Germany is one of the most successful football nations in international competitions, having won a total of three World Cups and three European Championships. They have reached the three past semi-finals at the World Cup and are again amongst the favourites in Brazil. Can their talented generation finally lift the trophy in 2014? Here our short team profile with all necessary stats.
World Cup history:
Germany won the World Cup in 1954, 1974 and 1990, beating Hungary 3-2, the Netherlands 2-1 and Argentina 1-0 in the respective finals. The ‘Nationalmannschaft’ has reached the World Cup final a further four times but failed to bring the title home. It’s now 24 years since the Germans have won the prestigious trophy and expectations as well as the pressure are high.
2010 World Cup campaign:
In 2010, Germany inspired through a new attacking style-of-play which many didn’t expect and which differed from their traditional defensive approach. In the group stages they beat Australia 4-0, surprisingly lost 1-0 to Serbia and beat Ghana 1-0. In the Round of 16 they defeated England 4-1, and then thrashed Argentina in the subsequent quarter-final 4-0. Many expected them to go all the way and claim their fourth World Cup, but they were stopped by Spain. In the third-place playoff they beat Uruguay 3-2.
How they qualified
Germany finished their qualification group unbeaten with nine wins and only one draw. The recorded the most goals in Europe, with a goal-difference of 36-10. However, a 4-4 draw against Sweden raised mounting concerns over the German defense.
Key players:
In a team picked with young talented players, the so called ‘Golden Generation’, older players like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm need to lead the lines. In general, Bayern’s Champions League winners proved the Germans can win major competitions and should show up when it matters most. A player to watch will be Marco Reus. The 25-year-old has impressed for Dortmund and could be a shining star in Brazil. Thomas Mueller and Mesut Ozil will also need to show their qualities in a squad with only one proclaimed striker. The ageing Miroslav Klose is only one goal away from equalling Ronaldo’s all-time goal record at the World Cup.
Coach:
Joachim Low took over from Jurgen Klinsmann after the 2006 World Cup and has continued his predecessor’s transformation since. He led Germany into three straight semi-finals at major international competitions without lifting the trophy in the end. In Brazil, Low will have to prove that he can guide his talented side to succeed in the really big games.
Ghana’s Group G Fixtures:
Date Match Venue
16/6 Germany v Portugal Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador
21/6 Germany v Ghana Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza
26/6 Germany v USA Arena Pernambuco, Recife
Do you think Germany can finally lift the World Cup trophy again? Have your say in the comment section below.
