RIO DE JANEIRO, July 14. /ITAR-TASS/. Although yielding the title of world champions to Germany after the final match of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil on Sunday night, Argentine Head Coach Alejandro Sabella said his players fought like “warriors” and deserved victory more than the unstoppable German squad.
“My players were warriors and I congratulated them afterwards because, beyond the sadness of the result, a coach must always assess his team's performance - and I believe that it was quite good,” Sabella was quoted on the official 2014 World Cup website as saying after the match. “I'm very proud, and my boys played an extraordinary World Cup. It was very exciting to see them play, and it's clear they gave everything for the Argentine jersey.”
Germany won its 4th world champion’s title after defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final match of the 2014 World Cup on Sunday night in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro to become the first European team to triumph on the South American soil.
Although the 59-year-old Argentine coach praised his team’s title contenders Germany, he clearly indicated that his South American squad had better chances of winning over the Europeans.
“We were playing a great team, and the match had its ups and downs, with Germany having greater ball possession and control of the field of play, and us enjoying the clearer chances,” Sabella said.
“At the moment, I have the dual feeling of frustration at not having achieved our dream of winning the final, but pride at having done our duty of giving our best,” he said.
The Argentine coach dismissed any comments concerning the future of his post at the helm of the Argentine national team saying the time would tell what happens next.
“As for my future, I'm not sure,” he said. “My plan is to take time with my family and rest a bit, and I have nothing to say beyond that.”
Two-time world champions Argentina (1978, 1986) also became two-time world’s vice champions following tonight’s defeat to Germany, which earlier went to the World Cup’s history books with the crushing 7-1 semifinal victory over hosts Brazil on Tuesday.
This was the third final face-off for Argentina and Germany within the frame of the World Cup series. They first played for the title in 1986 in Mexico, where the Argentines defeated the Nationalmannschaft 3-2, and then in Italy in 1990, when the German squad avenged La Albiceleste with the 1-0 victory.
Their third time final meeting is the first in the history of World Cups with only Italy and Brazil playing each other at this stage of the global football tournaments twice in 1970 and 1994.
Prior to the match on Sunday night, both teams had an overall history of 20 matches played against each other and, besides the five tied matchesm, Argentina packed nine victories against Germany’s six. The number of scored goals stood even at 28 both for Germany and Argentina.