FIFA World Cup 2014: Super-substitute Mario Gotze takes Germany to World Cup trophy

After 120 minutes of intense football, it was the Germans who claimed the World Cup trophy. Substitute Mario Gotze scored a stunning 113th-minute winner for Germany to give them a 1-0 lead over Argentina, which the latter could not come back from.

Argentina had a glorious opportunity in the 22nd minute of the match, when Tony Kroos accidentally headed the ball towards his own goal, which was received by Gonzalo Higuain, who put the ball wide past the goal. Higuain was one-on-one with German goal-keeper Manuel Neuer, but somehow he managed to miss the target. 

It would prove to be costliest miss for Argentina. 

The Germans enjoyed a good share of the ball possession till the end of the first half. 

At the start of the second half, Argentina's Ezequiel Lavezzi was replaced by the struggling Sergio Aguero. Both Aguero and Lavezzi had a poor tournament as both the strikers failed to score a single goal through-out the World Cup. 

Two minutes later into the second half, Messi missed a golden opportunity to give Argentina the lead, as his left-footed curling shot missed the far post of the German goal. 

Germany improved their performance in the second half and outplayed Argentina with their impressive passing and superior ball control. A litte later into the second half, Gonzalo Higuain, who missed a glorious opportunity early in the match, was substituted for Rodrigo Palacio.  With just a minute left on the clock, veteran Miroslav Klose was replaced by young Mario Gotze for Germany. 

As both the teams failed to break the dead-lock, the match headed towards extra-time. Argentina had never before conceded a goal in the extra-time. Andre Schurrle had his effort saved by Sergio Romero early in the first half of extra time. In the 97th minute, substitute Rodrigo Palacio had a wonderful goal-scoring opportunity, but squandared the chance as he put the ball over Neuer and the German goal.

The match was heating up when Argentina's Sergio Aguero collided with Bastian Schweinsteiger, who ended up bleeding below his right eye.  Despite the foul, no action was taken against Aguero for the nasty challenge. In spite of the injury, Schweinsteiger was back on the field after getting stitches.

Three minutes into Aguero's challenge on Schweinsteiger, came the turning point in the match as substitute Mario Goetze broke the dead-lock. The goal was spectacular: a combined effort of the two Germans substitutes (Schurrle and Gotze). Schurrle provided the cross into the Argentinean D-box, which was brilliantly chest-controlled by Gotze, before shooting the ball past Sergio Romero using his left foot.

With that goal, Germany were just minutes away from becoming the first European team to lift the World Cup in South America. The Germans held on to the lead till the end and achieved a fourth World Cup title.

In the end, it was disappointing for Argentina, but it was the better team that won. Captain Lionel Messi scored more goals than Aguero, Lavezzi, Palacio, Higuain and Angel Di Maria combined. The poor form of the strikers was the primary reason for Argentina's failure to win the World Cup. Over-dependence on Messi cost them the World Cup.

With the victory over Argentina, Germany won their first World Cup in 24 years and their fourth World Cup trophy overall, putting them level with Italy for winning the World Cup four times, and just behind Brazil who have five.

Here are some interesting facts about the FIFA World Cup 2014 Final:

* Mario Götze is the youngest scorer of a goal in a World Cup final since Wolfgang Weber in 1966.

* Mario Götze is the first player to score a winning goal as a substitute in a World Cup final. 

* Argentina trailed for only seven minutes at the 2014 World Cup - from the 113th to the 120th minute of extra time.

* Argentina conceded a goal for the first time in the knockout stage of the 2014 World Cup.

* This was the first time ever in World Cup history that Argentina conceded a goal in extra time.

* All three teams with more than 3 World Cup titles (Brazil, Italy and Germany) secured their 4th title 24 years after their 3rd title.

* Germany have scored 18 goals this World Cup tournament, the most for a team in a single World Cup since Brazil in 2002.

* The 2014 World Cup was the joint-highest scoring World Cup in history (level on 171 goals with France 1998).