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Mario Gotze Ran To Ask Lionel Messi For A Picture After 2014 World Cup Final

Mario Gotze Ran To Ask Lionel Messi For A Picture After 2014 World Cup Final

Gotze had just won the World Cup for his tournament but he had to get a picture with the Barcelona star...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Mario Gotze may have just scored the winning goal in a World Cup final but when he saw Lionel Messi after the game, he scurried over.

A 22-year old Gotze, on as a substitute, popped up with a late volley in extra time to beat Messi's Argentina 1-0 in the 2014 World Cup final at the Maracana Stadium.

Image: PA
Image: PA

But in the midst of the all the crazy celebrations after the almighty triumph, Gotze spotted the Barcelona star when he was collecting the Man of the Match award.

With the World Cup winners' medal round his neck, Gotze ran up to ask Messi for a picture - later posting it with the caption "Genius".

"If I am honest, I was in a conference room and I had won the medal for Man of the Match," Gotze told German show Audi Star Talk, as per Daily Mail.

"I saw him (Messi) from behind and went running after him to get a picture, so it was actually the other way around (I asked Messi)."

Messi happily posed for the picture with Gotze and even cracked a smile. He picked up the Player of the Tournament for his displays but was still absolutely gutted about the defeat.

His words of frustration were heard by former FIFA President Sepp Blatter when he collected his individual prize in Rio de Janeiro.

"Messi was talking to himself," Blatter told Argentine publication La Nacion, as per Goal.

"He said to himself over and over again: 'The best but not the champion.'"

Barcelona's all-time top scorer has lost finals with Argentina on four occasions: the 2014 World Cup and the 2007, 2015 and 2016 Copa America tournaments.

Image: PA
Image: PA

In recent years the disappointment has been so bitter that he has retired from international duty before reversing his decision. But if he had the ability to, Messi wouldn't swap club triumphs for success with the national team.

"I would've loved to be a world champion," Messi told TyC Sports back in October.

"But I don't think I would change anything else in my career to be one. This is what I was given, what God gave me. It is what it is.

"I couldn't dream of everything that I experienced after. It was far bigger than anything I could've imagined."

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Football, Mario Gotze, Lionel Messi, World Cup