Franz Beckenbauer World Cup Commentary V

A defeat from, say, a lucky-punch goal by Gonzalo Higuain or a masterful free kick by Lionel Messi, and it would have been a bitter setback after the Germans' 7-1 victory over Brazil. After that historic accomplishment, Germany was virtually forced to become world champions. Against Argentina, it came down to a pitched battle, and I was starting to expect a penalty shoot-out.

I even caught myself thinking that it would once again be the case that a European team cannot win a World Cup held in Latin America. And so it was with all the greater relief to me when substitute striker Mario Goetze scored the winning 1-0 goal seven minutes from the end of overtime. What an ingenious goal! A magic goal.

Germany deservedly won this World Cup. The team already sent a message from the outset with its 4-0 win over Portugal. After that, it managed only some narrow victories and a tie against Ghana, a match which had its scary moments. But you never had the feeling that anything could go wrong. And then came the mind-boggling climax of the 7-1 against Brazil in which the Germans threw off all their shackles. In Brazil, of all places, the cradle of football, the place where new talent seems to grow on trees.

Despite their defeat, my respect also goes to the Argentinians. They had to cope with a number of disadvantages, such as the tough overtime semifinal against The Netherlands followed by a penalty shoot-out. And then with one day less to recuperate. The Argentinians put up a magnificent fight against Germany.

Germany's success cannot be laid down to a single superstar, despite the hymns of praise that such experts as Cesar Luis Menotti, Johan Cruyff and Vicente del Bosque sang about Manuel Neuer, the tournament's best goalkeeper. Or about goal-getter Thomas Mueller who was the tournament's second-highest scorer after James Rodriguez of Colombia. Or, above all, about passing machine Toni Kroos, who unfortunately is now leaving Bayern Munich for Real Madrid. You can't hold it against him: an offer from Real is almost impossible to resist.

Germany's success is a prime example of how a great team develops. After the third-place finishes in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, it was continuously fine-tuned and improved on, step by step. And now with perfect teamwork it has won the long hoped-for title.

In 1986, in my time as head trainer, we lost 3-2 and a bit unluckily against Argentina in the final in Mexico in what was a similarly exciting match. Four years later in our 1-0 final victory, we were far superior to Argentina despite Diego Maradona. Back then, I had initiated some of the first reforms, made sure that we had a good hotel in Italy, gave the players some free time off, and improved the medical treatment for the team. Down to this day, all this has been perfected further, parallel to the tactical and technical development of the players.

Bringing goal-scorer Goetze on as a substitute was the stroke of genius of a world champion trainer. Many people may have been rubbing their eyes when coach Joachim Loew brought in, of all people, someone who nobody had thought of. This is instinct, something that cannot be calculated. The question now is, whether Loew will continue on as Bundestrainer. He recently signed an extension only until 2016. If he wants to stay active as a trainer, then in my view there is no better job than with the German Football Federation. There, everything works smoothly.

We have seen a good tournament. The flow of it, the organisation, the enthusiasm - these were things you might not have absolutely expected, but it was what you were hoping for. It was a spectacle that moved the entire world. Only the team of the host nation, the great title favourite, could not in the end hold up despite all the euphoria. The pressure was simply too great. And on top of it came misfortune with Neymar's injury. But this isn't the end of Brazilian football. I'm certain that four years from now in Russia we will again be seeing a completely different Brazilian team.