Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in overtime Sunday afternoon in Rio de Janeiro, giving them their first World Cup title in 24 years.
The game proceeded slowly, ending regulation time with no goals from either team. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t plenty of action: Four yellow cards were issued and plenty of injuries sustained, the most dramatic being a bloody eye for Bastian Schweinsteiger, which he received after a mid-air collision with Sergio Aguero.
In the 113th minute, Germany scored the game’s first and only goal. André Schürrle sprinted down left field, evading two defenders and crossing the ball to 22-year-old midfielder Mario Götze, who volleyed the ball past Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
The win gives Germany its fourth ever World Cup championship and its first as a unified nation, the first three being won by West Germany. It also marks the first time in eight World Cups that a European team has won in the western hemisphere. Argentina was robbed of what could have been its third championship.
And further, four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi lost the chance at what could have been a crowning achievement to an illustrious career. The 27-year-old captain was likely disappointed that he did not win a championship to escape the shadow of Argentinian’s famed Diego Maradona, often regarded as the best soccer player of all time, who personally named Messi his successor.
This marks the end of Brazil’s 2014 World Cup, and we can all look forward to the 2018 games, which will be held in the snowy Russian tundra.
Here’s the scene at Cava 22 as the game wrapped up:
No, Joe, the 2018 games will not be held in the “snowy Russian tundra”.
“Tundra” refers only to the very far and treeless north of Russian and Siberia, a long distance from the major population centers where the games will be played. And it will be July, so no snow.
If I described all of South America as a “sweltering pampas”, that would be about as accurate.
Great victory by the Germans though. Along with Holland’s mauling of Brazil in the third-place final, it appears the mantle of soccer supremacy has passed to Europe.
I would be careful about statements about Siberia, even pertaining to summer
http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/07/14/hail-storm-siberia-beach/12623029/
And the mantle has been passed? Have you been following where all the South American stars play club football?
I am in Russia right this second, and it’s 80 degrees in Moscow right now.
Most of Russia has warm summers. Obviously there is more unpredictable weather in Siberia and the far north but then we have hurricanes and tornadoes in summer here.
But the idea that the 2018 world cup will be played in quasi-Arctic conditions is simply untrue and reflects a primitive and stereotypical view of Russia.
For practical purposes the climatic conditions in the populated parts of Russia in the summer are not too different from much of Europe.
Worry more about the weather extremes of Qatar in 2022.
The Germans did very well
Thanks Mike 🙂 We here in Germany are a little proud!
Greetings frrom over the Ocean, Lisa
No sabia que habia tanto aleman en la. Mission