World Cup preview: Germany
Coach: Joachim Löw
Key player: Lukas Podolski
Previous best: Winners 1954, 1974 & 1990
When news broke that Germany’s talismanic captain Michael Ballack would miss the World Cup finals after sustaining an ankle injury in the FA Cup Final, it was greeted with universal dismay from the nation’s public.
After helping to guide Germany to four major tournaments over the past decade, finding a suitable replacement for the midfielder would be no easy task.
However, the Germans are renowned for remaining calm under pressure; and head coach Joachim Löw has been forced to quickly alter his pre-World Cup preparations to cover the Nationalmannschaft’s loss.
Even without Ballack, the rest of the world has learned that writing them off is a very dangerous exercise – in any set of circumstances. The Germans have an affiliation with major tournaments, and the World Cup is no exception.
It’s been 20 years since Germany last lifted the most prestigious trophy in world football for a third time – exactly the same period between their first and second triumphs. Is this an omen ahead of the forthcoming finals in South Africa?
On the basis of their form during qualification, Löw’s side will again prove formidable opposition this summer. With eight victories to their name, two draws and not a single defeat; the Germans were typically efficient – one particular stereotype which continues to ring true.
But the team are lacking a notable world-class player, a star name, to make people stand up and take notice. In the past, Germany have produced a host of legendary players. From Franz Beckenbauer to Lothar Matthäus, they’ve have rarely been short of having brilliance at their beck and call.
The likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Philipp Lahm might all command revered reputations on the continent, but none command the same respect as some of the players in the squads of Spain, Brazil Argentina or even Holland and England.
Germany hosted the previous tournament in 2006 and went on a run to the semi-finals under inexperienced coach Jürgen Klinsmann. During that tournament, a young Polish-born striker named Lukas Podolski showcased his credentials as one of Europe’s most impressive rising stars and picked up the coveted Young Player of the Tournament award.
Since then, though – certainly at club level – things have moved in the opposite direction for the 24-year-old. Having been forced out of Bayern Munich last year, he then rejoined his first club Cologne, where he has endured a similarly torrid time.
Fortunately for the German national side, he rarely fails to remember his goalscoring boots when on international duty, and has an impressive record of 37 goals from 70 appearances. With the chance to resurrect his ailing career this summer, Podolski could once again find his reputation sky rockets off the back of another impressive World Cup.
Despite losing Ballack and their first-choice goalkeeper Rene Adler to injury, Germany are still expected to qualify from Group D, top of the pile. Anything less would be a major shock – and would almost certainly signal the end of Löw’s spell in charge of the national team.
The Nationalmannschaft’s World Cup record is exceptional, and they haven’t failed to advance past the first round since 1938. In fact, since 1982, they’ve never been knocked out before the quarter-final stage and have finished inside the top three on five occasions out of the seven tournaments.
Equipped with a wealth of experience, you get the feeling that Germany can and probably will rally together and end up producing the goods this summer. But, there is still a niggly feeling that perhaps this is the year - stuck in a group with three tough opponents - they might just struggle.
Now, what was that we said about never writing off the Germans?
Germany squad
1 Manuel NEUER (Schalke 04)
2 Marcell JANSEN (Hamburg)
3 Arne FRIEDRICH (Hertha Berlin)
4 Dennis AOGO (Hamburg)
5 Serdar TASCI (Stuttgart)
6 Sami KHEDIRA (Stuttgart)
7 Bastian SCHWEINSTEIGER (Bayern Munich)
8 Mesut ÖZIL (Werder Bremen)
9 Stefan KIEßLING (Bayer Leverkusen)
10 Lukas PODOLSKI (Cologne)
11 Miroslav KLOSE (Bayern Munich)
12 Tim WIESE (Werder Bremen)
13 Thomas MÜLLER (Bayern Munich)
14 Holger BADSTUBER (Bayern Munich)
15 Piotr TROCHOWSKI (Hamburg)
16 Philipp LAHM (Bayern Munich)
17 Per MERTESACKER (Werder Bremen)
18 Toni KROOS (Bayer Leverkusen)
19 CACAU (Stuttgart)
20 Jérôme BOATENG (Hamburg)
21 Marko MARIN (Werder Bremen)
22 Hans-Jörg BUTT (Bayern Munich)
23 Mario GÓMEZ (Bayern Munich)
Click here for previews of Germany's Group D opponents:
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Australia-a12407
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Ghana-a12415
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Serbia-a12417
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