Wunderbar! Germany goes crazy after Super Mario's late goal wins the World Cup in dramatic extra-time victory over Argentina
- Mario Götze scores for Germany in extra time, taking his team to a fourth World Cup title
- Germany the first European side to win the trophy in South America, winning the World Cup for fourth time
- World Cup final between Germany and Argentina kicked off at 8pm at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro
- Pre-match closing ceremony featured performances by Shakira and Carlos Santana
- Famous trophy was brought into the stadium by supermodel Gisele Bundchen and 2010 winner Carles Puyol
- Fans also watch the action unfold in fan parks on Copacabana beach, as well as in Berlin and Buenos Aires
- Worldwide audience of up to one billion people were expected to tune in for the biggest game in the football calender
- David Beckham in the stands for the match - as his sons sported Argentina shirts
- Sir Mick Jagger, Brazilian football legend Pele, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Rihanna also watched the game
- Score was 0-0 at the end of first half of extra time, with Gonzalo Higuain's goal for Argentina ruled offside
Millions of Germans took to the streets around the world last night to celebrate their team's victory in the World Cup final.
Ecstatic crowds sang and danced throughout the night following a dramatic last-gasp winner from young German hero Mario Götze, while tears flowed in Argentina after their stars - led by talisman Lionel Messi - failed to deliver.
In the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Angela Merkel - the German Chancellor - led the celebrations by hugging the players as they went up to receive their medals and the trophy. She later enjoyed a beer with Germany's victorious manager Joachim Low in the team's dressing room.
Hero-of-the-hour Gotze celebrated with a kiss from his lingerie model girlfriend, while celebrities in the crowd included David Beckham - who brought sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz., all wearing Argentina strips - and Rihanna, who celebrated Germany's victory by flashing her bra and was later seen partying with the players themselves.
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Time to party: Germany's match-winning striker Mario Gotze was seen enjoying a drink with the pop star Rihanna after the match. Seconds after he scored his winning goal, Rihanna tweeted the words 'Super Mario!'
Great prize: Rihanna was seen partying with the victorious German side in Rio after they won the 2014 World Cup Final. Here she is seen holding the World Cup trophy itself while being kissed on each cheek by stars Lukas Podolski (left) and Bastian Schweinsteiger (right)
Memories: Sami Khedira, who is likely to move from Real Madrid to Arsenal now the World Cup is over, celebrates Germany's victory over Argentina with his girlfriend Lena Gercke (left). Bastian Schweinsteiger, meanwhile, took the opportunity to get his World Cup winning colleagues to sign the shirt he wore during the match (right)
Applause all round: Bastian Schweinsteiger is pictured alongside his girlfriend Sarah Brandner during Germany's post-match party. The tireless midfielder played a key role in the game, sustaining a nasty cut below his right eye following a clash with Sergio Aguero
Sing when you're winning: From left to right, Kevin Grosskreutz, Shkodran Mustafi, Per Mertesacker and Bastian Schweinsteiger of Germany pose with the World Cup trophy as they celebrate with teammates
Exhibitionist: Pop star Rihanna was seen celebrating Mario Gotze's winning goal for Germany by lifting up her top to reveal a leather bra
Superstar fan: Rihanna declared her support for Germany on Twitter before the match and was seen wearing and then holding the national team's shirt while watching the match inside the Maracana stadium. She later joined the players at their post-match party
Approval: Angela Merkel - the German Chancellor - led the celebrations by hugging players (including Manuel Neuer, pictured left) as they went up to receive their medals and the trophy. She later enjoyed a beer with Germany's victorious manager Joachim Low in the team's dressing room (right)
Winners: German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulates Schweinsteiger after the team's victory
Winners: Miroslav Klose of Germany (centre) poses with Chancellor Angela Merkel and his sons Luan and Noah in the dressing room after he helped his side win the 2014 FIFA World Cup final. Klose finished the tournament as the highest scoring footballer in World Cup history
Victor: German striker Mario Gotze won Germany the World Cup with his stunning extra-time goal. Here he is pictured holding the trophy (left) and celebrating with his girlfriend Ann-Kathrin Broemmel (right) during a post-match party
Tough luck Argentina! Scottish actor Gerard Butler strikes a boxing pose while watching the World Cup Final in Rio's Maracana stadium. He spent much of the game sitting alongside Barbadian pop star Rihanna
Support: Rihanna is pictured arm-in-arm with actor Gerard Butler as they watch Germany beat Argentina in the World Cup Final. Never one to shy away from controversy, Rihanna was keen to show her support for one side in particular, wearing a German national shirt for much of the match and tweeting messages about their players
Germany's Mario Götze scored with a brilliant finish to win the World Cup for Germany tonight, as his team beat Argentina 1-0 in the hotly-contested final.
The Bayern Munich star coolly slotted home to score in the 113th minute, after his team had battled long into extra time in their bid to take home the famous trophy for the fourth time - the first as a unified nation.
Midfielder Götze, 22, came on as a substitute to net the winner, controlling the ball with his chest before volleying it into the Argentine goal, making the Germans the first European team to win the title in South America.
'We're going to celebrate for at least five weeks now,' said Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. 'At some point we'll stop celebrating but we'll always keep waking up with a smile.
Jubilation: Germany fans on holiday in Palma de Mallorca, Spain celebrate their nation winning the World Cup for the fourth time
Journey: Thousands of Germany fans gathered on Rio's Copacabana beach to watch their country win the 2014 World Cup thanks to an extra-time goal by Mario Gotze
Joy: Germany fans light flares and wave flags as they celebrate their country winning the 2014 World Cup at a live outdoor screening near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
Is that safe? Thousands of football fans were seen partying in the streets of Berlin following the German national team's fourth World Cup victory
Proud of their team: German fans celebrate their team's victory in the huge 'Fan Mile' public viewing area in Berlin. Germany beat Argentina 1-0 following a dramatic last-gasp winning goal by 22-year-old Mario Gotze
Celebration time: German fans celebrate with fireworks at an outdoor screening area near the Brandenburg Gate. More than 200,000 Germany fans thronged in central Berlin for the World Cup final, turning an avenue behind the Brandenburg Gate into a sea of black, red and gold flags
Wunderbar: Germany's Mario Götze scored with a brilliant finish to put his team ahead in the dying minutes of the World Cup final against Argentina tonight
A kiss for the victor: Götze hugs his girlfriend Ann-Kathrin Brommel after winning the match for Germany with his coolly-taken goal
Lifting the trophy: Germany's defender and captain Philipp Lahm holds up the World Cup trophy as he celebrates with his teammates
Kisses all round: Despite being ruled out of the World Cup final when he picked up an injury while warming up just minutes before the kick-off, Real Madrid star Sami Khedira was seen celebrating Germany's victory in his team shirt, and kissing both his girlfriend Lena Gercke (left) and the World Cup trophy (right)
Global sport: This heat map shows Twitter activity during last night's World Cup final. As one would expect, many of the 32.1million tweets referencing the match were sent from Europe and South America, but the U.S, South East Asia and the Middle East were not far behind
After nervously seeing out the final moments of the game, the German team and their fans, both back in Germany and in the stadium, burst into wild celebrations as the final whistle blew, while rivals Argentina looked to be ruing their missed opportunities to win the game earlier in the match.
And the team's star Lionel Messi appeared stunned and close to tears as the Germans marked their win, having blasted the ball over the bar in the last seconds of the match.
The Die Welt newspaper celebrated Germany's victory with a three-word headline in the national colors of black, red and gold that read simply: "It is true," while Der Spiegel magazine's website listed Germany's titles: "1954. 1974. 1990. 2014!"
Midfielder Mario Goetze, who wasn't born when Germany won its last World Cup, sealed the title with his extra-time goal. 'THANK GOETZ! World champions!' screamed the mass-circulation daily Bild.
'Super Mario gets the fourth star!' read the headline in Berlin tabloid Berliner Kurier.
German astronaut Alexander Gerst congratulated the team from the International Space Station on its 'top performance.' He tweeted a picture of himself in a Germany jersey with an extra fourth star - 'as experts on stars, we already got one.'
On a wing and a flare: German fans celebrate as the final whistle blows in the Maracana stadium
Elated: After nervously seeing out the final moments of the game, the German team and their fans burst into wild celebrations as the final whistle blew
Champions: German fans wave replica trophies in the air as they celebrate their team's famous win
Hopes of a nation: The win saw Germany lift their fourth World Cup, and their first as a united country
Passion: German soldiers serving in a NATO-led peacekeeping mission celebrate their team's World Cup victory at a military base in Prizren, Kosovo
Courage: German soldiers at Camp Marmul in Mazar-e-shari, Afghanistan, leap into the air with joy as the final whistle blows in the 2014 World Cup final
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said after the match: "All of Germany is the world champion.'
'We're going to celebrate for at least
five weeks now... At some point we'll stop celebrating but we'll always
keep waking up with a smile,' he added.
'We did it and it's unbelievable. In the preparation we had some setbacks. We have to think of the guys not here. They are world champions now too,' he went on to say.
Neuer's comments were picked up by a top official in Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, Peter Tauber, who tweeted, 'Good morning, you world champions out there!'
Merkel and President Joachim Gauck, who traveled together
to the final in Rio de Janeiro, posed for pictures with the team and the
trophy.
And there was another selfie with a beaming chancellor for
forward Lukas Podolski, weeks after Merkel dropped into the dressing
room during a visit to Germany's opening match.
This morning Briitish Prime Minister David Cameron, on a visit to the Farnborough air show, joked that at least the UK 'had a bigger defence industry than Germany'.
He added: "Congratulations to Germany on their World Cup win. I texted Angela Merkel as soon as the match was over.'
Another familiar face basking in the German victory was pop star Rihanna who tweeted messages of support before the match and was seen watching the game itself inside the Maracana stadium while wearing a German national shirt.
She changed into a different T-shirt for the second half but continued to hold her German shirt, which she used as a flag.
Rihanna appeared overcome with excitement when Mario Gotze got his match-winning goal deep into extra time however, lifting up her top to reveal her black leather bra.
Later Germany's Arsenal star Mesut Ozil appeared to hand Rihanna his match-worn shirt as he took his place in the line the lift the World Cup trophy.
On top of the world: Germany's players hold their trophy up high as they celebrate becoming the first European team to win the World Cup in South America
Ticker tape parade: Philipp Lahm lifts the World Cup trophy as the team celebrate the dramatic win
Overjoyed: Germany 'keeper Manuel Neuer said that his team would be celebrating 'for at least five weeks now'
Cheers for heroes: The Germans link arms as they celebrate with their trophy
Wags united: The wives and girlfriends of the German squad enjoy their moment in the spotlight after cheering on their partners in Brazil
Differing emotions: Manuel Neuer holds the Golden Glove trophy as Messi fails to raise a smile despite winning the Golden Ball trophy
Both Merkel and Rihanna were a major part of Germany's post-match celebrations, with the German chancellor visiting the players in the dressing room after the match to deliver a congratulatory speech and pose for photographs.
A regular fixture at most Germany matches, Merkel is as passionate as any fan of the national side.
Meanwhile Rihanna found her way into the Germany side's official post-match party, posing with the World Cup trophy itself and embracing the stars.
She posed for pictures with 22-year-old match-winner Mario Gotze, who she shared a drink with, and received kisses on each cheek from elder statesmen Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The victory ensured Germany's first World Cup title as a reunited nation, though that fact drew barely any attention in German media. West Germany's 1990 win came with the country just three months away from reunification and a united Germany won the 1996 European Championship.
Having won the title in 1954, 1974 and 1990 - as West Germany - this triumph makes them the first European team to lift the trophy in the Americas.
About a quarter of a million fans celebrated into the night at the packed 'fan mile' in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, while car drivers blasted their horns into the early hours of the morning.
Thousands had crammed into the world-famous stadium with millions more tuning in around the globe and fan parks packed on Copacabana beach, Berlin and Buenos Aires.
And a host of famous fans were in the stadium for the final game, Gerard Butler - who was sat next to Rihanna - Brazilian football legend Pele and Brazilian supermodel Gisele.
Back home: There were also wild celebrations in Berlin, where many fans had gathered in fan parks to watch the action on a big screen
Thrilled: German fans excitedly wave their flags and scarves, cheering loudly as they mark the win at a screening in Berlin
Cause for celebration: Fans back home in Berlin were just as excited to see their team's win as the supporters who made it to Brazil were
German engineering: German supporters cheer from the sun roof of their car as they cruise along the shopping road Kurfuerstendamm in Berlin
Dancing in the streets: German supporters in Berlin were thrilled to see their team take home the famous trophy after beating Argentina
Former England star David Beckham was also in the crowd with his sons Brooklyn, 15, Romeo, 11, and Cruz, nine, showing their support for Argentina, by wearing the country's famous blue and white strip, despite the fact their their father's most infamous moment on the football pitch came against the Argentines during France 1998, when he recieved a red card for kicking out at Diego Simeone.
His dismissal by referee Kim Milton Nielsen meant England had to play with ten men and went out on penalties.He gained a measure of revenge four years later at the Sapporo Dome in northern Japan when he scored the winning penalty in a group-stage contest between the two teams.
Before
last night’s final the 39-year-old said: ‘Argentina have a group of
talented players who play with a lot of passion, but Lionel, I’m just
excited to see him play.
Daniel Craig was among celebrities who watched from FIFA’s VIP box. The James Bond actor was joined by fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, Colombian singer Shakira and hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean.
The German party is expected to resume tomorrow morning, when coach Joachim
Low's team is due to land at Berlin's Tegel airport and then celebrate
its triumph at the Brandenburg Gate.
The Finance Ministry said it
will issue a special 'Germany World Cup champion' postage stamp. But
don't expect Germany to declare a national holiday in celebration.
'There is no serious discussion of this,' government spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz said.
Team spirit: Götze and his girlfriend Ann-Kathrin Broemmel chat with teammate Jerome Boateng's children after their 1-0 victory over Argentina
Playing around: Götze seems happy to become something of a human climbing from for one of Boateng's young daughters
Caught in the moment: Germany's midfielder Sami Khedira celebrates with his wife, while Mats Hummels speaks to his girlfriend Cathy Fischer
Klose family: Germany's Miroslav Klose with his wife Sylwia Klose and their twin sons, Noah Klose and Luan, as Götze gives his team's hard-won trophy a kiss
Proud moment: Andre Schuerrle is congratulated by girlfriend Montana Yorke, who wore a shirt he had signed with the message 'I love you'
Getting carried away: Schweinsteiger celebrates with one of teammate Klose's twin boys
Despite Germany going into the game
on the back of a 7-1 humiliation of Brazil, it was Argentina who had
the better chances in the first half - with Gonzalo Higuain breaching
goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's net, only for the goal to be ruled offside.
And while Germany looked strong as the full-time whistle approached inside the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the players found the Argentine defence far less porous than that of Brazil on Tuesday, and struggled to make a break through on goal in normal time.
The game had seemed destined for penalties until Schuerrle escaped down the left and sent in a cross that Götze controlled on his chest before slamming home.
Sir Mick Jagger, who earlier in the tournament faced a barrage of online criticism and dubbed a 'jinx' for his backing of losing teams, did not appear to favour either side in the final, instead wearing an England baseball cap, which he paired with a smart suit jacket and purple shirt.
German chancellor Angela Merkel was no doubt cheering on her country, as she sat a few seats from Russian President Vladimir Putin - whose country will host the next World Cup in 2018.
At the final whistle,
Merkel jumped from her seat and raised both arms in triumph, before
turning to her right to be kissed on both cheeks by Brazil state
President Dilma Rousseff. Putin and FIFA President Sepp Blatter were next in line with congratulations.
Expectations for tonight's final match were running high following Germany's ruthlessly efficient dismantling of hosts Brazil in the semi final, while Argentina required penalties to make it past the Netherlands on their route to Rio.
Family outing: David Beckham and his three sons Brooklyn, Cruz and Romeo were all in attendance - with the boys all wearing Argentina kits
Stars of the game: Former Brazilian internationals Kaka and Pele with Beckham before the game
Warm welcome: Brazilian soccer legend Pele (left) greets former English star David Beckham as the two take their seats for the game
Embrace: Pele hugs former England captain David Beckham as the pair prepare to take their seats in the stands to watch the World Cup Final
Family: David Beckham was spotted kissing his Argentina shirt wearing son Cruz as the pair watched Germany win the World Cup Final
According to FIFA, 909.6 million people watched at least one minute of the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, while 900 million people watched the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.
With more than a billion estimated to have tuned-in for last night's, it may well end up as the most-watched sporting event of all time
Prior to the kick off, fans in the stadium were treated to a glittering closing ceremony involving around 1,000 people - including 400 samba dancers and musicians, plus popstar Shakira and supermodel Gisele.
The Columbian singer joined forces to perform Dare with Carlinhos Brown, while Brazilian singer Alexandre Pires, Carlos Santana and Wyclef Jean provided a rendition of the World Cup official anthem, We Will Find A Way.
And Gisele, one of Brazil's most famous exports, escorted the famous trophy, encased in a specially-designed Louis Vuitton trunk, into the stadium with 2010's winning captain, former Spain star Carles Puyol.
Large crowds of supporters had
gathered
around the stadium from the early morning, despite the match not
kicking off until 8pm BST, flooding the streets around the Maracana with
a sea of blue and white, black, red and yellow.
Backing their team: The Argentina fans crammed into the stadium and loudly cheered on the team
Packed: The game had been a sell out, and millions more people around the world were watching the match unfold on television
From traditional Bavarian Lederhosen and East Germany vintage tops of the 1970s to giant Argentine flags and those of every South American nation, fans were getting ready for the biggest single event in world sports.
'This is our time. This is our continent and our victory tonight here in Brazil,' said Juan Alvarez, 24, who drove three days from the Argentine capital Buenos Aires with a group of friend, as he showed his ticket for the game.
'Winning it here in Brazil would make it even better,' he said.
Police, military and other security personnel numbering tens of thousands mingled with arriving fans as the host nation looked to safely round off a tournament which has been largely successful despite initial fears regarding security, transport and construction.
In a mortifying twist for Brazilians whose rivalry with their South American neighbours runs deep, authorities
expected a total of 100,000 Argentines to flood into the city of their
bitter footballing rivals with Germany fans easily outnumbered.
Some had paid $10,000 for an airline and hotel package, while others drove the 2,000 kilometres from Buenos Aires.
Argentine flags, tents and cars were dotted all around the famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches in Rio. Many climbed up to the Christ statue, draping blue-and-white colours at the bottom.
Some locals, with tickets to a game where they had dreamed of seeing Brazil lift a sixth World Cup, instead donned Germany colours for the occasion.
'We have forgiven Germany what they did to us. In fact, we admire them because they played the Brazil way,' said Rio resident Bruno Perreira, outside the Maracana wearing a Germany replica top and joking with Argentina fans.
Vow: German supporters hold up a banner aimed at Brazilian fans, which read 'We won't let Argentina win in your home!'
Fans: Football fans across the globe were tonight enjoying the culmination of what has been dubbed 'the best World Cup ever' with Germany taking on Argentina in the glittering final in Rio de Janeiro
Backing their teams: A German supporter holds up a poster predicting a fourth World Cup win for his country, while this Argentine fan soaks up the atmosphere
The game marked the third time Germany and Argentina have met in a World Cup final. Argentina won 3-2 in a 1986 thriller in Mexico City, while Germany won 1-0 four years later in Rome.
And the history did not stop there: Germany kicked Argentina out of the last two World Cups in the quarter-finals, humiliatingly so by a 4-0 scoreline in 2010 when they cruelly exposed then coach Maradona's tactical naivety.
At one point Angela Merkel raised her arms in the air in triumph and let out a roar – but her celebrations were premature when she thought Germany had scored at the end of the first half.
The header by defender Benedikt Howedes looked to be going into the net, but it hit the post and the interval score stayed at 0-0.
The German chancellor had earlier met Russian leader Vladimir Putin, watching the game with him and other leaders in a FIFA box at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Hopes that the final would be used to reignite peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were dashed however. On Saturday, a Brazilian official said Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would share the VIP area at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
But Mr Poroshenko abruptly abandoned plans to fly to the World Cup celebrations in Brazil because of the mounting bloodshed in his country, it was reported.
Mr Putin was there to take part in a handover ceremony with Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff and FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, ahead of his own country hosting the World Cup in 2018.
Football fan: Singer Rihanna was in full voice as she cheered in the VIP seats of the Maracana
Cheering them on: Rihanna had said before the match that she would be supporting Germany, but she had drawn a Brazilian flag on her neck
Unlikely pundit: Singer Rihanna, pictured in the stadium tonight, has been a prolific tweeter during the tournament, giving her opinion on many of the teams taking part
All smiles: Sir Mick Jagger sported an England cap as he watched the match, after he was criticised for backing losing teams during the tournament
Suited up: Sir Mick, who paired his England cap with a suit jacket and smart shirt, poses for a picture with a fan in the stands
Both goalkeepers, Manuel Neuer of Germany and Sergio Romero of Argentina, went into the game in the form of their lives, while Messi, on four goals, and Thomas Mueller, on five, were both chasing the 'Golden Boot' award for the leading scorer.
But it was Colombia's James Rodriguez who took home the prize after scoring six goals. All three are also among the 10 players
short-listed for FIFA's 'Golden Ball' award to the tournament's best
player - which Messi eventually won, while Neuer took home the 'Golden Glove' for best goalkeeper.
In total, the goal-laden tournament produced 171 goals, equalling the all-time record of 171 set in France in 1998.
After the match, German-themed pubs and bars across London were filled with delighted expats as they gathered to watch their national team win the World Cup.
At the Zeitgeist pub in Vauxhall several hundred fans erupted with joy at the final whistle, spraying beer everywhere to start a party that went on long into the night after Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time.
Travelling in style: Former Spanish international Carles Puyol (right) and model Gisele Bundchen (left) walk in the tunnel to present the World Cup in a special Louis Vuitton travel case
Getting verything in place: Puyol and Gisele present the famous World Cup trophy prior to the match
Showing the love: Her home country may have gone out in the semi finals, but Gisele still appeared to be enjoying herself as she made a heart gesture in the stadium
Guests of honour: FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, Vanessa Lorenzo, NFL athlete Tom Brady, model Gisele Bundchen and former Spanish international Carles Puyol (left to right) pose for a photograph before the game
One fan, called Jorg, said: 'It's unbelievable. This is the second World Cup I have witnessed us winning since I was born, the first I was too young to realise, this one has been a dream.
'We now have four stars, four stars baby. I'm going to have to go shopping and get a new shirt with four stars on it!'
Philip Nuggert, from the German city of Bielefeld, was heading to Trafalgar Square to carry on the party.
He said: 'I feel amazing, I can't believe we won this.
'And Gotze scored, it is incredible, it's the best feeling ever.
'Now we are heading to Trafalgar Square to party all night long.
'I spoke to my manager already, she is fine with it!'
The mood was in stark contrast to that in Argentinian bars across the British capital.
Around 400 noisy fans gathered at Moo Cantina in Pimlico to cheer on the South Americans.
Many wore their team's blue and white shirt and painted their cheeks in support of their heroes.
They chanted constantly throughout the game until Mario Gotze's goal in the 113th minute left everyone in stunned silence.
Leaders: German chancellor Angela Merkel met Russian president Vladimir Putin, watching the game with him and other leaders in a FIFA box at the Maracana stadium
Power: Russian president Vladimir Putin was seen deep in conversation with FIFA president Sepp Blatter during the World Cup Final
Pre-match diplomacy: FIFA President Sep Blatter talks to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German President Joachim Gauck final
Faces in the crowd: Russia's President Vladimir Putin, left, FIFA President Sepp Blatter, center, and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, watch the closing ceremony
Some fans were left in tears and could not bring themselves to watch the dying moments of the game.
But when the final whistle was blown the fans gave a rapturous round of applause for their team's efforts.
Even Pope Francis was keeping an eye on the game from the Vatican.
The Argentine-born, football-loving pontiff pledged neutrality, promising not to pray for any team. However, Francis did tweet on the eve of the final: 'The World Cup allowed people from different countries and religions to come together.'
Meanwhile, Germany’s Mesut Ozil faces being quizzed by Scotland Yard on his return from Brazil.
The Arsenal midfielder must answer questions about how three detectives ended up in his private box at the Emirates Stadium. Anti-corruption investigators want his version of events over their day out together just hours after he became a suspect in a criminal inquiry.
Photographs of the three detectives lounging around with the German national player, revealed in Saturday’s Mail, are at the centre of an internal police inquiry.
Bringing glamour to the proceedings: Columbian singer Shakira wowed fans as she joined forces with Carlinhos Brown (left)
Song and dance: Carlinhos Brown wore a distinctive black and white headdress as he performed with Shakira
Star: The blonde singer and mother-of-one wowed fans in her eye-catching red sequinned outfit
The previous day the force began an inquiry after Ozil’s car collided with a photographer as he left his North London home.
Several weeks later it was dropped by bureaucrats in the traffic office who blamed the fact there was ‘no independent evidence’ of what took place.
Investigators are trying to get to the bottom of why the Haringey borough officers went to the match and whether any of them were involved in that inquiry.
If they were, it raises serious questions of a conflict of interest and could even lead to allegations of bribery and misconduct in a public office.
It is believed that two of the officers were sent to take a statement from Ozil and the other officer was invited as well because they are Arsenal fans.
BBC pundits or sales reps?
The BBC’s pundits may have thought they would come out as winners in the World Cup style wars by wearing suits.
But not everyone agreed, with one tweet comparing them to sales reps.
Meanwhile, on the windswept beach of Rio de Janeiro, their rivals on ITV, which was also showing the final, took a more casual approach.
Playing it smart: From left, the BBC presenting team of Rio Ferdinand, Alan Shearer, Alan Hansen, and Gary Lineker
BBC presenter Gary Lineker matched his dark suit with a charcoal tie while fellow former England striker Alan Shearer teamed his suit with a purple and white striped tie. Former Scotland international Alan Hansen wore a blue tie to mark his final broadcast appearance for the BBC after 22 years. Rio Ferdinand wore a double breasted suit with a bright orange tie.
But on Twitter many questioned the choice of the BBC team, with one describing them as ‘looking like sales reps’. Even Ferdinand joked later that his outfit made him look like a pilot for the airline easyJet.
On ITV, presenter Adrian Chiles and Martin O’Neill were in long-sleeve shirts while Ian Wright, Lee Dixon and Glenn Hoddle wore short-sleeve shirts.
None had a tie on.
Casual look: From left, the ITV panel was made up of Martin O'Neill, Ian Wright, Adrian Chiles, Lee Dixon, and Glenn Hoddle. None wore a tie
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Photo number 10 - Is that a hard object in German-coach Low's pants, or is he just happy to see Angela Merkel ???
Irrelevant. It had nothing to do with Goetze's goal, and Argentina wasted the chances they had. The better team won.
What the hell was the trainer doing not picking Tevez? That was exactly what was missing for Argentina and to think that clown with thinning hair and a pathertic little pigtail at the back was perhaps chosen instead is beyond belief. Its as if the trainer was trying to sabotage the team from within.
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Germany's WAGs celebrate in style! Wives and girlfriends invade pitch after match - then carry on partying all night
boredandconfused, London, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago
DM, can you give us an update on Christoph Kramer?