How fitting that a fourth star to adorn Germany’s shirt, a star that was more than a decade in the making, should be etched by a moment of such classic refinement. Götze’s matchwinner had the drama of a golden goal – and it was greeted in such a fashion as the entire German bench pelted on to the pitch to celebrate around the centre circle, as if they were sure it was game over. But it also had the sheen of quality that Germany have been honing in their players for years. Fatigue had naturally crept in when Andre Schürrle’s burst down the flank sparked a tired team to life. Götze’s blend of sharpness and pure technique was stunning. In the motion of cushioning the ball he was already positioning his body to propel a wonderful volley past Sergio Romero. Götze had not enjoyed the most prolific tournament but the 22-year-old seized his moment with a goal to dazzle for his entire generation.
2 Victory was the moment of truth for Joachim Löw
Two elements of Löw’s reputation as a renaissance man and a nearly man collided here in Rio. His standing absolutely hinged on whether he could deliver. Handed charge of this generation of beautifully trained, sophisticated footballers, he took up position in the dugout of the Maracanã knowing anything less than the chance to cradle the trophy would be a failure, after reaching four consecutive semi-finals in major tournaments since taking over from Jürgen Klinsmann. This turned out to be quite a test of his mettle after such a rampant statement of intent in the semi-final against Brazil. He was severely tested as a number of small spanners hit the German works. Untimely injuries called for adjustments and Argentina unpicked the defence far too often for comfort. All the tension dissolved as the final whistle blew on a victory for modern German football. For a man who had previously had only the Austrian Football Bundesliga title with Tirol Innsbruck and the German DFB-Pokal cup with Stuttgart to trumpet, how sweet it must have been to add the World Cup to his curriculum vitae.
3 Argentina went for the bold approach but were off target
Alejandro Sabella’s men approached the game with more bravery going forward than was the template for a restrictive, cautious, long-game plan in the semi-final against Holland. They bore down on Manuel Neuer’s goal with real intent on several occasions. But the brutal and painful statistic that speaks volumes is the fact that they did not manage a shot on target. The last time that happened to them in a World Cup match was the 1990 final defeat by Germany, as it happens. Gonzalo Higuaín’s effort in the first half, when he was presented with an unexpected gift from Toni Kroos’s ill conceived back pass, was tossed away wastefully. Lionel Messi, who looked too exhausted and shorn of energy to be decisive, made the Maracanã hold its breath just after half-time, only to steer wide. Ezequiel Lavezzi, who had played with such brio, was taken off at half-time and Sergio Agüero struggled for the space to pounce. The more Argentina’s bold attackers missed their target, the more vulnerable they were to a killer moment at the other end. In the end they trailed for only seven minutes of this whole World Cup.
4 Midfield rejigs were a sore test for Germany’s resources
Their preparation could scarcely have been more perfect in the build-up to this final ... until an injury in the warm-ups to their midfield cornerstone, Sami Khedira, called for a sudden replacement. It was a remarkable moment for Christoph Kramer. Not many players get to make a first competitive start for their country at a World Cup final. He did not last until half-time, though, having suffered concussion, which required yet another midfield reshuffle. It was awkward, with Shürrle coming on to play more offensively and Kroos not so comfortably drifting back. Bastian Schweinsteiger was inspiring in holding the heartland together. Germany’s persistence, and their belief in their fundamental qualities, saw them through.
5 For Messi the debate about his greatness will continue
For some there is no debate. The wondrous attacker who has provided so many highlights and broken so many records is beyond such polemics. For others he needed to emulate Diego Maradona and drag his team to a World Cup triumph to finalise his position in the game’s pantheon. His desolate expression as he was awarded the Golden Ball for best player of the tournament gave an eloquent view on what was on his mind. No personal gain was even relevant in the aftermath of coming so close. Messi had his moments in this World Cup, most notably in the group stage, in which he propelled Argentina onwards. But in the toughest knockout matches he was nullified. He could not do it alone
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