From:    Published:2014/7/15 10:57:42

This always promised to be a special FIFA World Cup™. Hosted by a nation that has come to represent the very best of football, edition number 20 of the beautiful game's greatest spectacle was never likely to be just like the others. And we were not disappointed. Brazil 2014 proved extraordinary in all sorts of ways, with packed stadiums and passionate crowds treated to thrills, upsets and a record number of goals.

It also witnessed Germany reclaim in style a Trophy they had won three times before and, in the process, become the first European team to triumph in the Americas. Joachim Low's side were worthy and impressive winners, although for the third World Cup in succession it required extra time to decide the Final, with Mario Gotze this time assuming the role that Andres Iniesta had occupied in 2010.

The substitute's brilliant 113th-minute winner also maintained Europe's grip on the World Cup, with the continent having now produced a record three consecutive champions. It was a goal that very nearly lifted the roof off Rio de Janeiro's iconic, incomparable Maracana, and which provided a fittingly inspiring conclusion to a truly unforgettable tournament.