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13 July 2014

GERMANY 1 (Gotze 113)
ARGENTINA 0

Higuain, who has a €100 million buy out clause (ha) wasted the final's first major opening. Argentina broke after intercepting Hummel's poor header, Boateng blocked Lavezzi's through ball and it fell to Higuain who selfishly shot from a tight angle with Rojo breaking into the box. 15 minutes later he missed an absolute sitter. Hummels headed a ball to Kroos as the imp Messi tried to out jump him, Kroos tried to head it back but the ball went straight over Hummels head, Higuain only had Neuer to beat but shot hopelessly wide from 14 yards. Admittedly he performed better than I thought he would in Serie A and the UCL for Napoli but he's still a chocker. More careless Germany defending lead to another chance. This time Boateng was at fault, Messi played a ball out wide to Lavezzi, deputising for Di Maria, and Higuain tapped in his superb cross but was flagged for offside. Schurrle replaced Kramer (who was playing because Khedira was injured during the warm up), who was knocked silly after running into Garay's shoulder, on the half hour mark. Normally I'd say it was intentional, especially with an Argentinean involved but it wasn't. Howedes should have been sent off for going studs up into Zabaleta's left knee. A disgraceful foul. Mascherano deserves to be kicked like that but Zabaleta does not. With ten minutes until half time the Germans had lulled the Argentineans into a false selse of security and sprung a counter attack, almost punishing them from straying from their cowarldy contain and counter approach. Neuer threw the ball to Schweinstiger and it was worked down the left flank to Muller, he brushed aside Zabaleta and pulled back a centre, Shcurller's superb first time shot was saved by Romero. Garay dropped a ball over the top of Germany's high line and Messi raced towards Neuer, a combination of Hummels and Neuer did enough to prevent him from taking a shot and Boateng cleared as Lavezzi threw himself at the ball. Germany countred from a Mascherano hospital pass, Ozil danced on the ball, sucking in three players, before finding Kroos unmarked on the left of the box his awful shot failed to trouble Romero. Germany's clearest opening of the half. Klose should was slow to attack a Muller cross having finally managed to find space in between Zabaleta and Demichelis.

An excellent half of football was almost ruined by Seedorf's mid game analysis. Piss off Clarence. Biglia split the German defence with a superb through ball to Messi and while Hummels desperatrly looked over his shoulder waiting for the linesman to flag, he dragged his shot wide of the right post. Terrible miss. Neuer did a Schumacher. Zabaleta hit a longball down the right flank, Neuer raced off his line and smashed into Higuain and in punching the ball clear, kneed him in the face. Rizzoli gave Germany a free kick! Bravo Rizzoli. Kroos wasted another (rare) German chance when completely unmarked on the edge of the box he shot well wide. Poor.

In the opening seconds of the first period of extra time Schurrle dived under a challenge from Garay and when the ref didn't blow go to his feet and fired a superb cross from fellow substitute Gotze straight at Romero. Rojo found Palacio (on for Higuain) with one of the passes of the tournament, he bounced the ball off his chest but lobbed wide of goal as Neuer came off his line. Terrible miss.

Aguero should have been shown a second yellow for punching Schweinsteiger, which cut him above the cheek. Seven minutes from time two German substitutes combined for the winning goal. Germany patiently worked the ball from right to left, Schurrle played a one-two with Lahm before running at Palacio, as Zabaleta came to double up he swung over a cross, Gotze bounced the ball of his chest then angled a left foot volley past Romero. Superb goal. Argentina couldn't muster a response and Germany ended a 24 year wait to become the first European team win a World Cup on South American soil and the third consecutive European team to win the World Cup.

Messi was, as he is usually is for Argentina when it really counts, neutered. In my World Cup preview I wrote :

Argentina have a ridiculously easy group, even choker Messi can't fail to score this time.

And that's all he did, score in the groups. His sole contribution of note since was an assist to Di Maria for the winning gaol against Switzerland, despite some pathetic cowards trying to suggest he was 'involved' in the winning goal against Belgium, which as you may recall came from Di Maria's deflected pass. Messi is not one of the all time greats, he never was nor should he have been considered an all time great because of his consistent failure at major international tournaments. His age isn't really a factor but Argentina are overall an old side with little in the way of talent coming through, especially in midfield and defence. They're not likely to get close to another World Cup final for some time and continually struggle against bigger, more athletic European teams which has been the case since 1994. They defended deep and thus didn't run many risks however Garay and Rojo were excellent but Romero is a mediocre, mistake prone goalkeeper. In saying that however it's ironic after playing like cowards all tournament in this game they were much the better side and should, would have won comfortably but for poor finishing.

Germany have an appalling defence and always risk getting done by balls over the top of straight down the middle because they play a naïve high line. More often than not they get away with it because of Neuer. Schmeltzer should come back into the side once he recovers from injury which will give the team more balance down the left. There's also Andreas Beck. In fact in every position Germany are stacked and could field two strong XIs. If Can builds on his potential at Liverpool he could replace Khedira in central midfield or play in Kroos' position but then Kroos is only 24 so won't be going anywhere. Reus, Germany's outstanding player before the finals before a cruel injury ended his chances, will only make this team more formidable. Talk of repeating is of course stupid and premature, no one repeats anymore and despite the abundance of talent that won't (probably) happen for Germany either but they should push France close for the Euros in two years time, especially if all France can line up as centre forward is lightweight Benzema. Teams like Belgium and maybe one last hurrah for the Dutch are also contenders.

This has been the best World Cup of the past 24 years. The group stages were incredible and predictably things got tighter and the goals dried up in the knockout stages but games like Belgium-USA, Germany-Algeria, Brazil-Colombia and Brazil-Germany will live long in the memory. The final was one of the best I've ever seen as both teams created, Argentina especially, more chances than you would normally see in a final. The main thing is those cheating, doped up Spanish bastards tanked and Messi failed to cement his ill deserved reputation as an all time great. Had Argentina won on penalties people would have forgotten and overlooked the fact he failed to perform in the knockout stages because they're dishonest. Cristiano Ronaldo isn't an all time great either but as he's spoken out against the Zionists he's fine by me.

Attendance : 74,738
Assist : Schurrle