"The World Cup crowns the very best"

This is how Spanish sports newspaper Marca commended the German football team today. It took 113 nerve-racking minutes yesterday before we were finally able to start the celebrations. Germans are delighted to have taken the World Cup for the fourth time, and the atmosphere on the streets after the win was unbelievable. And who scored the goal that triggered Germany's joy? A born-and-bred Bavarian – Mario Götze, born in Memmigen and currently under contract at Bayern Munich.

The part played by Bavaria in Germany's World Cup victory was huge: the German squad for the World Cup 2014 in Brazil included seven Bayern Munich players. Half of Germany's 18 goals at this year's World Cup in Brazil were scored by Bayern players (Thomas Müller: 5 goals, Mario Götze: 2 goals, Toni Kroos: 2 goals).

Time to have a look at some other areas where Bavaria is winning.

Bavaria is the German champion when it comes to inventions. Last year, 27 percent of the over 26,300 German patent applications sent to the European Patent Office (EPO) came from the state.
Bavaria is the cream of the German crop when it comes to economic growth. The state's economy grew by 8.5 per cent in real terms between 2008 and 2013 – more than anywhere else in Germany.
Just like its famous football club Bayern Munich, Bavaria attracts the best talent from within Germany and beyond: the state takes in more migrants than any other.
One reason for Bayern Munich's constant success is its stable financial situation. Bavaria itself is no different, with the rating agencies Moody's and Standard & Poor's awarding it top marks. Bavaria is number one in Germany for financial policy.
Bayern Munich is not the state's only figurehead: the airport is another. Munich Airport came top in Europe in the Skytrax ranking, which compares the strengths of various airports.
Munich also recently won the Champions League in ICT, too: a study by the European Commission put the Bavarian capital in first place among European ICT locations.
Just as the German players felt safe and secure in the knowledge that Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer was behind them, the people of Bavaria can feel safe and secure, too. According to the police criminal statistics, there is no safer place to live in Germany than in Bavaria.