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 Maradona 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.
The victory ensured Barcelona’s superstar Lionel Messi will wait for another four years to join football greats who have won the World Cup.
Sunday’s encounter made it the third time in a row the World Cup final went into extra time.
Spain won in extra time at South Africa 2010, and Italy won via penalty shootout after extra time at Germany 2006.
It was the eighth game to go into extra time at Brazil 2014 and it was the first time ever Argentina would concede a goal in the extra time at the World Cup.
Argentina had beaten the Germans in the 1986 final in Mexico but since then Germany had dominated the encounters between the two sides.
A Tony Kroos blunder in the 20th minute almost gifted the Argentines their first goal when Gonzalo Higuain intercepted a back pass header, but fired wide.
Higuain’s goal in the 31st minute was disallowed when the linesman ruled his move to be offside.
Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero pulled a save in the 37th minute and two minutes later Messi made a fine run into the German goal area but the Europeans’ defence muscled him out of play.
The finest chance of the half fell to Germany but Benedikt Howedes header only made it as far as the upright.
The second half resumed with more drama as both side scuttled many chances that could have put anyone of them ahead.
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.
Germany had a chance in the 71st, with the ball bouncing between players in front of goal, but Andre Schuerrle could not get control.
Joachim Leow must have sensed the game would head into extra time when he introduced Mario Goetze to replace Miroslav Klose in the 88th minute.
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.
