Mario Götze netted one of the most memorable goals in soccer history - and he understands what's required to claim the FIFA World Cup.
The knockout rounds of the World Cup are in progress, and Germany - one of the sport's most storied nations - was aiming to capture the trophy for a record-tying fifth time. Following a stunning defeat to Ecuador in their final group match, Julian Nagelsmann's squad faced Paraguay in the Round of 32.
Germany kicked off the competition impressively, demolishing Curaçao 7-1 before rallying from behind to beat the Côte d'Ivoire. The European powerhouse anticipated a deep run in the World Cup across North America, only to fall to Paraguay in a shootout, marking Germany's first-ever penalty shootout defeat.
In the end, a former champion understands precisely what Germany required to succeed. Götze, who netted the decisive goal in the 2014 World Cup final, was part of an exceptional squad that delivered Germany's most recent major victory.
Mesut Özil, Thomas Müller, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, and Manuel Neuer - who participated in the 2026 squad - were among the stars who helped Germany secure world champion status once more. However, talent alone isn't sufficient, according to Götze.
"I mean, in the end, of course, you need to have a foundation of players who believe they can win and trust in each other's ability," Götze exclusively told Mirror U.S. Sports. "You need a good foundation to go very, very far in the tournament. I think that's very important.
"And then you have to build the momentum. Plus, you need a lot of luck. I mean, when I look back, we also had a lot of luck. The second game against Ghana was a draw. Then we played Algeria, which went to overtime. France was just 1-0 from the free kick.
"In the end, you need the small moments to be on your side - and that's what you have to build with the team. You never know what will happen, but I think they have the foundation, at least."
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Twelve years ago, Germany topped their group with victories over Portugal and the United States, plus a draw against Ghana. Joachim Low's side required extra time to eliminate Algeria before narrowly beating France by a single goal in the quarterfinals.
The semifinals, however, saw Germany deliver one of the most stunning performances in World Cup history, dismantling host nation Brazil 7-1 in a moment that left the soccer world speechless. Götze smiled, adding: "You need to play a better game, especially against France, Argentina, Portugal, and Brazil. You have to play well against the big, big countries, and we did that."
In the final, Götze entered as a substitute and volleyed home the decisive winner against Lionel Messi's Argentina. He now hopes another German player gets to experience the extraordinary sensation of netting the winning goal on soccer's grandest stage.
"It's a great memory I bear with me," Götze said. "It was such an amazing moment, and I can't believe it was already 12 years ago. It was just a relief, scoring at the pinnacle of playing soccer in Rio, in Brazil, with the German national team in a crucial moment against Argentina.
"In the end, the memory is very, very positive, and I'm always happy to look back on it and feel that emotion again. When I look back on it now, I understand just how special it was because it's very rare you can play a World Cup final."
Source: Alloutsoccer.com
