BRAZIL 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL
G
GERMANY, PORTUGAL,GHANA,USA
HIGH FIVES: Germany
are one of bookmakers’
candidates for the title.
GERMANY
is still plenty of room for improvement.
The 4-4 draw with Sweden in Berlin is a
painful memory, especially after
Germany had led 4-0.
HIGH POINT: Franz Beckenbauer,
captain of the 1974 winning team,
lifting the trophy as manager after
triumph in Italy in 1990.
LOW POINT: The final group game
at Espana '82 meant a win for West
Germany over Austria would see both
teams progress to the next round at
the expense of Algeria. So when Horst
Hrubesch gave the Germans the lead
after 10 minutes, both teams decided
it wasn't worth trying for the next 80.
One of the worst ever games was
Consistency is the key for 4th title
BRIEFLY: Germany were somewhat
late starters in international football.
The nation competed in just two of the
first four World Cups, mixing an
encouraging third place in 1934 with an
abject exit to Switzerland four years
later as the spectre of war enveloped
Europe.
West Germany put the nation's
football back on the map with victory in
1954, however, and they have been
close to the top ever since. Excluding
the slightly altered format in 1978,
Germany or West Germany have
reached the quarter-finals or further in
every World Cup for the last 50 years, a
feat unmatched by any other nation.
This consistency also explains why
they have played more World Cup
games than anyone else: 99, compared
to Italy's 80 in the same number of
tournaments.
MISSION: Germany are one of the
big favourites. On paper, they seem the
only European team other than Spain
who can win the World Cup.
German club football is on a high and
producing top-class talents. The
national team's attacking midfield
options are incredible.
STAR
MAN
B A S T I A N
SCHWEINSTEIGER:
Bastian Schweinsteiger's
glittering CV has one glaring omission international silverware - and it's
something the 29-year-old is desperate to
rectify. The winger-turned-central
midfielder has been described as the
"brain" of the national team by coach
Joachim Low, and he is no less influential
42 COMPLETE FOOTBALL
KEY
MAN
But conditions are different in South
America: the grass is longer and thicker,
and the heat and humidity can be an
issue.Like all of the European teams,
Germany will need to adapt quickly to
excel.
PREPARATION: Before beating
Chile 1-0 in a friendly in March,
Germany had topped their qualifying
with an unbeaten record,
sealing automatic
COACH
qualification for the 2014
LOW: At the helm since 2006,
FIFA World Cup with JOACHIM
Joachim Low signed a new contract until 2016
nine victories from ten earlier this year, but the pressure is on him to
fixtures. Furthermore, win a trophy after some agonising near misses.
His win percentage of 68% is the highest of any
coach Joachim Low’s Germany
manager.
charges hit 36 goals
STRONGEST LINE-UP
along the way, the
most of any side in
Neuer
European zone
qualifying. The
Mertesacker
Boateng
three-time world
Lahm
Schemelzer
champions’ eyecatching attacking
displays have
Kroos
Schweinsteiger
thrilled their fans
Reus
Özil
and demonstrated
why they are
Müller
among the
Klose
favourites to take
the title in Brazil.
However, there
FORMATION: 4-4-2
PHILIP LAHM: Ever since his
emergence on the scene a
decade ago, Germany full-back
Philip Lahm has been a model professional
in terms of consistently turning in top-level
performances.
Whether it be at right-back, left-back or,
more recently, as a defensive midfielder,
Lahm has simply excelled whether in the
colours of club or country.
KEY
MAN
MARCO REUS: Borrusia
Dortmund's Marco Reus is
capable of playing on the right
wing and also and through the
middle of the park, due to his ability to
control the ball with both feet and
brilliant close control. Reus has made a
total of 19 appearances for his country
and scored seven goals to date. Reus is
good on dead ball situations and can
shoot from outside the box-he is almost