Mario Gotze left it late in extra time to score a breathtaking goal to give Germany their fourth World Cup, beating a gritty Argentine side at the Maracana, Brazil.

The Germans  gave their sweat, blood and stretched every tendon to crack a hugely compact Argentine side who would only rue the many missed glorious opportunities they had early on.

It was a game that registered a single goal but many glorious opportunities were created and missed at both ends.

Higuan, Messi, and later Palacio had some decent chances to crown their sweat with glory but they missed and were later punished.

Mario Gotze with eight minutes left for the penalty kick controlled an inch-perfect cross from the left and with a master stroke, unleashed a half volley to beat Sergio Romero in post for the South Americans.

It was a goal that broke many Argentine hearts and left Lionel Messi shattered.  Even if he was later consoled with a Golden Ball Award, the Barcelona man would look back at this tournament and regret not winning the only trophy in football which has been missing in his ever glowing trophy cabinet that has four World Best trophies, two champions league medals, several other La Liga titles, golden boots awards in Europe as well as in the domestic campaign.

He needed the World Cup badly but the Germans, perhaps, as a team, needed it more. They were superb in becoming the only European side to win the World Cup in a South American terrain and they did with panache- embarrasing Portugal by four goals to nil and torturing host Brazil by 7-1 before edging past Argentina at the Maracana.

They looked more like the favorites going into the final but the Argentines were no push overs and within minutes of the blast of Nicola Rizzoli's whistle it was Messi that was asking tough questions of Mats Hummels on the right of attack.

Messi made a rampaging run on the right beating Hummels but his cross from the weaker foot on the right was well defended.

On the 20th minute mark Gonzalo Higuan was gifted an opportunity to open the account for the South Americans but the former Real Madrid man criminally wasted the opportunity.

He was in an offside position but a wayward defensive header meant for Manuel Neuer played him onside and was supposed to keep a cool head and bury the ball. He chose to blast it wide and buried his head in his palm shortly after.

Eight minutes later he made amends but his goal was rightly adjuged as offside.

For a ruthless German side that had made many quality teams looked ordinary, Argentina did have a lot of defending to do and they did that quite well. Philip Lahm was devastating on the right with his rampaging runs and incisive crosses but most of them were well defended.

 

Hummels broke through though with a last gasp header in added time of the first half but the wood work came to the rescue of the Argentines.

Back from recess Lionel Messi could have opened scoring after being played through but his strike from close range whisked just wide.

Germany then took the game to the South Americans with Schurrle and Lahm posing all sorts of troubles for the Argentine defence but there was still nothing to show for it.

With a quarter of an hour left, Messi in a swift counter attacking play took on three German defence men and tried to squeeze a ball through to Higuan but the Germans intercepted and broke the Argentine attack. It was soon to be defensive duties for the South Americans, as the Germans put more men forward in anticipation for the crucial winner.

Mario Gotze was soon brought on for Miroslav Klose who had become the highest goal scorer in the World Cup and the only player to have played more matches at the World Cup.

Joachim Low made his intentions clear. He wanted a win in regulation time and not through a penalty shootout which might prove elusive.

With a German striker on for another striker, the Argentine defence was made to do over time to clip the wings of the fluid German attack. They did just that until whistle went for the Extra Time.

The limbs were tired but the steely determination to win the World Cup kept the players going. Bastian Schweinsteiger, who did not look like a boxer, had a cut just below his right eye after an outstretched hand from an Argentine attacker caught him in the face. He fought on marshalling the midfield of the Germans.

A minute in to extra time, Schurrle blasted the ball straight at Romero but the Chelsea striker ought to have done better on that occasion.

But it was the South Americans who should have nailed it. Palacio who came on for Higuan had yet another great opportunity to score but like the man he came to replace, the young striker controlled the ball perfectly with his chest and with only Neuer to beat, he flicked the ball over and above the oncoming Neuer and the ball bounced wayward for a goal kick.

It was an opportunity Argentina would have to rue and they did. Schurrle after breaking free on he left with eight minutes found Gotze with a sublime cross. The Bayern Munich wonder kid controlled the ball with his chest and without waiting for it to bounce, he volleyed the ball mid-air beating Romero at close range and crowning the efforts of Germany with a golden glory.

The Argentines fought back in desperation but the time left was their worst enemy. The clock ticked so fast to the end of 120 minutes as Messi's World Cup dreams was again shattered this time  in a more dignified manner.

Having qualified for the semi finals in the last three successive World Cups, it was the Germans time for glory and it was Lahm who lifted not only the gold plated World Cup but lifted up their sheer determination and unity of purpose.

Tears of joy: A weepy Andre Schurrle is congratulated by his girlfriend Montana Yorke after the match
 

Sending a message: Germany supporters hold up a banner reassuring the Brazilians