Germany champ fourth World Cup

Tue Jul 15, 2014

Substitute Mario Goetze won Germany their fourth World Cup with a late goal in extra-time to down Argentina 1-0 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last Sunday.{{more}}

Goetze, who had been a late substitute in this game himself, took a ball over his shoulder from Andre Schurrle and volleyed it home in the 113th minute to beat keeper Sergio Romero.

It was also the first time that the winning goal in the final of a world cup has been netted by a substitute.

With the win, Germany became the first European team to win a South American World Cup, ending a hex that had stood for 84 years.

It was also the third time that the Germans had ended Argentina’s World Cup hopes – and possibly the cruelest. But just as the best two teams at this Cup ended up in the final, the best team won it.

As German players posed with, kissed and hoisted one of the most coveted trophies in all of sports, it’s a fair assumption that many of the players had no idea their time with the historic 18-karat gem was running short.

After the celebration ends and the Germans board their plane, the trophy they worked so hard to achieve will be locked away and a gold-plated replica would be headed back to German soil.