Goetze recalls Messi photo regret as World Cup trophy brings 2014 rushing back

Mario Götze recently stood beside the World Cup trophy at the FIFA Museum in Manhattan, a powerful reminder of his defining moment in the 2014 final. The German midfielder, who scored the winning goal in extra time against Argentina, felt the memories of that match rush back.

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I have a replica at home, so sometimes I can look at it. But standing here in front of the real one is obviously different. It's just positive, to see it again.

"I have a replica at home, so sometimes I can look at it. But standing here in front of the real one is obviously different. It's just positive, to see it again," Götze told Reuters. He reflected on his youth at 22, when the full significance of his goal wasn't immediately apparent. "Back then it was a goal and I was happy and I could contribute to that win in the moment." Now, at 34, he recognizes the "special moment for the country, for myself, for the national team."

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Back then it was a goal and I was happy and I could contribute to that win in the moment.

Reflecting on the match, Götze expressed regret over a photo he took with Lionel Messi shortly after Germany's victory. Messi's own World Cup dream had just been dashed. "It was not the best timing," Götze admitted. "Maybe that's the worst timing... after the game." He clarified that the gesture stemmed from admiration for Messi as a player, stating, "I was just a big fan of him, what he has done for football and everything he's still doing."

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It was not the best timing. Maybe that's the worst timing after the game.

Götze also commented on Messi's remarkable longevity, particularly after the Argentine star finally won the World Cup in 2022 at age 39. "It's unbelievable," Götze said. "That he can still deliver these things he's doing, I think he's special." He noted Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as unique figures who have sustained elite performance for over two decades, calling their careers "just crazy."

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I was just a big fan of him, what he has done for football and everything he's still doing. So I was just a big fan and I really like him as a player.