World Cup win leaves Germans ecstatic

TRIUMPHZUG: German workers at Johner Estate winery, Marco Steinhardt, Jan Riske and Sarah Klingele celebrate Germany's win against Argentina in the World Cup final.Photo/Lynda Feringa

They never thought they had it won but when the final whistle blew in yesterday's football World Cup final the champagne started to flow.

Germans Sarah Klingele, 24, Jan Riske, 24, and Marco Steinhardt, 22, are in Wairarapa for a season working as pruners at the Johner Estate vineyard in Gladstone.

They didn't know each other before they arrived a few weeks ago but are now good friends - sealed with the German win which they all watched eagerly yesterday.

Ms Klingele said the game had been a very tense one for all of them.

"We were swapping between cheering and wanting to cry."

The final was drawn 0-0 at full time after the Germans had thrown everything they had at Argentina but the deadlock was broken when Mario Goetze scored the extra-time winner in the 113th minute.

The three friends said they would celebrate in style but Ms Klingele said there was still a lingering longing to be in Germany for the party.

"The whole country will be celebrating. Everywhere would have been packed."

She said it would have been about 12am in Germany when it all wrapped up - "perfect" timing to kick start proceedings.

Mr Steinhardt and Mr Riske said the game against Brazil where Germany dominated 7-1 was "one of the best they had ever seen" from their side but they were never overly confident against Argentina, saying they knew it was going to be close.

The Germans have won the World Cup on three other occasions; in 1954, 1974 and 1990.