The Road to South Africa

Germany have never failed to qualify for a World Cup and South Africa was going to be no exception. Fresh from a highly-successful European Championship which but for a slice of brilliance from Fernando Torres they might have won, it was always likely Germany would at least make the play-offs. The key was to beat Russia to finish first and this they achieved, 2-1 in Dortmund and then 1-0 in Moscow, with victory in the Luzhniki perhaps inevitably settled by Miroslav Klose.

The Star Players

Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) For four years now, Lahm could claim to be one of the finest left-backs in the world. His attacking flair was demonstrated when he scored the opening goal of GermanyÂ’s 2006 World Cup campaign and he shone in Euro 2008, although it was his error that Fernando Torres punished in the final.

Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen) The suicide of Germany’s first-choice keeper, Robert Enke, has cast a cloud over German preparations for South Africa, one which Adler will have to lift. However, Adler, whose name means ‘Eagle’ in German distinguished himself in their make-or-break qualifiers with Russia.

Lukas Podolski (Cologne) Like his strike partner, Miroslav Klose, Podolski was born in Poland but chose to play his football across the border. Under Joachim Low, Podolski has been moved out to the flanks to accommodate Mario Gomez but as he proved in the last World Cup and in Euro 2008, he is most effective as a centre-forward.

The Coach

Joachim Low He succeeded Jurgen Klinsmann after a thrilling World Cup, where he provided the tactical back-up while Klinsmann acted as the front man. Low built upon those achievements in Euro 2008 which saw Germany drive with typical single-mindedness to the final, despite not being the second best team in Austria and Switzerland. Low, whose coaching career appeared on the rocks before Klinsmann asked him to join him, has proved himself a highly-effective national coach since stepping out of his mentorÂ’s shadows. However, like Klinsmann in 2006, LowÂ’s future after the World Cup is unclear.

Honours

World Cup: Winners 1954, 1974, 1990. Finalists 1966, 1982, 1986, 2002. Semi-finalists 1958, 1970, 2006.
European Championship: Winners 1980, 1996. Finalists 1992, 2008.
Confederations Cup: Semi-finalists 2005.

Analysis

Three of the last major tournaments have seen Germany go in with doubts about the real quality of their team and only in Euro 2004 were those fears proved real. Two finals and a third place showed that when Germany start moving they are difficult to stop. The key will be their first game. In 2002 and 2006, they began with straightforward fixtures against Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica. This time, Australia in Durban is the simplest start they could ask for. They are likely to meet the USA in the round of 16 and an epic quarter-final with Argentina looms on the horizon in Cape Town.

Verdict

Squad (3.5/5)
With the exception of Philipp Lahm and Michael Ballack nothing about the German squad screams ‘world class’ but they are always so much more than the sum of their parts.

Coach (4/5)
Low may lack KlinsmannÂ’s flair and flamboyance but he is far more tactically astute. The two wins over Russia proved once more Germany can deal with serious opposition, which is what they will face from the start.

Attack (3/5)
Before the March friendly against Argentina, this would have been a four out of five but in Munich Germany struggled so badly against a side likely to be their quarter-final opponents that there are some serious doubts.

Defence (3.5/5)
The spotlight, naturally, will be on Rene Adler and in qualification there were one or two cracks evident, exploited, oddly enough, by Finland who put three past them in Helsinki and drew 1-1 in Hamburg.