Football, so often a flow of joy in Germany, this Sunday had to kneel before the flourishing basketball. With a few minutes of difference, some dismissed the coach, Hansi Flick, and the others signed a victory for history against Serbia in the World Cup final.
Herbert's surprising Germany thus takes over from Spain and is crowned queen of the world for the first time without anyone being able to raise their voice. “If anyone has something to say, let them say it now or remain silent forever.” Well, nobody has anything to say because the German team has won every game in this World Cup, including the semifinal, against the favorite United States, and the final, against Pesic, the oldest cat in the place.
Germany looked over the precipice after getting the final back on track but maintained its balance and Schroder, chosen as the best player of the tournament, gave it the last push with a drive to make it 81-77 that won the title.
This Germany combines quality and youth, which invites one to think that their successes will not stop in Manila. Because Schroder has not been alone. There he has had the Wagner brothers, Moritz and Franz, who are registered on a list in which the Gasols and the Hernangómez looked. The World Cup, as a family.
He had the final of everything. A first half in which the attacks dominated the game with two teams posting unbearable shooting percentages and in which total equality reigned. Serbia's initial 0-5 was the maximum advantage of those first twenty minutes. Going through the locker room changed everything.
Serbia disappeared from the map at the same time as Bogdanovic, its best player in the World Cup. Author of 15 points in the first half, the Hawks guard barely scored a basket in the last two quarters masterfully swallowed by the defense of Schroder and Theis. And from there Germany grew, which began to make differences on the scoreboard until 67-55 signed by Fritz Wagner, MVP of the final, with a three-pointer (minute 29). Serbia couldn't find a way to score and spent almost four minutes without finding the net, leaving themselves in an extreme situation.
In that last quarter, vertigo threatened Germany. Winning a World Cup is not anything, not even for the best in the world. Without Bogdanovic, Pesic gave the ball to Avramovic, who uncovered the jug of essences to bring the final back to life against the German blockade. The Balkans came to cut it to 79-77 with 39.5 seconds left. But then, Schroder, after several unfortunate actions, asked for the ball again, blessed leadership, and scored a basket that won a World Cup for Germany.
83. Alemania (23 24 22 14): Franz Wagner (19), Andreas Obst (7), Dennis Schroder (28) Daniel Theis (2), Johannes Voigtmann (12) -equipo inicial- Justus Hollatz (-), Maodo Lo (0), Johannes Thiemann (0), Isaac Bonga (7), Moritz Wagner (8) and Niels Giffey (0), David Kramer (-).
77. Serbia (26 21 10 20): Nikola Jovic (9), Bogdan Bogdanovic (17), Ognjen Dobric (0) Stefan Jovic (3), Nikola Milutinov (2) -equipo inicial- Aleksa Avramovic (21), Dejan Davidovac (2), Marko Guduric (4), Vanja Marinkovic (9), Filip Petrusev (10), Dusan Ristic (-), Borisa Simanic (-).
Referees: Roberto Vázquez (Puerto Rico), Omar Bermúdez (Mexico) and Gatis Salins (Latvia).
Incidents: match corresponding to the final of the 2023 Basketball World Cup, played at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila (Philippines).
