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Germany - Team Profile
18/05/2006
Germany have won the World Cup three times from 16 appearances in the tournament and enter this year's competition as one of the favourites. Their position among the fancied sides is more down to being the host nation rather than being in good form of late. Coached by the iconic Jurgen Klinsmann - the team who have no national stadium - bring a fairly inexperienced team to the mix. Crucial to their chances may have been the form of their goalkeeper Oliver Khan who was voted player of the tournament in the last World Cup in Japan. Indeed such is their strength in that department, Khan will have to play second fiddle owing to the excellent performances of Arsenal's Jens Lehmann who has been touted for the English Player's Player of the Year Award though lost out to English talismanic figure of Steven Gerrard.
Their defence has an inexperienced look to it. Most experienced is Hertha Berlin's Arne Friedrich who is now beginning to get a better understanding with Philipp Lahm of Bayern Munich, Christoph Metzelder from Borussia Dortmund and Per Mertesacker from Hanover 96. It should be of a help to Friedrich when Germany play Ecuador as he will be playing in his home stadium at the Olympiastadion while Lahm will feel comfortable playing on home soil in Munich against the Costa Riceans. Metzelder is another who will be playing at home when the Germans face their toughest game against Poland in Dortmund.
By contrast Germany have one of the most experienced midfields in the world. Chelsea-bound Michael Ballack has won 63 caps for his country has is a prolific scorer from that position having weighed in with over 30 international goals. Bernd Schneider is another with vast international experience. He has represented his country over 60 times though his goals return is poor. Germany look resigned to losing Sebastian Deisler to a knee injury but can still call upon midfielders who have played many times for their country. Borussia Dortmund's Sebastian Kehl could player a major role in the finals while they can still call upon Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger (25 caps, 5 goals), Torsten Frings of Werder Bremen (49 caps, 6 goals) and FC Schalke 04's star Fabian Ernst(24 caps, 1 goal). Klinnsman surprised many by adding David Odonkor to his final squad list.
Up front there is a mixture of youth and experience. A surprise star player could be the Polish-born Lukas Podolski who has taken international football in his stride and is scoring regularly for struggling FC Köln. Other options up front include Mike Hanke from VfL Wolfsburg, Oliver Neuville from Borrusia Moenchengladbach, Miroslav Klose of Werder Bremen or the Ghana-born Gerald Asamoah.
Possible starting line up.
Goalkeeper
Lehmann (FC Arsenal)
Defence
A.Friedrich (Berlin)
Mertesacker (Hannover)
Metzelder (Dortmund)
Lahm (Bayern Munich)
Midfield
Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen)
Kehl (Dortmund)
Ballack (Bayern Munich)
Asamoah (FC Schalke 04)
Attack
Klose (Werder Bremen)
Lukas Podolski (FC Koln)