Mario Götze was sent into the match as a substitute for Germany by Joachim Löw with the instructions to show the world he's a better player than Lionel Messi.

“Götze is a miracle boy,” Löw told reporters after the game. “He can play in any position and has superior technical qualities. I know he is able to decide a match, and he scored a great decider today.”

Matthias Sammer, a native of Dresden in East Germany, played a part in both the unification of the national team and the development of Götze.

The German Football Association hired him as technical director in 2006. Sammer’s specific task was to guide the youth teams, from the ages of 11 to 18, under the direction of Löw.

Götze, born in Bavaria but a product of Borussia Dortmund’s coaching academy starting at age 8, came under Sammer’s wing. Sammer identified the young Götze as “one of the best talents, ever, in Germany” from an early age.

And when Sammer moved on from his national team role to become sports director at Bayern Munich, responsible for recruiting, he went after Götze. The buyout clause in his Dortmund contract cost about $50 million.