argentina by a score of 1-0.
It was tight and tense game throughout and scoreless through regulation time, making it the third-consecutive World Cup Final to go to extra time. It was then that the lone in the game was scored by Mario Götze on a perfect cross from André Schürrle on the wing.
Fittingly, Götze and Schürrle, at 22 and 23 respectively, are the only two German players who were born after the reunification of Germany following the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Argentina had its fair share of chances, but couldn’t convert, especially against German goalie Manuel Neuer, whose tournament performance was honored after the match.
Argentina’s star Lionel Messi had a few shots go wide, including a final free kick at the end of extra time, which sailed over the bar. Nevertheless, he was also honored after the game for his World Cup performance.
He did not seem too thrilled about it.
There’s always 2018.
