Germany wins the 2014 World Cup

Video by ESPN
Story by Gabriele Marcotti

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brasil -- Mario Gotze is not a professional actor, which might explain why his range of expressions is somewhat limited. There's a grin, a broad smile, pain and, presumably, anger too. And then there's the blank, trance-like mask he showed after scoring the goal that made him and 22 other Germans world champions.

His gaze remained fixed as he was enveloped in his teammates' embrace. We don't know what he was thinking. And neither does he.

"In situations like that, you don't really understand what has just happened," he said afterward.


The ESPN FC guys react to Germany's 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup Final.

The mask only melted into a smile when Jerome Boateng chest-bumped him and then pushed his ample forehead down into Gotze's, like some kind of instant Vulcan mind-meld.

Maybe that's when he realized what he had done.

It lasted an instant or two, and then the game-face returned. This match had to be closed out. And it was. Germany won their first major trophy in 18 years and became champions of the world for the fourth time, a total that matches Italy and is second only to Brazil, who have five World Cups.

Read more: http://www.espnfc.com/blog/marcotti-musings/62/post/1948897/marcotti-teamwork-pays-off-for-germany