[VIDEO] 2014 FIFA World Cup final: Germany vs Argentina highlights, scores

MATCH RESULT:

Germany has secured their fourth World Cup defeating Argentina 1-0 with a late winner in the second period of extra time of the World Cup final, fulfilling the promise of 2010.

The pain of defeat is cruel on Argentina, and the tears are evident. It has happened on Brazilian enemy territory, and that makes it even more painful.

Mario Goetze has won himself a place in World Cup folklore and Germany, are now the first team to win a World Cup on North, Central and South American soil.

FINAL SCORE:
GERMANY 1
ARGENTINA 0

MATCH PREVIEW:

It’s been a tournament of contrasts for Germany and Argentina, but all roads lead to Rio, as the two heavyweights clash in the showpiece final. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 4.30am AEST.

Germany were assassins to the dreams and fantasies of all Brazilians, following their 7-1 thrashing of the home nation five days ago. Yet the prospect of an Argentine victory at the Maracana will mean the hometown support is firmly on the side of Die Mannschaft, who have showcased the best football at these finals.

While their 4-0 demolition over a 10-man Portugal was a positive start, Germany had to endure a testing draw against Ghana and a tight win over the United States in this World Cup’s Group of Death. Since then, only Algeria have posed any threat to the Germans’ march to Rio. The Desert Foxes kept Joachim Loew’s team goalless to take their Round of 16 clash to extra time, and their quarter-final win over France was more comfortable than the 1-0 scoreline suggested. And then came Mineiraozo.

Beating the home nation 7-1 in a World Cup semi-final was never part of the Germans’ script. The expression worn by midfielder Toni Kroos said as much. But the promise shown four years ago, when a young German team fell at the semi-finals is now one step away from its tastiest fruit at Rio.

With five goals, Thomas Mueller can claim the Golden Boot award on his own with further successes against an obdurate Argentine defence. Flanking behind him has been the impressive Sami Khedira, the experienced Bastian Schweinsteiger, as well as Kroos himself. The back four have been rock-solid, with the impressive Manuel Neuer ready to clean up the little deficiency there is.

Up until this point, Argentina has scarcely been mentioned. Take away the sheer sadism of making the Brazilian public endure an Argentine win at the ground where their hometown heroes were to make their victory parade, Argentina know they have a team, or the individual that can brush aside any sense of German superiority.

This World Cup has not been the tournament we were expecting from Lionel Messi. In a far cry from his attacking flair at club Barcelona, the captain has been instrumental with not only snatching last gasp wins, but also orchestrating his team’s fortunes from deep midfield as well as on both wings. It is just as well, given Argentina have fallen well short of the lofty heights they are capable of achieving.

Having brushed aside Bosnia-Herzegovina in their opening game, the Argentines were lucky to escape with three points against Iran and Nigeria. Nine points from nine, but further nailbiters against Switzerland, Belgium as well as their penalty win over the Netherlands demonstrate Argentina have survived rather than thrived this tournament.

Aside from Messi, Argentina have relied heavily on their defensive prowess this tournament. While the Manchester City duo of Martin Demichelis and Pablo Zabaleta have formed the solid structures to keep Argentina in games, the real champion within is Javier Mascherano.

In his natural position of defensive midfielder, Mascherano has been able to control the tempo of every game for Argentina, so as to nullify every opposition threat. The returning Sergio Aguero will also loom large for the German defence, and may yet enable Argentina to attack with more freedom.

It has been an amazing World Cup, and a grandiose finale would cap it off as so. Reminisce its beauty (James Rodriguez, Tim Cahill, Robin van Persie), ugliness (Luis Suarez, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Pablo Zuniga), obstinacy (Tim Howard, Keylor Navas, Guillermo Ochoa), disappointment (Team England) and sheer ridiculous madness (Mineiraozo) – Brazil 2014 has seen it all.

A fluent and expressive Germany, barracked by every desperate Brazilian, will be jogo bonito’s choice to win this World Cup. But Argentina will cling onto every fantasy of destroying any Brazilian superiority in that great rivalry by winning football’s greatest prize on enemy soil. That would be the ultimate schadenfreude, at Germany’s expense.