Germany has been crowned the World Champion after defeating Argentina one goal to nil in a thrilling final played Sunday night at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Substitute, Mario Gotze scored the only goal of the encounter after 113 minutes of game time to hand the German their fourth World Cup trophy after previous victories in 1954, 1974 and 1990.
The victory for Germany means its their first as a unified nation; as they have previously won it as West Germany, it also means they are the first European team to ever win a World Cup trophy on a South American soil and the third time the Germans had ended Argentina's World Cup hopes.
With an 11th hour injury to Sami Khedira, Coach, Joachim Low was forced to make a change to his impending starting lineup, as he has to call on Chrisph Kramer to fill in for the Real Madrid man at the centre of midfield while Alejandro Sabella's team remained unchanged from the side that filed out in their victory over Netherlands at the semi-final, but with Di Maria and Aguero both returning from injury.
Argentina sat deep and defended with tenacity, disabling any attacking move of the Germans at the same time initiating a counter attack of their own with Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Huguain and Ezequiel Lavezzi leading their attack line.
Gonzalo Higuain had the best chance of the half when Toni Kroos headed the ball back to Manuel Neuer, only to see the striker pounce on it and put him clear on goal But Kroos' Gaffe were spared as Higuain shot wide. Higuain would put the ball in the net nine minutes later from Lavezzi's low cross, but he was correctly flag offside.
Germany were forced to an early substitution as Andre Schurrle came on for Kramer who could not carry on as he collapsed, and had to be carried off after he has been allowed to play on when he accidentally collided with Garay earlier in the game.
Sergio Romero was called to action as he reacted well to deny, Shurrle, while Messi forced Jerome Boateng to hack his cross-shot out of the goalmouth after racing down the right.
The Germans will have their own share of missed opportunity as Howede's header from a Toni Kroos corner crashed onto the upright and Muller was flagged offside as he tries to pounce on the rebound.
Sergio Aguero was introduced for Lavezzi after the break and the move will quickly pay off but for the heroics of Manuel Neuer who rushed off his line to push the ball into the stands off Huguain.
Bookings in quick succession for Javier Mascherano and Aguero hinted at bubbling frustration as the game entered its final quarter and Germany ended the 90 minutes back on the front foot, as Kroos drilled the ball past the post from 18 yards.
In extra-time, exhaustion began to play a role as the Germans inched forward. Schurrle nearly stole the lead at the start, forcing a save from Romero after a well-worked move with Goetze. Rodrigo Palacio missed Argentina's chance at taking the lead seven minutes later, as he collected the ball on his chest from Marcus Rojo but his lob over Neuer went just inches past the upright.
Schweinsteiger took a bad cut under the eye in a collision with Aguero in the second half of extra-time but was able to return early.
Germany attacked once again and this time they wouldn’t miss.
Andre Shurrle took the ball on the right side of the Argentine half and dribbled his was unto the edge of the 18 yard area before lobbing a cross into the area for Gotze who came on for Miroslave Klose in the 88th minute to chest and shoot into the net beyond Romero for what turned out to be the winning goal of the tournament.
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