Fearless Joachim Low wants Germany to make history in the Maracana tonight and then dominate world football for many years to come.
After their 7-1 demolition of Brazil in the semi-final, Germany are big favourites to beat Argentina and win the World Cup in Rio.
If Germany are successful, it will be the fourth time they have won the famous trophy – but it will be the only occasion they have triumphed on South American soil.
Indeed, no European nation has won the tournament on this continent in four attempts.
Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands reached the final in 1962 and 1978 respectively, but Low hopes his team can go one better in Brazil this weekend.
“In the past we never had this, so we know we can write history,” the Germany coach said.
“Latin Americans, on this continent, have dominated all the time. So why can we not be the first?
“This could be considered an additional joy for us if we were to win as Europeans on Latin American soil.”
The ruthless way in which Germany ripped Brazil apart in the semi-finals sent shockwaves through world football.
Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira were all outstanding – as was 23-year-old Andre Schurrle, who came off the bench to score a fine brace.
If the Germans win again to lift the World Cup tonight, Low is convinced it will not be the last time his players do so.
With an average age of 26, this Germany squad is the sixth youngest in Brazil, and two of their rising stars – Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus – are both missing through injury.
Low thinks the potential is there for Germany to dominate world football – just as Spain did when they won three successive major trophies, starting with Euro 2008.
“We have players right now who are playing at their peak, but we have young players also in the squad and others who aren’t even here,” Low added.
“We have players with a fantastic future: Gundogan, Reus, (Mesut) Ozil, Schurrle, Muller… they can go on to play for a number of years.
“We can play on top of the world for a good few years yet, with someyoung players coming in to reinforce the team.”
Ever since Germany hammered Portugal 4-0 in the group stages, they seemed destined to make tonight’s final.
Their only scare came in the second round when they needed extratime to beat Algeria, one of the surprise packages of the tournament.
Low has done everything possible to get his team ready for the game – both physically and mentally.
The Germany coach and his backroom staff scoured the planet on scouting missions well before the tournament began and been working on a plan to defeat Argentina ever since they swept Brazil aside.
“Over the last few years we’ve travelled and watched international football, in Europe and South America, and we’ve tried to learn little things that can influence matches,” Low said. “We’ve taken on the new-fangled things that are being done. We have looked at Spain and we’ve looked across the border at what the Dutch are doing – how they train individual players.
“We don’t have any fear whatsoever,” the Germany coach added
