Germany had beaten Australia in the final of the last two World Cups in 2002 and '06, both times by one goal. The Germans were trying to become the first team to win three successive World Cups.
This time, the Kookaburras turned the tables with Luke Doerner's winner from a low drag-flicked penalty corner 11 minutes from the end at Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
“We're delighted at winning the World Cup,” said Australia coach Ric Charlesworth, who was captain of the team that won in 1986 in London.
“We knew Germany will be a tough opponent. We played a very good game and showed a lot of control and authority.
An early goal was also very helpful.” Edward Ockenden opened the scoring for Australia during a sixth-minute goalmouth scramble, and Germany equalized in the 46th through a penalty corner goal by Moritz Furste.
Charlesworth, the first man to win the World Cup as a player and a coach, didn't watch the high-class final between the world's top two sides from the bench but rather among spectators.
“There are no superstitions involved,” he said. “I get too noisy and excited on the bench, so I always change it with other people.” Germany captain Max Muller said the penalty corners proved to be the decisive factor.
“Australia scored the second goal from a penalty corner, and we had a corner at 2-1 but could not score,” Muller said.
“We're a young side,” he added. “Losing the final is a big disappointment at the moment, but tomorrow morning we may feel proud to have reached this far.” It was Germany's fourth straight major final, starting in 2008 with the Beijing Olympics, which the Germans won for a third time.
Australia hadn't beaten Germany in the World Cup since 1994, but was boosted by its victory over the Germans in the Champions Trophy final only three months ago. The Kookaburras prevented Germany from matching their unbeaten streak of 20 games at the World Cup, and Charlesworth said their next goal was the Olympics, which they've never won.
Doerner's title-clinching strike made him the joint leading goalscorer in the tournament with eight, along with Netherlands penalty corner specialist Taeke Taekema, who also scored in the 4-3 win against England in the bronze medal match.
Rogier Hofman's goal with three minutes to go to clinch victory for the Dutch.
Teun de Nooijer gave them the lead in the 22nd minute, but England took a 3-1 lead into halftime through a field goal from Alastair Brogdon and two penalty corner conversions by Ashley Jackson.
Three-time champion Netherlands hit back by dominating the second session with a penalty corner conversion by Taekema in the 48th and an open play strike by Klass Vermeulen in the 55th, followed by Hofman's winner.
Dutch captain de Nooijer said his team wanted to win for veteran goalkeeper Guus Vogels, who was retiring from international field hockey.
Vogels won two Olympic gold medals for the Netherlands in 1996 and 2000, but missed the 1998 World Cup that the Dutch won on home turf.
“We wanted to win this one for Guus, and I'm proud of the way we played today,” de Nooijer said. “We played an incredible game to come back in the match”
