History in World Cup:
The nation ranked second by both FIFA and UEFA has a turbulent history in the World Cup. They have won the tournament three times; in 1954, they beat Hungary against all odds to win and added further trophies in 1974 and 1990. The Germans have been beaten finalists the most times as well, having lost the 1966, 1982, 1986 and 2002 finals. Germany will be participating in their eighteenth World Cup; they have reached the semifinals a record 12 times, more than any other side in the history of the competition.
Road to World Cup 2014:
The Germans dropped only two points in a group consisting of Sweden, Austria, Republic of Ireland, Kazakhstan and Faroe Islands. However, the solitary draw speaks a lot about them. The Germans were battering the Swedes 4-0; Toni Kroos in particular stood out in midfield. Once Sweden struck twice, the Germans looked nervous. They haplessly conceded two more, giving away two needless points.
Player to Watch:
Mesut Özil will once again be the man to watch for Germany. He drove the midfield forward in 2010 and will be looking to take responsibility again in light of Germany’s injury crisis. He has settled in well at his new club, Arsenal. Aside from fitness issues due to the lack of a winter break in England, Özil can look back to what was a memorable season. He helped Arsenal win the FA Cup, their first trophy in nine years.
All About…..Coach “Jogi” Löw!
The preparations for the World Cup has not gone well for a man under increasing scrutiny. First, Lars Bender withdrew from the squad with an injury. Then, Kevin Grosskreutz embarrassed himself in a hotel lobby. Also, Mercedes, whilst shooting a commercial with the players ran over two pedestrians, seriously injuring them in the process. Question marks persist over the fitness of the Bayern trio of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer and captain Philipp Lahm as well as Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira. On top of everything else, the national coach had his license suspended for texting while driving recently.
Joachim Löw has been said to be too naive at times, choking in the big games. Germany’s failure against Italy in Euro 2012 was considered a tactical failure by Löw. He has tried to change things he does not need to in big games; also, he has failed to field the right personnel. This could well be his last chance to deliver a trophy with a national side he has been looking after since 2006, following Jürgen Klinsmann’s departure.
A Glance at the Roster:
The team consists of the vast majority of players who battled in the UEFA Champions League final of 2013 between Bayern and Dortmund. Where Philipp Lahm will play is anyone’s guess. Löw has followed Bayern coaches in recent seasons and he might do so again, playing his captain in midfield. Veteran striker Miroslav Klose, in his final World Cup, will look to break two records. He will look to become the highest scorer in the history of the tournament and appear in more World Cup matches than any other player.
Thomas Müller comes back a more mature player following a wonderful showing in 2010. Due to Bastian Schweinsteiger’s injury problems, more responsibilities might lie at the feet of young Bayern midfielder Toni Kroos. Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels will look to anchor the heart of defense. Jerome Boateng might be his partner. Andre Schürrle could turn out to be a key player as well considering his goal scoring feats on national level.
TV Information:
Germany has been placed in the Group of Death (Group G) alongside Portugal, USA and Ghana. Their matches will be live on ESPN and ESPN 3; for more information, visit the Germany match page here.
