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Mario Goetze`s extra-time goal gives Germany 4th World Cup title

Mario Goetze`s extra-time goal gives Germany 4th World Cup title

Posted July. 15, 2014 05:47,   

한국어

“There are few problems to criticize.”

A German reporter made such remarks when he met this reporter in Brasilia on July 5, when a France-Nigeria match in the round of 16 best teams at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil took place. The German journalist said that it is problem that the German term plays too well, adding that he should write on problems of the team, but has nothing to write about. So much so, Germany was outstanding at this year’s World Cup.

Germany, dubbed “Tank Corps” in Korea, clinched the World Cup title by beating Argentina 1-0 thanks to the finishing goal scored by Mario Goetze in the eighth minute in the second half of overtime at the World Cup final match held at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Monday (Korea Time). Team Germany has thus won its fourth World Cup championship after the 1954 event in Switzerland, the 1974 World Cup in Germany (West Germany), and the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Germany has tied Italy to become the second country (four times) with the most World Cup titles after Brazil (five times).

Notably, Germany has become the first European nation to clinch the title at World Cup finals held in Latin America. At the seven World Cup events held in Latin America, Brazil won the title three times, Uruguay and Argentina two times each, respectively. After the final match on Monday, Germany coach Joachim Loew said, “We are proud to win it here in Brazil, the footballing country par excellence, and to be the first European team to win in Latin America. Over the years we have been able to improve our performance and it has been 10 years of tough preparation. The players have a marvelous technical ability and the will-power to carry it out.”

Germany gave fans strong impression starting from its very first group match. The team scored four goals at the match against Portugal, which was led by star player Cristiano Ronaldo, to clinch the first win (4-0) at the 2014 World Cup. The team tied 2-2 with Ghana in the second match, and barely beat the U.S. 1-0 in the third, thus narrowly managing to join the 16 qualified teams. But living up to its reputation as a powerhouse in tournaments, it defeated Algeria (2-1) and France (1-0) in succession to advance to the semifinals. Notably, it had landslide victory of 7-1 against this year’s host Brazil, to the dismay of the global soccer community.

Unlike other teams that depended on one or two star players, Germany performed plays based thoroughly on teamwork. On top of its strikers Miroslav Klose, Thomas Mueller, and Toni Kroos, even midfielders including Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mats Hummels and fullbacks all scored goals, making all 11 members of the team both scorers and defenders. In the seven matches it played, the team tied just once (to post six wins and one draw), and scored 18 goals and allowed five goals.

After being eliminated by Germany at the semifinals at the 1990 World Cup, Gary Lineker of England, who was the top scorer at the 1986 World Cup, remarked this: “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win." Germany has demonstrated the accuracy of his remarks at this year’s World Cup in Brazil again.