Germany 2014
Germany won Brazil 2014 with devastating collective football, the crowning achievement of a decade-long project led by Joachim Löw. The semi-final against Brazil was a historic event: 7-1 at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte the greatest humiliation ever suffered by a host nation, with five German goals in 18 first-half minutes. The world watched in disbelief. In the final on 13 July at the Maracanã, before 74,738 spectators, Messi's Argentina held firm for 113 minutes. Then André Schürrle drove down the left and crossed to the far post, where Mario Götze a 22-year-old substitute whom Löw had told "show the world you are better than Messi" controlled on his chest and volleyed home: 1-0. Germany lifted their fourth world title in Rio de Janeiro, closing a perfect cycle.