It’s officially all over and as we all suspected the Germans snuck past Messi’s crew in an epic final. In a game that was both skilful and brutal we were fortunate to experience a tense finale to what was a truly engaging World Cup tournament. In a way, it’s probably best that it didn’t go to all the way to penalties, even though it would have prolonged the enjoyment.
From the shock of the title holders limping out early doors, to the hosts imploding in the semi-final, World Cup 2014 truly was full of intrigue from start to finish.
With the usual gazillions of fans glued to their screens all over the globe, it’s been reported that the use of football betting apps massively increased the amount bet on this World Cup – and it would have been a mixed bag for punters and bookies alike. The Germans showed their class early on in the tournament and when they whipped the hosts in such emphatic style their odds hugely shortened.
Perhaps the defining moment in Sunday night’s finale was just after the moment Argentina earned themselves a free kick in the dying minutes. With the supremely talented Mr Messi stepping up to take it, the pressure on the man must have been incredible. And so it proved to be too much for the little magician that we expect so much from. Let’s be honest, apart from 80 million or so Germans who wouldn’t have loved it if he had he managed to whip the ball into the back of the net?
Sadly, it wasn’t to be and let’s take nothing away from Mario Götze’s sublime winner. When the young Bayern attacking midfielder came on a substitute he brought renewed energy to his tiring team mates and is now immortalised in the history of World Cup football. What a future he has ahead of him
How did your bets fare? With users of mobile apps like BookieBoost frantically taking advantage of free bets and price boosts from betting firms, the feeling is that those in the know had their money on the Germans from early on in the tournament.
‘But no team from outside South America has ever won a World Cup in South America’, we kept thinking. In the end, such stats are just that and Lionel Messi despite flashes of brilliance just could not get past that rock solid wall of a German defence. Bastian Schweinsteiger’s midfield heroics deserved nothing less. At times he looked more like Rocky Balboa.
And news just in is that Mr. Scolari has fallen on his sword as Brazil look to rebuild after the hosts could only manage fourth.
Congratulations to the Germans and Argentinians – and now we wait four more years….damn.