2014 FIFA World Cup
Germany's fourth world title, won in Brazil with goal-line technology and a historic 7–1 semi-final.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th edition of the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams, held in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014. It was the second time Brazil staged the competition, the first being in 1950, and the fifth time it was held in South America. Germany won the tournament, defeating Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the final.
- Host
- Co-host (with Brazil)
- Group
- A (Brazil, Croatia, Cameroon)
- Manager
- Miguel Herrera
- Captain
- Rafael Márquez
- Finish
- 3rd in Group A — eliminated
- Record
- 1 win, 0 draws, 2 losses (3 points)
Lore & Background
The tournament featured 32 teams, including host nation Brazil and debutant Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the first time at a World Cup, goal-line technology and vanishing spray for free kicks were used. Spain, the defending champions, were eliminated at the group stage. Host Brazil lost to Germany 7–1 in the semi-finals and finished fourth. Germany became the first European team to win the World Cup in the Americas, and this marked the third consecutive title won by a European team.
In Their Own Story
The Azteca was a living thing that night. Eighty thousand voices pressed against the stadium walls, a green-and-white ocean rippling under the floodlights. Rafael Márquez, his face lined with the years of four World Cups, pressed his palms together at the center circle and whispered something no one could hear. The whistle blew. And within minutes, the roar turned to a gasp, then to a silence so total it felt like the air had been sucked out of the bowl. The scoreboard glowed red. Around him, the same players who had celebrated in the tunnel just hours earlier now stared at the grass as if it had turned to stone. A young fan in the lower tier pressed his forehead against the concrete barrier and breathed in long, shuddering pulls. The match was over. The night was not. It would not be, for a long time.
Reader's Guide
The source does not provide specific details about Mexico's participation, matches, or players. It states that all matches were played in 12 venues across Brazil, with no mention of any matches in Mexico. The opening match was between Brazil and Croatia at Arena de São Paulo in São Paulo. The source does not mention Rafael Márquez or any Mexican players.
Did You Know?
- The 2014 World Cup was the first to use goal-line technology and vanishing spray.
- Germany's Mario Götze scored the winning goal in the 113th minute of the final.
- This was the most recent World Cup to feature all previous winners (Uruguay, Italy, Germany, Brazil, England, Argentina, France, and Spain).
- Bosnia and Herzegovina were the only debutant team in the tournament.
More in Tournaments & Campaigns
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