The 113th minute of the 2014 World Cup final will forever be remembered as the moment Mario Gotze won the World Cup for Germany.
Gotze, 22, chested the ball down and hammered a perfect volley across goal into the far corner to give the Germans their fourth World Cup in history.
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It’s safe to say Gotze is now a national hero in Germany. There is going to be a lot of newborns called Mario this time next year...
Anyway, below is everything you need to know about Gotze as the game-winner has became a hero, icon and wunderkid with one majestic swipe of his left boot.
FACT FILE
Full name: Mario Gotze
Age: 22
Hometown: Memmingen, Bavaria
Club team: Bayern Munich
International stats: 35 apps / 11 goals
Height: 5 ft 9 in
Squad number: 19
Position: Playmaker, left, right, central midfield
2014 World Cup stats: 6 apps / 2 goals
Fun fact: His father, Jurgen, is a renowned professor at the University of Dortmund
Other ‘Super Mario’ facts
- Gotze was embroiled in a transfer brawl between Germany’s two biggest teams, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, last summer. Bayern found out Gotze had a buy-out clause in his contract the week before the two squared off at Wembley for the UEFA Champions League title. Then, they bought him. Uproar. Gotze, heading to Bayern but still a Dortmund player, didn’t play. After moving to the Allianz this season his career has failed to take off at Bayern. Maybe this goal will help.
- Gotze is the second most expensive German player in history after Bayern splashed out $50 million for the talented attacker. Only Mesut Ozil $(64 million) cost more.
- Gotze’s girlfriend is German lingerie model, Ann-Kathrin Brommel.
- Gotze is held in high esteem from his manager, Joachim Low, who revealed in his post-match presser that he told Gotze at half time of extra time to: “Show to the world that you’re better than Messi and that you can decide the World Cup.” He did just that. No big deal...
- Gotze is a standout guy who remembered his best mate Marco Reus during the greatest moment of his career. Gotze and Reus came up through Borussia Dortmund’s academy together, but Reus was badly injured in a warm up game before the World Cup and didn’t go to Brazil. Gotze dedicated his goal (plus he was holding Reus’ shirt after the game, see below) and the win to his good pal Reus. Fair play, Mario.