By the finish, Bastian Schweinsteiger could barely walk. The noble German defender was staggering toward the sideline, his back to the action, as Lionel Messi lined up Argentina's last-chance free kick. Bleeding from the face, his entire body a wreck after a day of violent collisions, Schweinsteiger eventually turned to watch the final moments of Sunday's World Cup final.
Messi's kick sailed high above the bar, almost ridiculously so. It seemed headed for the galaxy. Soon came the whistle, ending the second overtime period and handing Germany a 1-0 victory that was richly deserved. Without question, the best team won.
And the best player was vanquished, once again.
Take nothing away from the performance that gave Germany its first World Cup title since 1990. Honor a team with depth, toughness and imagination. Cherish the game-winning goal that saw Andre Schuerrle rushing down the left side, delivering a feathery cross at full speed, and Mario Goetze drilling a sensational left-footed volley after taking the ball off his chest.
Remember, too, that Schuerrle and Goetze each came off the German bench as substitutes, symbolizing a machine-like system that never stops producing.
Weight of the world
But in the aftermath, and we speak of the world outside Germany, the discussion will turn to Messi. He exists in a parallel universe, equal parts glory and despair. As he returns to Barcelona, surely to dazzle aficionados with his unmatched ability in the Spanish league, he leaves behind yet another empty performance for his native country - and a demon he may never be able to shake.
When Argentina last won this event, in 1986, it was crafted almost singlehandedly by Diego Maradona, either scoring or assisting on 10 of the 14 goals and authoring two of the most famous goals in history. It seemed a blessed opportunity for Messi to inherit Maradona's throne and put his personal stamp on Argentine soccer history, but it has undeniably become a curse. Messi scored a relatively meaningless goal in the 2006 World Cup, got blanked entirely in South Africa four years ago, and failed to score in Brazil once the knockout stages began.
At least Messi was a presence on Sunday, and quite nearly a menace. He was given more space, more scoring chances, than ever before. And yet - nothing. Inside the box with glorious options on either side of him in the 36th minute, he had his pass deflected. Lining up an inviting 20-yarder about 10 minutes later from the left of the goal, he put a little too much bend on it. Other promising forays were denied. And while the odds were stacked against Messi on that final free kick, the Argentine fans - 100,000 strong in Rio de Janeiro this weekend - would have appreciated something on target.
Wearing his fatigue
Throughout the tournament, there had been questions about Messi's fitness. Maradona, former British star-turned-broadcaster Gary Lineker and even Messi's father said he looked fatigued by the quarterfinal stage, and during the first half of Sunday's match, he doubled over and vomited on the pitch.
Then again, if anyone got a close look at the German squad, it was difficult to summon too much sympathy for Messi's condition.
Before the match started, key midfielder Sami Khedira was pronounced unavailable with a calf injury. His replacement, Christoph Kramer, took two severe blows to the head and eventually needed assistance to leave the field. This was a rough, often brutal match that took a massive toll on many fronts, symbolized by Schweinsteiger as he picked himself off the turf, time and again, the essence of his team's resilience and resolve.
Germany dominated the possession - always a statistic to consider - and Argentina's failures stretched well beyond Messi's. Gonzalo Higuain badly shanked a clear shot on goal in the 21st minute. An offside call negated Higuain's bullet into the net about 10 minutes later. Rodrigo Palacio lifted a chip shot over the head of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer but disturbingly wide to the left in extra time.
Missing on offense
And thus, the bitter truth for Argentina: Just eight goals in seven World Cup matches, three against a disjointed Nigerian team. Its attack vanished after the group stage and missed the mercurial presence of Angel di Maria, lost to a thigh injury.
Give full glory and credit to the Germans, who scored a long-awaited victory in the storied Estadio do Maracana. Wish all those Argentine fans a safe trip back home. And for Messi? Maradona vowed that he'd "lay out the red carpet" if Messi returned with a World Cup title. The man in the parallel universe would have settled for his country's blue and white. As it stands, it's little more than an empty dirt road.
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