AP PHOTOS: “All of Germany is the world champion”

The Associated Press

The party was already underway in Berlin, though there were a couple of nervous moments before the revelers could really let themselves go.

Mario Goetze had just struck late in extra-time for Germany, scoring the lone goal against Argentina in the World Cup final.

With a 1-0 victory, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said after the match: “All of Germany is the world champion.”

The theme was picked up by a top official in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party, Peter Tauber, who tweeted, “Good morning, you world champions out there!”

“I can’t remember very much but it doesn’t matter now,” Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer said, shrugging off his head injury from the first half.

This was supposed to be Lionel Messi’s World Cup, just like the 1986 tournament belonged to another Argentine great, Diego Maradona.

Messi’s final act was lifting a free kick high over the bar, wasting Argentina’s last chance to equalize in the final against Germany.

It was far from a fitting finish for the four-time world player of the year.

“I’m hurt for losing the way we did. We were close to penalties,” Messi said. “I think we deserved a little better, we had chances.”

Here are some of the most memorable photos from the World Cup final:

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Follow AP photographers on Twitter: http://apne.ws/XZy6ny

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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