Germany travelled to the World Cup hoping to play seven games. Their journey began in Salvador with a dream and ended in Rio with football’s most coveted trophy. DFB.de takes another look back at Die Mannschaft’s magnificent seven and recounts this summer’s stories both on and off the pitch. Today, Mario Götze makes Germany’s dream come true, and the Federal President and Chancellor congratulate the team in person.
It is a scene replayed in every changing room and sports complex all over Germany after victories both big and small: shoes, socks and shirts lie strewn all over the floor as the players dance about the room singing. In that respect, the scene in one dressing room at Brazil’s Maracana after the biggest match in football was no different, as the victors climbed on the tables, dancing and singing about a day so wonderful that they hoped never to forget it. Suddenly everything went quiet, the singing trailed off and the players fell silent. There was a good reason for this interruption in proceedings, and it was the point at which most recreational players across Germany would cease to identify with the situation. The door opened and in walked Germany’s Chancellor and Federal President, Angela Merkel and Joachim Gauck.
It was the first time both of the country’s highest elected representatives had visited the dressing room together – the first since Germany won the game to end all games when Mario Götze made his team world champions after breaking the deadlock in extra time of their World Cup Final against Argentina. The players quickly settled down as these two football fans began to speak. The words spoken by the head of government and head of state recalled two journeys: one through time and another around the globe. Joachim Gauck talked about 1954 and how the Miracle of Bern was received in his home city of Rostock. He recalled how all of East Germany was glued to the radio as the West became world champions. “And today, as a President who was on the other side back then, I see this wonderful team,” he exclaimed. “It’s simply fantastic.”
"You’ve done a great job"
The Chancellor then led the team from the past to China, and told them about her visit to the Far East after the World Cup quarter-final between Germany and France. Wherever she went, everyone talked about the same thing: Die Mannschaft. Merkel recalled the team’s incredible popularity in China and told the assembled players what excellent ambassadors for Germany they are. She concluded her report with understated words expressing her respect: “All I really want to say is: ‘You’ve done a great job. Congratulations!’” And with that, the players embarked on a world tour of their own, beginning with a song about Rio de Janeiro, the setting for this special victory, before evoking home a short time later with a chorus of “Berlin, Berlin, we’re on the road to Berlin.”
Strictly speaking, the players actually flew to Berlin, but who wants to quibble with world champions? Everyone knows the images that followed: the capital city, the Brandenburg Gate, hundreds of thousands on the Fan Mile and, at the centre of it all, the team themselves. The players and coaches had already been welcomed here after the ‘summer fairytale’ of 2006 and after finishing as runners-up at the European Championship two years later. This time around, the players only wanted to celebrate if they won the trophy – and that is exactly what happened. The excitement that greeted them exceeded anything Germany had experienced before. When the team emerged from their Lufthansa aircraft after landing at Berlin’s Tegel airport, they received a truly world-class welcome from immense crowds of people expressing their joy, tears, emotion and enthusiasm, cheering all the while. Hundreds of thousands thronged the streets and gathered on the Fan Mile. Germany’s fourth World Cup crown unleashed a wave of elation across the country.
These scenes were all sparked by one game: The World Cup Final at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on 13 July 2014. Germany faced Argentina in the match to end all matches. But not so fast – this event cannot be reduced to just one moment. We need to start at the beginning, at kick-off – or even before that. Germany faced their first setback before the game even began, when it became apparent that Joachim Löw would have to do without Sami Khedira. The Real Madrid playmaker sustained an injury in the team’s final training session at Vasco da Gama’s stadium the day before, and although it was not as serious as it initially appeared, he stopped training purely as a precautionary measure. Doubts began to creep in as kick-off approached the following day, before ambition finally gave way to reason and Khedira realised it was no use – the pain in his calf was simply too great. Löw reshuffled his team, handing Christoph Kramer a start in an attacking role while Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos formed a defensive midfield pairing behind him.
Teams size each other up at the outset
With all personnel matters addressed, it was time to play. Argentina had the first opportunity in the fourth minute, but although Ezequiel Lavezzi’s run down the right was quickly snuffed out, the danger was not over. Gonzalo Higuain chased down the ball and fired in a shot from a tight angle. Manuel Neuer dived low but was able to let the ball run wide. The opening fifteen minutes were intense, characterised by a succession of fierce duels as the two teams sized each other up, ready to exploit any mistakes at a moment’s notice.
The first player to slip up was perhaps the strongest player of the World Cup: Toni Kroos. In the 21st minute, a brief lapse in concentration first caused dread among German fans, shortly followed by disappointment among the Argentinians. Kroos sought to head the ball back to Neuer but failed to notice Gonzalo Higuain, who suddenly found himself clear with just the goalkeeper to beat – only to slice the ball a metre wide of the left post. It was a lucky escape for Germany, who could breathe easy once more.
World Cup Final: Germany vs. Argentina
As the first half wore on, Die Nationalelf increasingly gained the initiative and succeeded in keeping the ball away from Manuel Neuer’s goal – until the 36th minute. Argentina won a corner, but the Bayern keeper was on hand to pluck the ball out of the air and trigger a quick counterattack. The No1 gave the ball to Schweinsteiger on the left, who passed it to Schürrle on the halfway line. The Chelsea man moved the ball on to Thomas Müller and sprinted down the pitch. Müller outpaced Pablo Zabaleta, headed for the byline, looked up and cut the ball back into the path of Schürrle, who concluded his lengthy run with a shot from 14 metres out. Although Sergio Romero palmed the ball clear, the move marked Germany’s first breakthrough of the match.
Die Mannschaft were in the thick of the action again as the game approached half-time. In the 43rd minute Javier Mascherano was on the move, looking to pass to Lionel Messi. Klose anticipated the situation and intercepted the pass to trigger a textbook counterattack. Klose passed out to Müller on the right, who took a touch before playing the ball on to Mesut Özil. Özil pressed on into the penalty area, stopped the ball, turned and laid a pass off to Kroos. The midfielder found himself 18 metres from goal in the perfect situation to shoot, but he failed to strike the ball cleanly and Romero was on hand to gather up the shot.
Höwedes and the post
Germany had a golden opportunity to score from a corner in stoppage time. As Kroos played the ball in, Boateng, Hummels and Höwedes moved forward to meet it. Höwedes moved clear of Demichelis, took three quick steps and threw himself into the header. First head and ball collided – then ball and post. The resulting thud could be heard in the very back row of the Maracana. What a story that would have been – Höwedes with a goal in the World Cup Final. But it was not to be. The half-time whistle sounded and the teams headed down the tunnel tied at nil-nil.
17 minutes later, the teams re-emerged and the second half got underway. Again it was the Argentinians who had the first opportunity of the period. In the 47th minute, Lionel Messi broke clear of Boateng and Hummels and found himself one-on-one with Manuel Neuer. The angle was tight, Neuer spread himself as wide as possible and Messi’s shot slid wide of the far post.
Germany up the ante
By the time the clock reached 60 minutes, the second half was unfolding much as the first did, with Germany working their way into the game and beginning to create chances. Klose put Demichelis under pressure in the 62nd minute, throwing a leg in front of his former Bayern team-mate to poke the ball away from the Argentinian towards Kroos. With that, another quick counterattack began. Kroos played the ball into the path of Schürrle, who ran a few yards down the touchline before lifting his head and making a pass inside to Özil. Everything went to plan except the final ball; Özil struggled to control it and took a desperate shot with his left foot that passed wide of the left post.
It was the 80th minute before Philipp Lahm set Germany’s next dangerous move in motion. The captain dribbled the ball into the midfield and through the midfield before laying it off to Özil on the right. The Arsenal midfielder saw the gap that had opened up in front of the Argentinian defence and laid the ball back to Kroos. Despite lining up his shot carefully, Kroos’s strike whistled 30 centimetres wide of the right-hand post.
Schürrle, Götze - goal!
The whistle blows again to signal the end of normal time and again a few minutes later to begin extra time. Fast forward to the 113th minute and you come to Germany’s moment of destiny. Boateng picked up the ball and found Hummels, who in turn picked out Kroos. Schürrle set off down the left and exchanged a quick one-two with Kroos. Schürrle then cut into the centre, stopped and ran clear down the outside to collect the ball once more.
With the ball at his feet, Schürrle accelerated down the left wing. At the same time, Mario Götze raced towards the left-hand side of midfield. By the time Schürrle and Götze drew level with each other, they were running at full pace. Facing pressure from Pablo Zabaleta and Javier Mascherano, Schürrle placed a beautifully measured cross between the two defenders, into the penalty area and beyond Demichelis.
What followed was footballing perfection. Götze chested the ball down and, as it dropped, crowned the move with a crisp left-footed volley that whistled past Romero and into the back of the net. It was the goal that sealed Die Mannschaft’s destiny; the moment they became world champions and the moment the Maracana finally exploded into life. It was the moment that inspired the congratulatory speeches offered by Merkel and Gauck and, most importantly of all, the moment that sparked ecstasy across Germany.
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Germany travelled to the World Cup hoping to play seven games. Their journey began in Salvador with a dream and ended in Rio with football’s most coveted trophy. DFB.de takes another look back at Die Mannschaft’s magnificent seven and recounts this summer’s stories both on and off the pitch. Today, Mario Götze makes Germany’s dream come true, and the Federal President and Chancellor congratulate the team in person.
It is a scene replayed in every changing room and sports complex all over Germany after victories both big and small: shoes, socks and shirts lie strewn all over the floor as the players dance about the room singing. In that respect, the scene in one dressing room at Brazil’s Maracana after the biggest match in football was no different, as the victors climbed on the tables, dancing and singing about a day so wonderful that they hoped never to forget it. Suddenly everything went quiet, the singing trailed off and the players fell silent. There was a good reason for this interruption in proceedings, and it was the point at which most recreational players across Germany would cease to identify with the situation. The door opened and in walked Germany’s Chancellor and Federal President, Angela Merkel and Joachim Gauck.
It was the first time both of the country’s highest elected representatives had visited the dressing room together – the first since Germany won the game to end all games when Mario Götze made his team world champions after breaking the deadlock in extra time of their World Cup Final against Argentina. The players quickly settled down as these two football fans began to speak. The words spoken by the head of government and head of state recalled two journeys: one through time and another around the globe. Joachim Gauck talked about 1954 and how the Miracle of Bern was received in his home city of Rostock. He recalled how all of East Germany was glued to the radio as the West became world champions. “And today, as a President who was on the other side back then, I see this wonderful team,” he exclaimed. “It’s simply fantastic.”
"You’ve done a great job"
The Chancellor then led the team from the past to China, and told them about her visit to the Far East after the World Cup quarter-final between Germany and France. Wherever she went, everyone talked about the same thing: Die Mannschaft. Merkel recalled the team’s incredible popularity in China and told the assembled players what excellent ambassadors for Germany they are. She concluded her report with understated words expressing her respect: “All I really want to say is: ‘You’ve done a great job. Congratulations!’” And with that, the players embarked on a world tour of their own, beginning with a song about Rio de Janeiro, the setting for this special victory, before evoking home a short time later with a chorus of “Berlin, Berlin, we’re on the road to Berlin.”
Strictly speaking, the players actually flew to Berlin, but who wants to quibble with world champions? Everyone knows the images that followed: the capital city, the Brandenburg Gate, hundreds of thousands on the Fan Mile and, at the centre of it all, the team themselves. The players and coaches had already been welcomed here after the ‘summer fairytale’ of 2006 and after finishing as runners-up at the European Championship two years later. This time around, the players only wanted to celebrate if they won the trophy – and that is exactly what happened. The excitement that greeted them exceeded anything Germany had experienced before. When the team emerged from their Lufthansa aircraft after landing at Berlin’s Tegel airport, they received a truly world-class welcome from immense crowds of people expressing their joy, tears, emotion and enthusiasm, cheering all the while. Hundreds of thousands thronged the streets and gathered on the Fan Mile. Germany’s fourth World Cup crown unleashed a wave of elation across the country.
These scenes were all sparked by one game: The World Cup Final at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on 13 July 2014. Germany faced Argentina in the match to end all matches. But not so fast – this event cannot be reduced to just one moment. We need to start at the beginning, at kick-off – or even before that. Germany faced their first setback before the game even began, when it became apparent that Joachim Löw would have to do without Sami Khedira. The Real Madrid playmaker sustained an injury in the team’s final training session at Vasco da Gama’s stadium the day before, and although it was not as serious as it initially appeared, he stopped training purely as a precautionary measure. Doubts began to creep in as kick-off approached the following day, before ambition finally gave way to reason and Khedira realised it was no use – the pain in his calf was simply too great. Löw reshuffled his team, handing Christoph Kramer a start in an attacking role while Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos formed a defensive midfield pairing behind him.
Teams size each other up at the outset
With all personnel matters addressed, it was time to play. Argentina had the first opportunity in the fourth minute, but although Ezequiel Lavezzi’s run down the right was quickly snuffed out, the danger was not over. Gonzalo Higuain chased down the ball and fired in a shot from a tight angle. Manuel Neuer dived low but was able to let the ball run wide. The opening fifteen minutes were intense, characterised by a succession of fierce duels as the two teams sized each other up, ready to exploit any mistakes at a moment’s notice.
The first player to slip up was perhaps the strongest player of the World Cup: Toni Kroos. In the 21st minute, a brief lapse in concentration first caused dread among German fans, shortly followed by disappointment among the Argentinians. Kroos sought to head the ball back to Neuer but failed to notice Gonzalo Higuain, who suddenly found himself clear with just the goalkeeper to beat – only to slice the ball a metre wide of the left post. It was a lucky escape for Germany, who could breathe easy once more.
World Cup Final: Germany vs. Argentina
As the first half wore on, Die Nationalelf increasingly gained the initiative and succeeded in keeping the ball away from Manuel Neuer’s goal – until the 36th minute. Argentina won a corner, but the Bayern keeper was on hand to pluck the ball out of the air and trigger a quick counterattack. The No1 gave the ball to Schweinsteiger on the left, who passed it to Schürrle on the halfway line. The Chelsea man moved the ball on to Thomas Müller and sprinted down the pitch. Müller outpaced Pablo Zabaleta, headed for the byline, looked up and cut the ball back into the path of Schürrle, who concluded his lengthy run with a shot from 14 metres out. Although Sergio Romero palmed the ball clear, the move marked Germany’s first breakthrough of the match.
Die Mannschaft were in the thick of the action again as the game approached half-time. In the 43rd minute Javier Mascherano was on the move, looking to pass to Lionel Messi. Klose anticipated the situation and intercepted the pass to trigger a textbook counterattack. Klose passed out to Müller on the right, who took a touch before playing the ball on to Mesut Özil. Özil pressed on into the penalty area, stopped the ball, turned and laid a pass off to Kroos. The midfielder found himself 18 metres from goal in the perfect situation to shoot, but he failed to strike the ball cleanly and Romero was on hand to gather up the shot.
Höwedes and the post
Germany had a golden opportunity to score from a corner in stoppage time. As Kroos played the ball in, Boateng, Hummels and Höwedes moved forward to meet it. Höwedes moved clear of Demichelis, took three quick steps and threw himself into the header. First head and ball collided – then ball and post. The resulting thud could be heard in the very back row of the Maracana. What a story that would have been – Höwedes with a goal in the World Cup Final. But it was not to be. The half-time whistle sounded and the teams headed down the tunnel tied at nil-nil.
17 minutes later, the teams re-emerged and the second half got underway. Again it was the Argentinians who had the first opportunity of the period. In the 47th minute, Lionel Messi broke clear of Boateng and Hummels and found himself one-on-one with Manuel Neuer. The angle was tight, Neuer spread himself as wide as possible and Messi’s shot slid wide of the far post.
Germany up the ante
By the time the clock reached 60 minutes, the second half was unfolding much as the first did, with Germany working their way into the game and beginning to create chances. Klose put Demichelis under pressure in the 62nd minute, throwing a leg in front of his former Bayern team-mate to poke the ball away from the Argentinian towards Kroos. With that, another quick counterattack began. Kroos played the ball into the path of Schürrle, who ran a few yards down the touchline before lifting his head and making a pass inside to Özil. Everything went to plan except the final ball; Özil struggled to control it and took a desperate shot with his left foot that passed wide of the left post.
It was the 80th minute before Philipp Lahm set Germany’s next dangerous move in motion. The captain dribbled the ball into the midfield and through the midfield before laying it off to Özil on the right. The Arsenal midfielder saw the gap that had opened up in front of the Argentinian defence and laid the ball back to Kroos. Despite lining up his shot carefully, Kroos’s strike whistled 30 centimetres wide of the right-hand post.
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Schürrle, Götze - goal!
The whistle blows again to signal the end of normal time and again a few minutes later to begin extra time. Fast forward to the 113th minute and you come to Germany’s moment of destiny. Boateng picked up the ball and found Hummels, who in turn picked out Kroos. Schürrle set off down the left and exchanged a quick one-two with Kroos. Schürrle then cut into the centre, stopped and ran clear down the outside to collect the ball once more.
With the ball at his feet, Schürrle accelerated down the left wing. At the same time, Mario Götze raced towards the left-hand side of midfield. By the time Schürrle and Götze drew level with each other, they were running at full pace. Facing pressure from Pablo Zabaleta and Javier Mascherano, Schürrle placed a beautifully measured cross between the two defenders, into the penalty area and beyond Demichelis.
What followed was footballing perfection. Götze chested the ball down and, as it dropped, crowned the move with a crisp left-footed volley that whistled past Romero and into the back of the net. It was the goal that sealed Die Mannschaft’s destiny; the moment they became world champions and the moment the Maracana finally exploded into life. It was the moment that inspired the congratulatory speeches offered by Merkel and Gauck and, most importantly of all, the moment that sparked ecstasy across Germany.
