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Germany must give Jurgen Klinsmann credit if it wins World Cup
By Joe Lago
July 11, 2014 6:17 PM
Yahoo Sports
FILE - The June 30, 2006 file photo shows then German coach Juergen Klinsmann, right, and team manager Oliver Bierhoff, second from right, holding back Argentina player Fabricio Coloccini after Germany's 4-2 shootout win in the quarterfinal World Cup soccer match between Germany and Argentina at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. On Sunday, July 13, 2014, Germany and Argentina will face each other again in the final of the 2014 soccer World Cup. (AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle, file)
RIO DE JANEIRO – Only the magical feet of Lionel Messi stand between Germany and a fourth World Cup title now. The Germans have been so efficient and so dominant over the past four weeks here in Brazil that only the brilliance of Argentina's talisman could shatter their championship dreams.
Winning Sunday's World Cup final at Maracana Stadium would be the crowning achievement for coach Joachim Loew and a golden generation of supreme footballing talent that began with Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger and continues with Thomas Mueller and Toni Kroos. A title would be fitting because the Germans have easily been the tournament's best team, even before famously destroying Brazil 7-1 in the semifinals, and to raise the World Cup trophy would serve as the ultimate affirmation of a master plan devised 10 years ago to rejuvenate Die Nationalmannschaft.
Jurgen Klinsmann's master plan.
The United States head coach was the inspiration behind the complete overhaul of German soccer when he took over as manager of the national team in 2004. The flamboyant world-class striker who shunned the emotionless German mindset injected passion and brought new ideas to a rigid soccer system that had grown stagnant. The tectonic shift in soccer philosophy not only changed the way Germany played but also the way its players ate, drank, slept football by famously introducing nutrition, psychology and yoga to training regimens.
Central to Klinsmann's blueprint, though, was the introduction of new blood. The Germans were runners-up at the 2002 World Cup, but the impetus for change came from dismal performances at the European Championships with back-to-back exits in the group stage in 2000 and 2004. So in came Klinsmann and a group of unproven youngsters that he, along with Loew as his top assistant, gradually shaped and molded into the anti-Germany – an entertaining, risk-taking team that embraced attacking soccer and won back the German public with a third-place showing at the 2006 World Cup on home soil.
Four World Cup rookies from that group are on the current Germany squad: captain and defender/midfielder Philipp Lahm, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, defender Per Mertesacker and forward Lukas Podolski. Loew took over the head coaching job after the '06 World Cup, leading the Germans to the semifinals in four straight major competitions and their first tournament final since the 2008 Euros.
Loew, regarded as the brains of the Klinsmann-Loew leadership by the German press, deserves plenty of credit for building upon what was started a decade ago and meticulously fine-tuning a system that is unyielding defensively and unforgiving offensively. But Klinsmann's role should not be forgotten. He deserves his fair share of the credit, too.
"He was the first coach to place his trust in a very young generation, and in that respect he was a breath of fresh air for the DFB [Germany's football federation]," Mertesacker told the German national team's official website before Germany played the U.S. in the teams' group stage finale.
"We’re still continuing what Jurgen started, even now. Many of the same players from back then are still in the team, and Jogi Loew has developed over time, too. We’re definitely still influenced by that period."
While the German media reveres Loew for his tactical nous – some reporters practically feted him on the spot for the no-brainer decision to return Lahm to right back in the quarterfinal win over France – it continues to use Klinsmann as its punching bag.
In the buildup to the Germany-U.S. game, Klinsmann fielded questions from German reporters about his coaching knowledge, or lack thereof. The reputation stuck after he was unceremoniously ousted as Bayern Munich manager in 2009. In responding, Klinsmann always took the high road.
"I think I know a little something about soccer," Klinsmann said one time, half-laughing off the topic before moving on to the next question.
The irony is that even with Loew at the helm, Germany is still searching for its first World Cup trophy since 1990 and its first major tournament crown since the 1996 Euros. Which is why Messi won't be the only one playing for his legacy on Sunday.
Lahm, 30, and Schweinsteiger, who's just three weeks from turning 30, have continued to be mainstays of the German starting XI, but they're likely playing in their final World Cup. Mertesacker and Podolski have been relegated to reserves. Loew is entrenched as manager but not even he can tell you where he'll be for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, such is the unpredictable life of a national team coach.
"I am convinced we will deliver another great performance in the final," Kroos said after Tuesday's historic thrashing of the host nation. "That is our purpose and our goal."
When asked how important it is for Germany's golden generation to win the World Cup, Loew dismissed any urgency, saying the team's core group had already accomplished plenty with Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Mueller, Kroos, defender Jerome Boateng and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer having won club football's top competition, Europe's Champions League, with Bayern Munich. But not even Loew could really believe what he was feeding the media.
The Germans must complete what was started 10 years ago with a victory over Messi and Argentina at the Maracana on Sunday. Anything less will be a disappointment.
And any credit not given to Jurgen Klinsmann for being the catalyst to Germany's first world championship in 24 years would be an injustice.
The Barcelona ace finished on the losing side in Sunday's tournament decider in Rio de Janeiro but was nonetheless recognised for his individual excellence in Brazil
Lionel Messi been won the Golden Ball following his inspirational performances for Argentina at World Cup 2014.
The Barcelona attacker was on the losing side in Sunday's tournament decider, with the Albiceleste going down 1-0 to Germany after extra-time in Rio de Janeiro.
However, Messi has been rewarded for carrying his side to the final, with the 27-year-old having racked up four goals and one assist in seven appearances.
Thomas Muller, who won the Golden Boot in South Africa four years go, picked up the Silver Ball after another sensational tournament for Germany.
The 24-year-old attacking midfielder took his overall World Cup goals tally to 10 after netting five times in Brazil - and also ended with three assists to his name.
Meanwhile, Netherlands winger Arjen Robben took the Bronze Ball after playing a key role in Netherlands' third-place finish with three goals and one assist to his name.
The other Golden Ball contenders were Germany trio Philipp Lahm, Mats Hummels and Toni Kroos, Argentina duo Javier Mascherano and Angel di Maria, Colombia sensation James Rodriguez and Brazil forward Neymar.
In claiming the prestigious prize, Messi emulates the achievement of the man with whom he is so often compared, compatriot Diego Maradona, who skippered the Albiceleste to success in Mexico in 1986.
Messi is the third Argentine to receive the Golden Ball, with Mario Kempes having become the inaugural winner in 1978 on the back of his sensational goalscoring exploits during the country's victorious campaign on home soil.
Meanwhile, Paul Pogba picked up the Young Player Award, beating off competition from France team-mate Raphael Varane and Netherlands attacker Memphis Depay.
The Monaco attacking midfielder scored six goals in Brazil, one more than Germany's Thomas Muller, who won the trophy in South Africa four years ago
Colombia star James Rodriguez has been rewarded for his sensational goalscoring exploits at World Cup 2014 with the Golden Boot.
The attacking midfielder was the breakout star in Brazil, inspiring his side to a first ever appearance in the quarter-final stage by netting six times in just five games.
Four years after claiming the Golden Boot in South Africa, Thomas Muller was forced to settle for second spot this time around.
However, after doubling his overall World Cup goals tally with five strikes during Germany's triumphant campaign, the 24-year-old is now a very serious contender to break the all-time record held by team-mate Miroslav Klose (16).
Lionel Messi, meanwhile, had high hopes of claiming the Golden Boot after racking up four goals in his first three games but the Argentina captain failed to score in the knockout stage.
Consequently, the Barcelona No.10 finishes fourth, just ahead of Netherland striker Robin van Persie on account of the fact that the Dutchman did not register any assists.
Messi, though, was pipped to third place in the standings by Neymar as his club-mate - who also set up one goal - only played five games before his tournament was ended by a back injury sustained in Brazil's quarter-final win over Colombia.
James Rodriguez, of course, also ended that game in tears but at least the Monaco man's late penalty in Fortaleza has proven no mere consolation goal, as his successful spot-kick has ultimately earned him the Golden Boot - and a place in World Cup history.
The Barcelona forward was brilliant against the lesser lights in this World Cup, but failed to inspire his side to victory like Maradona did when it mattered most
By Ben Hayward at Estadio Maracana
The best team won, but the best player did not. For Lionel Messi this was the chance to match the legend of Diego Maradona, to lead an average Argentina side to World Cup glory just like his compatriot did in 1986. But when it mattered most, he fell short.
Germany's golden generation of players brutally beat Brazil last Tuesday and were favourites to win this one, but Argentina's hopes hinged - as so often before - on one man.
Messi had stepped up in the group games to drag the Albiceleste through their pool with three wins and nine points. There was a stunning strike in the 2-1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, a wonderful winner against Iran and two more great goals in the 3-2 victory versus Nigeria.
But there has been no Maradona moment. Messi's run deep into extra time set up Angel Di Maria to net the only goal in the last-16 win over Switzerland, while he had his moments against Belgium in the quarter-finals, drawing space in the build-up to Gonzalo Higuain's goal and seeing a second-half effort saved by Thibaut Courtois. In the semi-final shootout success against Netherlands, he converted his penalty, but was unable to lead his team to victory in normal time.
Inspirational | Maradona is still the last Argentine to lift the World Cup
In the final, he again failed to live up to expectations. Again there were moments, such as an exciting run into the area in the first half which caused havoc in the German defence, another dribble past four defenders in the second period which was cleared by Joachim Low's men and an angled drive which went wide when often it would have gone in. Those moments, however, weren't decisive.
After his four goals in the group games, Messi was unable to add to his tally in the knockout stages. Maradona, by contrast, scored two against England in the quarter-finals in 1986 (including what is still considered the greatest goal in World Cup history) and two more in the semi-finals against Belgium. And in the final, it was his pass which set up Jorge Burruchaga for the winner against West Germany after Argentina had thrown away a two-goal lead.
At Barcelona, Messi benefits from a passing philosophy which is specifically designed to allow him to shine. But for Argentina, playing on the counter-attack, he is much more easily thwarted. At Camp Nou, he can be seen walking around the pitch seemingly disinterested, just as he did on Sunday, but he'll soon spark back into life when the opportunity arises, the markers are dragged wide, the spaces opened and the chances created.
In the last few games, that hasn't happened. While Messi, who was controversially named the winner of the Golden Boot, needs support from the collective to make him shine against the very best rivals, Maradona was able to take the team by the scruff of the neck and create something out of absolutely nothing in the biggest games of all.
Comparisons will go on about who is the greatest and perhaps they are unfair after everything Messi has achieved, but he still hasn't been able to match Maradona's feat of winning a World Cup in an ordinary team like Diego did in 1986. At Russia 2018, he'll have another chance.
The Bayern Munich star has been voted the best goalkeeper at this summer's World Cup, beating off competition from Keylor Navas and Sergio Romero
Manuel Neuer completed a dream night by being awarded the Golden Glove prize after lifting the World Cup following Germany's 1-0 win over Argentina.
The Bayern Munich man kept a clean sheet to round off an impressive tournament at the Maracana, where Mario Gotze's extra-time strike was the difference between the two sides.
Neuer was nominated along with Keylor Navas of Costa Rica and Argentina's Sergio Romero, but beat the pair to the title of best goalkeeper at Brazil 2014.
The 28-year-old impressed with his ability to play the ball out from the back with his feet as well as his rushes out to clear danger in what was almost a sweeper role, as Germany operated with a high defensive line throughout the tournament.
He also produced a host of superb saves as Germany advanced through the competition, including seven stops in one game as the European nation overcame Algeria 2-1 in the last-16.
Neuer ended the competition with a save percentage of 85.2 per cent, a statistic only bettered by Navas, who boasted a 91% success rate before Costa Rica's quarter-final exit at the hands of Netherlands.
Rihanna celebrates Germany's World Cup win against Argentina by flashing her bra
Rihanna travels to Brazil to watch 2014 World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro
Celebrates Germany's win against Argentina by lifting up her top
The Barbados-born pop singer posts picture alongside Brazil legend Pele
Rihanna has been providing regular 2014 World Cup updates on Twitter
By David Kent Published: 23:01 GMT, 13 July 2014 | Updated: 00:32 GMT, 14 July 2014 There's nothing better than your country winning the World Cup, but Barbadian singer Rihanna seemed more than happy after Germany beat Argentina.
The pop princess took several snaps at the Maracana on Sunday night, celebrating the 1-0 win after extra-time.
The World Cup fanatic posted a picture lifting up her shirt to reveal her bra in the stands.
Revealing: Rihanna lifts her top after Germany beat Argentina to win the World Cup
Celebration: Rihanna was relishing the 1-0 extra-time win on Sunday night
Naked chef: British chef Jamie Oliver poses with the pop princess at the Maracana
Earlier on in the day Rihanna posted a picture of herself and football legend Pele soon after she landed in Brazil ahead of the final.
Rihanna looked delighted to have met who she describes as 'the great Pele' while the former Santos and New York Cosmos forward also looked in buoyant mood in the series of photos the pop star posted on her official Twitter account.
The Pour It Up singer seems to have been following the World Cup extremely closely as she has been posting her thoughts on matches since the opening group games of the prestigious competition.
Brazil, Colombia and Germany are just some of the teams Rihanna has supported over the past couple of weeks.
She was particularly supportive of James Rodriguez, who emerged as one of the stars of the World Cup, after Colombia were knocked out of the competition by Brazil.
Star duo: Pop sensation Rihanna poses alongside football legend Pele
Meet and greet: Rihanna hugs Brazilian legend Pele after jetting into Brazil
Supportive: Rihanna sends a message of support to the World Cup hosts
Team Colombia: Rihanna seems to be a big fan of James Rodriguez
The Germany coach hailed his side's World Cup triumph as the culmination of 10 years' work after they beat Argentina 1-0 in Sunday's final at the Maracana
By Greg Stobart at the Maracana
Germany coach Joachim Low says he told "miracle boy" Mario Gotze to show that he is better than Lionel Messi before his winning goal in Sunday’s World Cup final.
Gotze came on as a second-half substitute before scoring with a volley in extra-time as Germany beat Argentina 1-0 at the Maracana to win their fourth World Cup.
Low was seen speaking to Gotze during the break in extra-time and revealed after the match that he told the Bayern Munich forward to show up Messi and make his country world champions.
"I told Mario Gotze to show to the world he is better than Messi and to decide the World Cup. That’s what I told him – I had a good feeling with him," Low said in his post-match press conference.
"Gotze is a miracle boy. He can play in any position. I always know he can be decisive in a match and he scored a great decider today."
Low first joined the Germany set-up as assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann in 2004 before taking over as coach after the 2006 World Cup on home soil.
The 54-year-old believes the World Cup triumph was the culmination of a decade of constant improvement and says Germany deserved to win a World Cup.
"We started this project 10 years ago and this is the result of many years of work, beginning with Jurgen Klinsmann," Low said.
"Over these years, we made constant progress and improved performances until we did the ultimate thing we had to do.
"If there is one team that deserves this, it is these players. Guys like Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Miroslav Klose who have been in the group this whole time.
"The team spirit is unbelievable. They have unbelievable willpower and that is why we made it.
"The players gave everything, with Schweinsteiger leading them and Lahm running forever.
"I told them before the game that they would have to give more than ever before to do something they had never done before – win the World Cup.
"We are the first European team to win the World Cup in Latin America and this makes us proud. This deep joy and happiness will remain forever."
The 27-year-old was frustrated by his side's inability to finish their chances, while also pointing to the fact they had a day less to recover for the final
Lionel Messi blamed Argentina's 1-0 World Cup final defeat to Germany on their forwards for being wasteful in front of goal.
The 27-year-old was a peripheral figure on the night and fired wide a golden opportunity to give his side the lead in the second half after Gonzalo Higuain had done the same in the opening period, while Rodrigo Palacio also scuppered a great chance.
Argentina were then punished for their failure to convert those chances when Mario Gotze scored a brilliant winner in extra-time to take the World Cup back to Germany.
And Messi believes his side deserved better, insisting they should have taken their chances.
"We haven't been in the semi-finals for many years and the fact that we played the final and the way we played it it's something to be proud of,"Messi said after the game.
"But we deserved more and that's why we are sad. The strikers missed the chances we had. It's a bad feeling for all of us because we couldn't win the cup and take it to our people.
"It's painful to lose it by so little. We were very close of a big change for this national team but we couldn't finish it."
Argentina made it to the final after beating Netherlands on penalties in their semi-final on Wednesday, a day after Germany thrashed Brazil 7-1 in their last four clash.
And Messi felt the ease at which Joachim Low's side cruised to victory last week, along with the additional 24 hours of rest ahead of the final, was key as the final went into extra-time.
"I was OK physically as were the rest of us," he added.
"The fact that we played a day after them and that we played extra-time against a team that was able to rest in the last minutes of their semi-finals affected our finish of the game.
"A difference of one day is big at this stage."
Messi could take one small crumb of comfort from his evening after being awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament, though he said the prize "meant very little" on a disappointing night.
The Juventus midfielder has been rewarded for his strong performances, finishing ahead of his compatriot and the Dutch attacker
Paul Pogba has been handed the Young Player award following his fine performances for France at the World Cup.
The Juventus midfielder played a key role in les Bleus' run to the quarter-final, impressing in the group stages before putting in a man of the match performance in their 2-0 round of 16 win over Nigeria.
The 21-year-old made five appearances at this summer's tournament, scoring once against the African side and providing an assist in the 5-2 win over Switzerland.
The midfielder previously won the Golden Ball award at the 2013 U-20 World Cup in Turkey and this time beat his compatriot Raphael Varane and Netherlands attacker Memphis Depay to the prestigious indivual prize.
Depay netted twice in four appearances for Oranje, while also setting up another in their 3-2 win over Australia.
Varane, meanwhile, featured in all five of France's matches and put in some strong performances in defence.
Candidates for the Young Player award had to be born on or after 1 January 1993.
Germany worthy world champions as generation comes of age
Jul 13, 2014 23:45:00
COMMENT: Germany won their fourth World Cup as Mario Gotze's strike in extra-time sealed a 1-0 win over Argentina in the final at the Maracana on Sunday
By Greg Stobart at the Maracana
Immortality. Not for Lionel Messi but for a group of Germany players who have conquered the world.
For Mario Gotze - the second-half substitute who made history as he volleyed in the winner deep into extra-time.
For the people running German football who decided on a complete restructure of the country’s youth system when they were humiliated 14 years ago at the European Championship.
Their mission is complete. Germany have reached the finish line and nobody can dispute that they are now the best team on the planet. Germans in beer houses from Rio to Berlin can raise a glass and toast a team that won the country their fourth World Cup and a first in 24 years.
As they celebrated on the pitch with their families at full-time, the Germany players could not hold back their tears of joy. Even Angela Merkel, their Chancellor, was on the receiving end of hugs from nation’s new heroes.
This was the culmination of a project that started in earnest in 2002 when changes were implemented requiring all 36 clubs in the two Bundesliga divisions to operate centrally regulated academies.
A generation in the making | Just rewards for Germany - World Cup win after 24 years
It has created a conveyor belt of top quality talents who play with technical brilliance and attacking cohesion. Germany may not have one star man like Lionel Messi for Argentina. They have a whole team of them.
If it wasn’t for Spain’s dominance of international football, they might not have had to wait so long to win a major international tournament. But it was worth it.
It was worth keeping faith in Joachim Low for the last eight years, backing the coach’s vision to reach this moment.
The semi-final massacre of Brazil will go down as one of the finest performances in World Cup history and they were never going to reach those heights here. But from the first minute, they were superior to Argentina, playing with technical quality, defensive solidity and attacking fluency.
They dealt with every obstacle. From the pre-match injury that forced out Sami Khedira during the warm-up to the concussion that meant his replacement Christophe Kramer did not even make it to half-time, they took it all in their stride.
Gotze was named man-of-the-match for his winner, but nobody epitomised Germany’s display better than Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The Bayern Munich midfielder ended the match as a wounded warrior, sporting a cut below his eye, but for 120 minutes he controlled the tempo of the game, demanding the ball from colleagues and making his team tick.
Germany had 64 per cent possession and played over 300 more passes than Argentina. While the South Americans appeared to be preparing for penalties, Low’s men always backed themselves and their philosophy.
They might have won in normal time had Benedikt Howedes’ header from six yards not crashed back off the post or Toni Kroos finished better from 18 yards in the second half.
In the end, they made their quality count with a goal worthy of the moment. Andre Schurrle crossed from the left and Gotze finished as though in a training exercise, bringing the ball down with his chest before slamming his volley across goal with his weaker left foot.
From that moment, there was never a doubt that Germany would hold on to become deserved and popular world champions.
Hundreds of thousands of Argentines travelled to Rio de Janeiro for the final, but the Germany players would have felt equally at home at the Maracana.
In addition to their 8,000 or so supporters, Low’s men also had the backing of the local Brazilians whose worst nightmare would be to see their greatest rivals win a World Cup in their country.
They probably bought their tickets expecting to see Brazil win their own World Cup.
But Germany have shown everyone how it should be done.
The 1986 World Cup winner felt Fifa made the wrong decision to hand the award to the Barcelona star and rued Argentina's defeat to Germany
Argentina icon Diego Maradona feels Lionel Messi did not deserve to win the Golden Ball following his performances at the World Cup.
The Barcelona star beat the likes of Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and James Rodriguez to the prestigious individual award after scoring four goals in seven performances at this summer's tournament and guiding his team to the final, yet Maradona feels the 27-year-old only won it for commercial reasons.
"Messi? I would give him heaven if possible," Maradona said during his show on Telesur.
"But it's not right when someone wins something that he shouldn't have won just because of some marketing plan."
Maradona then went on to voice his disappointment with Argentina's 1-0 defeat in Sunday's final against Germany following Mario Gotze's goal in extra-time.
"I feel sorry for my country. Mario Gotze's goal really hurt. There's a huge sadness in my heart that we lost the final.
"All things put together, I think Argentina deserved at least penalties. That Germany won was the result of a misunderstanding in the Argentine defence."
The 1986 World Cup winner also had his say on Alejandro Sabella's decision to replace Ezequiel Lavezzi with Sergio Aguero at half-time and argued that the Argentina boss got things wrong.
"I don't understand the substitution of Lavezzi. He was phenomenal down the wing. Kun Aguero didn't have the same impact. It was not his tournament."
The veteran guided the Selecao to the world title in 2002 and Confederations Cup last year but has opted to step aside after the host nation's collapse this summer
Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has presented the Brazilian FA (CBF) with his resignation letter in the wake of their disappointing end to the 2014 World Cup.
The 65-year-old initially refused to step down after Brazil's failure to win the world title on home soil and said at the weekend that it would be up to the CBF to make a decision on his future.
However, it is understood Scolari has indeed informed the CBF he will resign from his post, with Brazil's footballing chiefs expected to make the 2002 World Cup winner's departure official on Monday.
The Selecao started the tournament as the big favourites, but failed to live up to the expectations as they had to settle for fourth spot overall.
Brazil beat Croatia in their opening game before they were held to a scoreless draw by Mexico. A win over Cameroon saw them book their ticket for the knockout stages, where they beat Chile after spot-kicks and then Colombia 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
The hosts' dream came to an abrupt end in the semi-finals, though, when they were thrashed 7-1 by Germany and Netherlands only poured more salt in their wounds in the third place playoff with a 3-0 win.
Scolari guided Brazil to 19 victories in 29 games during his second spell in charge, winning the Confederations Cup - also on home soil - in 2013.
By Ben Hayward at the Maracana
Jul 14, 2014 12:30:00
COMMENT: Supposedly the side's strongest sector, the Albiceleste attack disappointed again on Sunday and key misses by their strikers saw a wonderful chance slip by at Brazil 2014
Argentina's World Cup campaign kicked off last month amid doubts over their goalkeeper and their defence. Ultimately, however, it is their famed forwards who have cost the the Albiceleste the game's greatest prize.
Alejandro Sabella's side stayed solid in this tournament, conceding only four goals in their seven games and keeping clean sheets against Iran, Switzerland, Belgium and Netherlands. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero, previously questioned after spending last season on the bench with Monaco, impressed and was the hero with two penalty saves in the semi-final shootout against the Dutch. Against Germany, a team that had hit seven past hosts Brazil last Tuesday, the defence held firm for 113 minutes until Mario Gotze's extra-time winner.
Further forward, however, things didn't go quite as planned.
Of Argentina's six goals in the group games, Lionel Messi scored four, while the other two came courtesy of an own-goal by Bosnia-Herzegovina's Sead Kolasinac and a header by defender Marcos Rojo against Nigeria.
FRUSTRATING | Aguero was disappointing again in the final
Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain both seemed to be showing the effects of their pre-tournament injuries and against Iran, the two were both withdrawn after missing good chances in a toothless display which required Messi's miraculous intervention in added time.
In the knockout stages, Argentina managed just two goals in four games. Angel Di Maria scored the winner right at the end of extra-time against Switzerland after latching on to a fine Messi pass, while Higuain netted a superb strike in the 1-0 win over Belgium. Overall, however, Argentina's forwards (excluding Messi) provided only two goals in seven games and a total of 720 minutes.
Higuain, who later saw an effort ruled out for offside, missed a glorious chance in the final as he dragged a shot badly wide when presented with the ball by Toni Kroos' careless header. And Aguero, who was injured against Nigeria and missed the Switzerland and Belgium games, made no real impact against Germany apart from striking Bastian Schweinsteiger in the face, while substitute striker Rodrigo Palacio wasted a wonderful opening when he tried to lob Manuel Neuer but saw his shot bounce horribly wide.
"We created the best chances, but we couldn't take them," said Messi - who also dragged a shot off target in the second half against Germany. And team-mate Pablo Zabaleta added: "We were defensively strong, we worked really well and we took advantage of our speed on the break, but unfortunately we couldn't take any of our chances."
Di Maria's departure with injury against Belgium deprived Argentina of their second-best player for the final two games of the tournament and without the Real Madrid winger, the Albiceleste failed to score.
That didn't help, while Higuain and Aguero may have hit top form without injury problems of their own. But in the end, what had been seen as Argentina's major strength turned out to be their Achilles heel and ultimately - in what was an extemely tight encounter on Sunday - their forwards' failure to convert chances cost them the World Cup.
World Cup final loss results in riots in Argentina
Jul 14, 2014 10:00:00
A positive atmosphere quickly turned sour when a group of violent fans clashed with police in the Argentine capital following the loss at the hands of Germany
Argentina's 1-0 World Cup final defeat after extra-time against Germany on Sunday has lead to riots in Buenos Aires.
Thousands of fans had gathered around the city's central Obelisk monument before the game to watch Alejandro Sabella's men take on Germany in a bid to win their third world title in history.
Initially, there was a celebratory atmosphere - even after Argentina were beaten following Mario Gotze's winner in extra-time - but things turned sour when a number of hooligans started throwing rocks at police.
CHAOS | Riot police use tear gas as a number of fans turn aggressive
Local media then captured incidents of looting in central Buenos Aires as the situation got out of control later in the evening, with perpetrators damaging shop fronts and street lights in the city centre.
Parents and children could be seen fleeing the scene following the violent incidents and law enforcement was forced to use tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to restore order.
Close to 60 people have been arrested, with at least 15 police officers sustaining injuries during the riots.
Argentina are expected to receive a warm welcome when they arrive back in Buenos Aires later on Monday following their relatively successful World Cup campaign.
Brazil 2014 better than South Africa 2010, says Blatter
Jul 14, 2014 17:35:00
The Fifa president said this year's competition was better than the one four years ago, but reacted angrily to corruption claims and vowed to stamp out racism in football
By Ben Hayward in Rio de Janeiro
Fifa president Sepp Blatter believes Brazil 2014 was a better World Cup than South Africa 2010 and gave the tournament a mark of 9.25 out of 10.
The competition came to a close on Sunday night as Germany beat Argentina 1-0 after extra-time in Rio to claim the trophy and bring an end to one of the most exciting World Cups in memory.
"The World Cup was a success," Blatter said at the closing press conference on Monday. "We have improved on four years ago in South Africa.
"This was my 10th World Cup and my fifth as president and what makes this so very, very special was the quality of the football and the intensity of the games."
And he added: "We consulted all our computers and our Facebooks and decided on 9.25 out of 10 because perfection does not exist in football."
However, the 78-year-old did call for increased efforts to stamp out racism in football.
"I am not at all happy with the way we fought against racism," he said.
Blatter was also asked about corruption in the organisation of the World Cup, but reacted angrily to the question put to him by a Brazilian journalist.
"Listen lady," he snapped. "When you speak about corruption, you have to present evidence..."
Pirlo, Klose, Gerrard and the stars we'll never see at the World Cup again
By Alec Fenn
Jul 14, 2014 12:00:00
Brazil will mark the final time several household names appear in the competition and we've documented the biggest of those waving goodbye to the tournament once and for all
Time catches up with everyone in the end and for a number of the World Cup's biggest names their advancing years mean they have graced the competition for the last time.
Most players don't get the opportunity to bow out at the top, but Miroslav Klose has waved goodbye to football's grandest stage in style.
His goal in Germany's 7-1 semi-final thrashing of Brazil saw him become the World Cup's record goalscorer with 16 strikes, in a fitting end to what will be his last appearance in the competition at the age of 36.
Italy's Andrea Pirlo continues to defy his years with his brilliance, but given he will be 39 by the time Russia 2018 comes around, he is unlikely to weave his magic in the tournament again.
Another midfield star bidding farewell to the World Cup is Steven Gerrard. England were dumped out in the group stages in Brazil, and the 34-year-old is highly unlikely to have the opportunity to make amends in four years' time.
Spain endured a miserable campaign in Brazil, with their shock exit from Group B set to prompt a changing of the guard, as the veteran trio of Xabi Alonso, 32, Xavi, 34, and David Villa, 32 are replaced by a new breed in 2018.
With four World Cups under his belt, Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o has certainly had his fill of the game's greatest competition, but the 33-year-old would need to display an astonishing durability if he is to appear at a fifth tournament.
Fellow African icon Didier Drogba was used mainly as a substitute in Brazil and the Cote d'Ivoire star will almost certainly be retired in 2018, when he will be 40 years old.
That could also be the case for Diego Forlan who, at 35 and now playing his football in Japan, did remarkably well to be selected in Uruguay's World Cup squad this time around.
Mexico captain Rafael Marquez became the first player to appear in five World Cups in Brazil, though the 35-year-old almost certainly won't extend that record in Russia in four years.
And having failed to reach the tournament at all, Sweden talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic - who turns 33 in October - may not get another opportunity to grace the competition.
We have no Messi or Ronaldo, we have a great team - Beckenbauer
By Peter McVitie
Jul 14, 2014 22:29:00
The Germany icon feels the side will be a difficult one to beat but stopped short of saying they will go on to win the next few tournaments
Franz Beckenbauer says Germany's World Cup win proves the unity in the team compensates for their lack of a superstar like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Joachim Low's side were crowned world champions on Sunday following a 1-0 win over Argentina, thanks to an extra-time goal from Mario Gotze.
And Beckenbauer heaped praise upon the German side and the coach, insisting the team is the real superstar.
"Joachim Low has done everything right," he told Sky Sport. "The German team is entirely worthy world champions, because it was the best team in this tournament.
"They were the best ambassadors for Germany it was the success of the whole team, we had no Messi or Ronaldo, we had no absolute superstar. The Superstar was the team.
"The German team will be very hard to beat. I will not make the mistake and say they will be unbeatable for years to come."
The former Bayern Munich defender also singled out Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes for his displays throughout the tournament.
"He played in a completely different position and put in class performances. The he passed the test with flying colors. Howedes has surprised me the most."
The departure of Luiz Felipe Scolari and his background staff was confirmed by the Brazil Football Confederation but the second in command admitted he found out on the internet
Brazil's coaching staff found out that they were no longer in charge of the national team through the football association's official website, assistant Carlos Alberto Parreira says.
The departure of Luis Felipe Scolari and his background staff was confirmed on Monday night after they handed in their resignations. The Selecao had failed to win the World Cup on home soil after losing 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final before succumbing to Netherlands in the third place play-off.
And the Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed the coach and his background staff have been relieved of their duties, but Parreira has revealed the governing body failed to contact him directly and he had no idea until he had read the CBF's statement.
"I'm waiting on an answer from the CBF about my future and of all the coaching staff," he was quoted as saying by ESPN Brazil. "They still haven't contacted me about this.
"I really didn't know about this information. So, you know, the staff is no longer in charge of the team, this is CBF's position, but it's all news to me, I wasn't aware of that until now."
World Cup 2014: Russia and Qatar, hosts for 2018 and 2022, face tough task to match Brazil's carnival
Fans fell in love all over again with the tournament but, as Fifa takes the finals into new territories, there is now a risk the World Cup could fall off a cliff for eight years
The party's over: Fireworks are launched over the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro after Germany's World Cup triumph Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Paul Hayward, Chief Sports Writer, Rio de Janeiro
11:02PM BST 14 Jul 2014
To Russia, with love. But the renewal of the people’s vows with the World Cup will now be severely tested by its money-driven forays into the uncharted territories of Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022). Was Brazil the last great folk festival?
‘Global Stadium’ is a phrase you will be hearing a lot from now on. It is Fifa’s giddy marketing term to describe a World Cup that is everywhere and nowhere. It lives on smart phones, in video clips, Twitter blizzards and Facebook shares. The stadiums could be anywhere.
As a great Germany team scooped up their garlands for beating Portugal, France, Brazil and Argentina en route to their coronation in the Maracana, the new face of the World Cup was showing itself with Fifa’s claim that “a billion fans” used its digital platforms over the past five weeks.
One wonders whether the report due to published this month on alleged corruption in the 2018-2022 bidding process will attract as much social media chatter as Mario Götze’s comely winning goal in Rio.
In this digital landscape, which employs technology to intensify the World Cup experience for the non-attending spectator, a tournament in Russia is only notionally spread across 12 stadiums in 11 cities: Moscow, Kaliningrad, Yekaterinburg, where the last tsar was executed in 1918, Volgograd, Kazan, Samara, Sochi, Saransk, St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Rostov-on-Don, near the border with Ukraine, which is beset by nationalist fighting.
Already you will sense that Rio, Fortaleza and Belo Horizonte will be a distant dream by the time the oligarchs and corporations who feed off Vladimir Putin’s untrammelled power have splashed an $18.6 billion budget (£10.89 billion) that is expected to rise dramatically, as Sochi’s did for the Winter Olympics.
Given the outrage over the Brasilia stadium budget overrun – to pick one example – the Russians are understandably sensitive to the inference that only their political and corporate classes bid for tournaments so everyone can get rich from building and infrastructure costs.
Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, told Reuters here in Rio: “It’s absurd. Russia has a stable social and political system. There is no point in putting forward this argument. Russia won the right to host the tournament fairly and is a faithful partner.”
But with Putin’s presidential term up in 2018, and the country seeking global powerhouse status, a Russia World Cup is bound to be a political project, in the style of the Sochi Games, or the Beijing Olympics of 2008.
“Our football is like murky water, a gateway for corruption. This is not going to go away in the run-up to the 2018 World Cup,” said Alisher Aminov, president of Russia’s national Fund for the Development of Football.
This Brazil World Cup tested the fortitude and the spending power of fans, who turned up in their hundreds of thousands but faced immense logistical difficulties travelling to games. Many adopted a backpacker’s mentality, and accepted that the first World Cup in Brazil for 64 years was going to be a giant road (or air) trip. Their reward was more than a month of scintillating football.
As a country, Brazil is indeed “not for beginners”, but culture, spirit and context shaped the football and the mood. Although the Selecao crashed to 7-1 and 3-0 defeats against Germany and Holland, Brazilian exuberance was evident right to the end. No Fifa digital media revolution from above can artificially create ambience or vibe.
So the anxiety is that Russia will feel like an economic project, rather than a gathering of the world’s peoples, with a vast travel map, major security concerns and the likelihood that prices will be ramped up outrageously. It will likely not be a World Cup that bothers about western sensibilities, as Russia’s new anti-gay laws already illustrate.
With their national team flaming out under Fabio Capello here in Brazil, the 2018 hosts may be reduced to a spectator role early in their own tournament, though the Brazilians can hardly claim to have been credible contenders, given the 7-1 belting by Germany.
The Russians, though, are unabashed. “Our country has a rich history of holding major sports tournaments, and this will be something special,” Mutko said.
Compared to Qatar, Russia will be Woodstock. The 2022 World Cup is the one that evokes Munch’s The Scream. Unless direct hard evidence is found linking the Qatari bid team to vote-buying then Fifa remains unlikely to enact the zero option of reopening the ballot.
Thus we would be subjected to the farce of a World Cup in a country with no football culture, highly repressive laws, multiple construction deaths and temperatures too high for a summer tournament.
After the redemptive carnival of Brazil, there is a risk of the World Cup falling off a cliff for eight years. The event is changing fast in other ways, in line with cultural forces. One of the stories of this tournament was the growth of interest in America, which still holds the record for average live attendances from 1994. The ‘Global Stadium’ numbers in the United States will excite those inside Fifa who live with dollar signs in their eyes.
The 2014 World Cup was made by the players and the fans. The players ran themselves to a standstill and the supporters fell in love all over again with a tournament that belongs to everybody.
But backdrop and setting matter. A World Cup’s energy comes not from above but the ground up. Not from a Kremlin, not from potentates.
