Heading into the World Cup, a lot of the nation’s hopes rested on the shoulders of one Marco Reus. The lightning-fast attacker had enjoyed a standout season for Borussia Dortmund, scoring 16 goals and providing 14 assists in 30 Bundesliga games, plus five goals and four assists in the UEFA Champions League. Reus had booked his seat on the plane to Brazil and was inked in on the left wing.
Then, in the final international game before the World Cup, he suffered a serious injury that ruled him out of contention. It was a bitter end to Reus’s dreams, but a chance for Shkodran Mustafi to step up to the plate. It was the defender who conspired with Gotze to rustle up a shirt bearing Reus’ name for the winners’ photo. This sort of team camaraderie is still mentioned as one of the main reasons behind Germany’s success.
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