RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Germany won the World Cup. Host Brazil won a world of new friends.
The
now four-time world champions, the first European team to win it on
South American soil, earned
the honor of lifting the most recognized
trophy in sports after a 1-0 victory in a final as terrific as the
tournament itself.
For a 32-day showcase of football at its best,
the winning goal was beautifully appropriate. Mario Goetze controlled
the ball with his chest and then volleyed it into the Argentine goal,
making it look simple.
German chancellor Angela Merkel, sat in the
VIP section with other notables, waved a clenched fist. Vladimir Putin
later reached across to shake her hand.
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