World Cup pain will last forever: Javier Mascherano

Javier Mascherano reacts after losing the final. — AFP

“Unfortunately the pain will be there for life because this was our chance,” said the Barcelona midfielder after the 1-0 defeat in Rio de Janeiro. Argentina played extra time in three of their four knockout games and also had a day less to rest ahead of the final than the Germans after squeezing past the Netherlands on penalties in the semi-final on Wednesday.

And the 30-year-old said they ran out of steam in the second-half of extra time when Mario Goetze struck the winner seven minutes from time.

“It is difficult to explain. It escaped from us at the last minute, we did everything to try and win. We had the best chances until we ran out of gas.”