With
Euro 2012 kicking-off - it's time to profile the countries taking part, from
their footballing beginnings to the present day.
Coach: Joachim Loew
Qualifying
Group Winners
One to Watch: Thomas Mueller
As
we approach the summer of 2012 all of our minds, well most of them at least,
will turn away from the domestic football competitions within our own
countries, towards the International arena for the eagerly awaited European
Championship Finals, to be held in Poland and the Ukraine. Within a fortnight
from now, the world will know the names of the last four teams/countries, which
will join the 12 nations already guaranteed a place at Euro 2012. Over the next
three weeks, I shall be profiling each of the 16 finalists who will bid to
become the champions of Europe until 2016.
The
continuation of our Euro 2012 team profiles now brings us to Germany. Like the
German nation, the German national football team found itself split into West
Germany and East Germany following the end of Second World War. The two teams
competed separately in international competition and achieved varying degrees
of success.
West
Germany proceeded to win the World Cup Finals in 1954, in 1974 on home soil,
and again in 1990, when the tournament was held in Italy. They also fared well
in the European Championships, winning the competition at the first time of
asking in 1972, before going on to be crowned Champions again in 1980.
East
Germany however, couldn’t match that success in the major footballing
competitions, failing to qualify for the European Championships and making just
one appearance in the World Cup (1974). The East German football team did,
however, win Gold in the Olympic football competition of 1976, and defeated the
World Cup winning West German team in 1974- the only match ever played between
the two countries.
Re-unification
came in 1990, and, since then, Germany have continued to be a force to be
reckoned with on the international stage. Although not quite reaching the
heights that West Germany reached in the past; Germany reached the final of
Euro 92 losing 2-0 to Denmark, a feat repeated at Euro 96, this time they came
out on top, defeating the Czech Republic 2-1 after Oliver Bierhoff scored the
decisive “Golden Goal”.
In
2008 Germany made the final again, only to be defeated by Spain, Fernando
Torres scoring the only goal. The Germans have made their mark in the World Cup
Finals too, reaching the final in 2002 when they lost to Brazil, reaching the
semi-finals of World Cup 2006, in Germany, and in 2010 in South Africa. Beaten
by the eventual winners on both occasions, Germany played strongly, and were
unfortunate not to have progressed further.
The
World Cup Finals in South Africa last year saw Germany, under head coach
Joachim Loew , firmly display their credentials as one of the most exciting
teams in international football. Loew who took over from Juergen Klinsmann before
Euro 2008, built on his success in that tournament by taking a young team,
without injured captain and talisman Michael Ballack, to South Africa.
The
relatively inexperienced side grew into the tournament producing a run of fine
performances and results; defeating England 4-1 in the second round, before
going on to destroy Diego Maradona’s heavily fancied Argentina, which included
the likes of Di Maria and Messi, 4-0 in the quarter finals. Germany went on to
lose to Spain 1-0 in the semis but had chances against the Spaniards, which had
they taken, could have led them to the final against Holland.
Germany’s
race to qualification for next summer’s European Championships was impressive
to say the least, winning all of their matches, scoring 34 goals in the process
and conceding just seven. Not only do the Germans have a settled squad with a
great blend of youth and experience, they also have top players in key
positions such as Mesut Oezil, Manuel Neuer and Bastien Schweinsteiger.
In
Mario Gomez they have a striker who is in the form of his career, with thirteen
goals in eleven games for Bayern Munich already this season and six in Euro
2012 qualifying. With, the evergreen, Miroslav Klose banging them in in Italy,
not to mention the Arsenal bound Lukas Podolski fresh from a prolific season in
the Bundesliga, goals shouldn't be hard to come by for die Nationalmannschaft.
One
player to really look out for this summer is Thomas Mueller. Still only 22
years old, Mueller was a sensation at last year’s World Cup scoring five goals
in six appearances, combined with three assists, enough to win him The Golden
Boot and see him named the tournament’s Best Young Player.
On
the evidence of South Africa 2010 and qualifying form since, Germany can make a
serious bid to become European Champions again this summer. Along with Holland,
Germany pose the most serious threat to Spain’s continued domination of
international competition, and with the competition taking place just next door
in Poland and Ukraine, the German fans will turn out in force to watch their
team try to reach the pinnacle of European football again.
By Neil Patterson
Email: neil.b.patterson@gmail.com
Facebook: http://goo.gl/MJce0
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Neil1980
