Jürgen Klinsmann and the German feel of the United States Men's National Team

The United States Men’s National Team is going through an identity crisis. All that’s left is changing the flag from red, white and blue to the black, red and gold of Germany.

The signing of Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the senior team gives this team an increasingly strong German presence, one that had already begun to develop prior to the new skipper’s arrival.

Klinsmann is a former World Cup winner for Die Mannschaft, as well as a player for a European Championship winning team and a German Footballer of the Year award winner in 1994. He is one of the most famous and well-respected players in Germany’s soccer history. And as a manager he revamped the nation’s playing style and helped them finish third in the 2006 World Cup, when they hosted the tournament.

As he writes in his manifesto, Klinsmann transformed the German National Team into an offensive minded squad; attacking, being aggressive and “proactive”. To help the senior team accomplish this transformation, Klinsmann reached out to many of the German Bundesliga coaches to help implement that style of play throughout the country, creating a national identity through style of play.

It’s a style many USMNT supporters have wished their country would adopt and it seems that Klinsmann plans to implement. And he’s relying on players with strong ties to the German game to introduce it to the rest of the USA.

The team already has midfielder Jermaine Jones. He grew up in Frankfurt-Bonames with his mother and his father was an African-American soldier stationed in Germany. He played professionally in Germany from 2000-2011 before being loaned to EPL side Blackburn Rovers. Jones even made three appearances for the German National Team (under Klinsmann’s assistant-turned head coach Joachim Löw) before using a FIFA rule change to allow him to switch eligibility to the USMNT.

There is also the tantalizing prospect, Timothy Chandler. He was born in Frankfurt—also to an African-American soldier and German mother—lived in Germany his entire life and has played professionally only in Germany. He plays right fullback, but can also play on the wing.

Fans want to see more of Chandler, already labeling him the next starter at right fullback, but he was not named to the Gold Cup roster (left off due to concerns from his club team) and was an injury scratch for the Mexico friendly. Still, he figures to play a large role on the team moving forward.

Also, Steve Cherundolo and Michael Bradley, while they are not German citizens, have played in the Bundesliga during the time of Klinsmann’s influence on the club level.

Don't forget that Klinsmann was also the coach of Bayern Munich when American star Landon Donovan was on loan there in 2009.

All five players were named to Klinsmann’s first roster as head coach of the USMNT, but there’s even more ties to his German background lurking on the team, and they are with some surprising players.

DaMarcus Beasley, Ricardo Clark and Edson Buddle have all thought to be completely out of the National Team picture after the 2010 World Cup. All three, to the shock of many USMNT supporters, have been placed on the 22-man roster for the Mexico friendly, earning a chance to prove their worth to the new coach.

What do all three have in common, other than thought to be finished with the USMNT? They all have played club ball recently in Germany.

Clark has played both midfield and center fullback for Bundesliga 2 side Eintracht Frankfurt and Edson Buddle has scored three goals in 17 league appearances since joining fellow Bundesliga 2 team FC Ingolstadt 04 last summer. Beasley, though he just joined Mexican –side Puebla this summer, was a member of Bundesliga club Hannover 96 the past two seasons.



One would imagine all three are in an “Impress now or forever hold your peace” situation with the USMNT, but it isn’t far-fetched to imagine that their experiences in German soccer have earned them all one last chance.

Don’t expect the parade of German-Americans (or those playing professionally in Germany) to end soon either. Some other options still exist.

Goalkeeper David Yelldell, a German-American who has made one career appearance for the USMNT, signed with Bundesliga club Bayern Leverkusen this summer. He was briefly named the team’s starting goalkeeper in July, although he did not play in the team’s first game of the season. He could emerge as a No. 2 keeper behind incumbent starter Tim Howard.

Alfredo Morales is a 21-year-old German-American defender for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. Young players on top-tier teams usually get a good amount of hype from the American soccer media (think Eric Lichaj), so Morales’ name could get mentioned frequently in the upcoming years.

Luis Robles is another goalkeeper who plays in Germany. He plays for Bundesliga 2 team Karlsruher (previously with FC Kaiserslautern) and has made one appearance for the USMNT in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

So Klinsmann (and USMNT fans) wants the team to play more offensive-mindedly, more aggressive and with more technical skill. He wants them to play more like the German National Team. So to do that he’s bringing in players with ties to Germany who have experienced the style of play Germany plays, a style Kilnsmann influenced onto German teams with support from their soccer federation in 2004.

And how bad a model could the German National team be for the United States? Historically they are one of the most successful nations to participate in the FIFA World Cup and have finished third in two straight editions of the tournament (not to mention a second-place finish in 2002, pre-Klinsmann).

The Mexico friendly will usher in a new era for the American team, the “German era”. Now it’s time to see if Klinsmann can replicate that success of Die Mannschaft in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Photo Credits.
Jürgen Klinsmann: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
Jermaine Jones: AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

Pieces of Jürgen Klinsmann's introduction as USMNT head coach. Video from YouTube.

2010 FIFA World Cup: Germany Regroups, Advances to Knockout Stage

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Germany’s loss to Serbia in the second game of group play looks like it was only a minor bump in the road.

Without suspended star forward Miroslav Klose the Germans had control of their own destiny and seized the day, beating Group D leader Ghana 1-0 en route to winning Group D and advancing to the Round of 16.

Newcomer Mesut Ozil, the 21-year-old in only his 13th appearance for the National Team, scored the lone goal in the 60th minute.

After struggling against Serbia, Die Mannschaf regrouped and took care of business.

Ghana was the more aggressive and pressing team. They outshot Germany 17-13 but the Germans were more efficient, putting more shots on goal (6-5) and were the only team to put the ball in the back of the net.

Without much veteran leadership thanks to a slew of injuries before the tournament, it was unsure how the young players would respond to the pressure of needing a win to advance and keep up the proud soccer tradition in Germany.

At the end of the day the inexperienced would rise to the challenge.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, in only his eighth appearance for Germany, made three saves and recorded his second clean sheet of the tournament. Ghana was the more dangerous team in the game and threatened to score more often, but Neuer stood strong and helped deny the Black Stars.

Neuer also had a lot of help from defender Philipp Lahm. Although not a newcomer to the National Team, Lahm was a newcomer to the role of captain, thrust into the responsibility due to a last-minute injury to Michael Ballack before the start of the Cup.

Lahm was all over the defensive part of the field thrusting himself to stop lethal goal scoring opportunities for the Black Stars. At times where the German defense was bending, Lahm kept the group organized enough in order not to break.

The hero, however, was Ozil.

Ozil was impressive in his World Cup debut against Australia but was rendered ineffective by a tough Serbian defense. However he was once again an active force. The Germans attacked up the wings, leaving plenty of space for Ozil to run through, and then channeled the ball to him, including leading up to Ozil’s goal.

The Germans will catch no break though as they will face off against England, who survived to finish second in Group C, in the Round of 16. It will be a battle of two world soccer powers. Still, Germany should be battled-tested coming out on top of a difficult group.

The victory over Ghana wasn’t as impressive as the one over Australia, but it was more important and showed that the Germans were closer to the team the world saw in game one rather than the one that lost to Serbia.

With the return of Miroslav Klose against England things are looking up for the Germans.

2010 FIFA World Cup: Germany Can't Back Up Good First Game, Has Its Work Cut Out

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

It was a tale of two German teams on Friday.

As good as Germany looked in their 4-0 defeat against Australia, they were beatable in a 1-0 loss to Serbia (who had previously lost their first game against Ghana). It was akin to opposite day for the Germans.

While Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski showed their great World Cup form against Australia, both struggled terribly against Serbia. Klose received two yellow cards and was ejected before the first half ended, and Podolski was given a golden opportunity to put the Germans in position to earn a draw but his penalty kick was saved by Serbian keeper Vladimir Stojkovic.

The yellows Klose received were a bit questionable, the two-time World Cup veteran should have known better, especially on the second card. He will now be ejected for the match against Ghana

In the first game the German youngsters made a huge impact on the game. In the second group play game they showed their young age and inexperience.

Defender Holger Badstuber helped the Germans keep a clean sheet against Australia however he was abused down the flank by Serbian midfielder Milos Krasic. Krasic used a combination of speed and change of direction to keep Badstuber on his heels and constantly chasing him.

Mesut Ozil was extremely dangerous the first game, making a ton of runs. However, Serbia clogged up the middle of the field and left no space for Ozil to dart through, rendering him ineffective.

Then there was Thomas Muller. A goal scorer against the Socceroos, Muller was invisible against the White Eagles. Out on the right flank his name was hardly ever mentioned and he supplied nothing to the attack.

It was not a good day for Die Mannschaft but there were still a little bit of optimism to take out of the game. Even with only 10 men on the field, the Germans did hold a 58% to 42% possession advantage and really pushed hard for the equalizer while not breaking on the counter. Had they had a full team on the pitch, and especially not been without one of their best players, the outcome could’ve been different.

Still, it was a loss and the Germans will need to bounce back because they are not in an easy situation.

Currently, the Germans are tied for second in the group with Serbia, who will play Australia next. The Aussies are last in the group and although they will have Tim Cahill back, they will be without Harry Kewell who received a red card against Ghana.

Ghana heads the group with four points and will not be an easy opponent. Asomoah Gyan has looked quite impressive this World Cup and is a very speedy, goal-hungry striker. Watching how Badstuber was unable to contain Krasic, Gyan might focus his attack in that direction.

The Black Stars might also follow the Serbians lead and put an extra midfielder in the center of the pitch in order to lessen the space Ozil has to run through. Ozil will be an important player in the German attack without Klose available, and if he cannot get going the team may have a little trouble scoring.

Much like the Germans shouldn’t have believed they would win the World Cup after a great game one performance, they shouldn’t feel too down about game two; a win against Ghana and the Germans advance to the knockout stage.

That being said, it won’t be as easy a path as the team anticipated and the work has definitely been cut out for them.

2010 FIFA World Cup Results: Germany Fantastic in Victory Over Australia

AP Photo/Gero Breloer

Doubt crept into the minds of German soccer fans heading into the World Cup. Germany had the odds stacked against them.

There were all of the injuries, including one to captain Michael Ballack, on-top of an already supposedly thin German lineup. There was the large number of young and inexperienced players with high expectations put on them. There was the tough group draw, having to go up against Australia, Serbia, and Ghana.

However, after their 4-0 takedown of Australia in their first match of the tournament, Germany showed that they are still a world-class squad.

Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose were both coming off of rough club seasons but a return to the World Cup, where the two traditionally shine, brought out the best of them, and in turn, the team. Podolski blasted a shot past Socceroos’ goalkeeper Max Schwarzer in the eighth minute and Klose scored another header goal—his 49th in a Germany uniform—off a Philipp Lahm cross in the 26th minute.

Australia’s star midfielder Tim Cahill was sent off in the 56th putting the team down to 10 men and Germany took advantage of having an extra man. Thomas Muller and substitute Cacau scored three minutes apart in the second half to make the game not only a German victory, but a statement to the rest of the opposition that they are a force with which to be reckoned.

The youth movement looked impressive.

Muller (20), Mesut Ozil (21), Sami Khedira (23), Holger Badstuber (21), and Manuel Neuer (24)—all under 25-years-old and made their National Team debuts no earlier than February 2009—all started and were big contributors.

Neuer recorded the clean sheet in goal and Badstuber was part of the defensive line that helped him earn the shutout. Khedira was effective in midfield. Muller got the goal, but did a great job getting up and down the flanks, giving the Aussies’ fullbacks fits.

The most impressive was Ozil. He was extremely active in front of the goal and made a number of dangerous runs. He wasn’t able to put the ball in the back of the net, but he was a major threat and made Australia put a lot of focus on him, opening things up for teammates.

Another reason Die Mannschaft looked so good was because of their surprising cohesion and team chemistry. The squad put on a passing clinic, sending the ball crisply inside and outside, putting perfect crosses into the box and in front of the goal. There were great one-two passes and just simply some beautiful ball movement.

All players were on the same page and gelled nicely. They looked like a team firing on all cylinders.

It’s only one game, and there are still two difficult matchups against Serbia and Ghana to come before even thinking about the tough competition in the knockout stage, but Germany looked like the most dangerous team thus far in the tournament.

2010 FIFA World Cup: Group D Preview

Group D of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is one of the strongest, yet under the radar, groups. Other groups may get tons of media attention—Group A for host South Africa’s possible chance to advance out, Group C for the match between the United States and England, and Group G being the Group of Death with powerhouses Brazil, Ivory Coast, and Portugal—but Group D has the strongest collection of teams top to bottom.

Germany is a big favorite to come out on top, but Australia, Ghana, and Serbia all are more than capable of upending Die Mannschaft.

Australia

2006 was the first time the Socceroos made the World Cup since 1974. It was a strong coming out party, as the team made it to the Round of 16 before losing a heartbreaker to eventual champions Italy on a dubious penalty kick call in stoppage time.

They further displayed their talent in qualifying. After dominating the Oceania region, Australia moved to Asia and finished first with an undefeated record.

With an experienced squad that features a number of players competing in top European leagues, namely the Premiership, the Aussies will look to build on an impressive outing last time around. A good run in the World Cup could also improve their chances of winning the hosting vote for the 2022 games.

Australia has a good defense, but the question is: who will score?

The team typically plays a formation with a lone striker and, during qualifying, defender Brett Emerton tied midfielder Tim Cahill for the team lead in goals. They will need more offensive players to step up to improve on their 2006 finish.

Germany



The Germans will be playing in their 15th straight World Cup. They have the most top three finishes in the history of the tournament. The last time they failed to reach the second round was 72 years ago.

With a strong history of successful teams and players, they are favorites to win Group D for good reason.

However, 2010 may prove to be a more difficult journey than per usual.

Already having a very young and inexperienced team, Germany will be without five potential starters—goalkeeper Rene Adler, defenders Heiko Westermann and Christian Träsch, midfielder Simon Rolfes, and midfielder and captain Michael Ballack—due to injury.

Expectations and pressure on the young members of the squad will now be intensified. The players have a long line of success to follow, but will it all be too much of a burden to handle for those with such little experience?

Key Players: Philipp Lahm (D), Mesut Ozil (M), Miroslav Klose (F)

Ghana



The lone African nation to reach the round of 16 in 2006, Ghana was a popular dark horse pick for 2010.

While not household names, the Black Stars have a talented roster with a number of players from the top leagues in Europe.

Ghana’s biggest positive is its strong youth movement. In 2006, they were the youngest team, with an average age of 24 years old. This squad will add a number of players from the team that beat Brazil to win the 2009 U-20 World Cup, who also were featured prominently on the squad that went to the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Hurting Ghana’s chances is the absence of star player Michael Essien. The midfielder is one of the best players in the entire continent of Africa and is a key player for English Premier League side Chelsea, but he will miss the tournament due to injury.

Does Ghana have enough firepower without the extremely skilled Essien? And much like Germany, will too much pressure be put on the rising youngsters?

Key Players: John Paintsil (D), Stephan Appiah (M), Asamoah Gyan (F)

Serbia



Competing for the first time as Serbia (previously played as Serbia and Montenegro in 2006, and Yugoslavia prior to that), the country looks to be a strong contender.

The White Eagles finished first in their qualifying group (ahead of 2006 World Cup runner-up France) and combined a rock-solid defense with a new emphasis on offense, as the Serbs were the fifth highest-scoring team in European qualifying.

Even more important is the locker room atmosphere. The Serbian team is notorious for imploding at major tournaments, however this squad finally seems to have gelled together under the helm of head coach Radomir Antic, a characteristic that shouldn’t go overlooked.

Serbia’s recent form has been disappointing, however. They were beaten last week by New Zealand, who although being a team in the 2010 World Cup, is one of the weaker opponents in the tournament and was ranked 63 places lower than Serbia. The team followed that match with another goalless effort, this time drawing with Poland.

It is not the right time for a team to start struggling. Even worse, all is quiet in the locker room now but, if the Serbs continue to struggle, is another locker room blowup to come?

Key Players: Nemanja Vidic (D), Neven Subotic (D), Dejan Stankovic (M)


Photo Credits.
Tim Cahill: AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan
Philipp Lahm & Miroslav Klose: AP Photo/Frank Augstein
Stephen Appia: AP Photo/Ermindo Armino
Nemanja Vidic: AP Photo/Darko Bandic

2010 FIFA World Cup: Germany's Strengths and Weaknesses

AP Photo/Gero Breloer

When the Germans take on Australia June 13, they will begin the journey that they hope ends with their fourth World Cup victory. One of the most successful and storied teams in the history of the World Cup, Germany has its work cut out for themselves this year, but adversity has never stopped them before.

Here is a look at some strengths, and weaknesses of Germany squad heading into the World Cup.

Strengths:

History

Three World Cup victories. The most top three finishes of any nation. Countless legendary players with numerous awards, and accolades. The Germans are a mainstay in the late stages of the World Cup, and that fact alone makes it hard to bet against them.

Many say that this German team isn’t the best collection of talent they’ve ever had, but they were supposed to have down years in 2002 and 2006, yet they managed to finish second and third respectively.

History has a way of repeating itself. So while 2006, 2002, and even 1990 has little to do with the 2010 version of team Germany, there is a strong precedent of success for the nation.

Scoring

In the past two World Cups the German team has been aggressive in the attack. In 2002, they tied Brazil for most goals scored in the group stage (11), and in 2006 they led all nations in goals scored with 14.

Forward Miroslav Klose has been the main man for Germany the past two World Cups, scoring five times in both tournaments en route to winning the Silver Boot in 2002, and the Gold Boot in 2006. He is the only player to score five or more goals in consecutive World Cups, and is six goals away from passing Ronaldo as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.

He is joined by the 2006 World Cup’s Best Young Player and Silver Boot winner Lukas Podolski, midfielder Bastain Schweinsteiger, who tied for third in goals in the 2006 tournament, and newcomer but fastly rising midfielder Mesut Ozil.

The Germans will be aggressive, and the goals will come.

Weaknesses:

Experience/Depth/Injuries

The three will go hand in hand for Die Mannschaft in South Africa. Former captain Michael Ballack had already stated that the Germans “do not have the consistency or strength in depth” to be serious title contenders, and many pundits agreed.

This was before the team lost five potential starters due to injury: goalkeeper Rene Adler, defenders Heiko Westermann and Christian Träsch, midfielder Simon Rolfes, and Ballack. There were so many injuries to an already small pool of players that head coach Joachim Low only had to make one cut to get down to the final 23.

This year, 15 Germans will be making their World Cup debut. Not only do they have little World Cup experience, but many also have little national team or even life experience. Six players are 21-years-old or younger, nine players have fewer than five caps, and three have only appeared for the German National Team once.

Some very young kids have some very large shoes to fill, both in replacing players this World Cup, and just the general history of great German players.

That’s a lot to leave on the shoulders of a very inexperienced group.

Leadership

With such a young roster, veteran leadership is extremely important in getting everyone on the same page, and properly prepared for the spectacle that they are about to be thrown into.

However, Ballack’s injury, as well as those to the other veteran players, leaves the team without that invaluable leadership.

Defender Philipp Lahm, a very talented player, will take over as captain, but his soccer experience cannot match that of Ballack’s. Not only will the team have to rely on young players in the lineup, but they will also have to rely on a relatively young captain. It can’t help that Lahm was given the duty on such short notice heading into the tournament.

Although they aren’t thought to be as talented as in years past, Germany is still favored to win a rather difficult Group D which includes Serbia, Australia, and Ghana. They have an impressive track record in the World Cup, and the fan base is excited over a strong youth movement.

However, with so many injuries the pressures put on the younger players now intensifies. Will they be able to meet expectations, or will the increased burden cause them to yield, and pave the way for the German team to have an early exit?

ESPN "32 Teams, 1 Dream" spot. Video from Youtube.

10 Best German Performances at the World Cup

Germany is one of the most successful nations to play in the World Cup. They are third in most World Cup wins (three), and have the most top three finishes of any nation (10).

In Germany’s past are much political tension, turmoil, and unrest, which also spilled over into the soccer world. They were banned by FIFA after the Second World War until the 1954 World Cup and from then through 1990 was a split nation, with Germany’s statistics being carried over by West Germany.

Still, the nation persevered on the field. There are a number of legends and FIFA 100 players that represented the nation at the World Cup and the teams consistently compete for the sport’s biggest prize.

Even in years where the team isn’t considered as strong in the past, they still manage to be in a position to finish in the top four.

As the 2010 World Cup nears, the Germans will be participating in their 15th straight World Cup, the most of any European team.

Take a look at Germany’s soccer past with the ten best performances, either by a collective team or an individual.

List is in chronological order.

1954: World Cup Champions

The first World Cup won by the nation was arguably the most important. Not only was it the team’s first World Cup championship, always a special feat, but it also meant even more in the social and political aspect of the world.

The final, which saw Germany beat previously unbeaten Hungary, is called “The Miracle of Bern” because of how heavily favored Hungary was to win it all. Hungary had previously beaten West Germany in the group stage 8-3 but the Germans responded with a 3-2 victory to win their first World Cup title.

Also adding to the upset was that the German team was made up entirely of amateurs. They are the only team to be made of non-professionals and win the trophy.

After the Second World War, Germany was banned from international competition. Not until after the 1950 World Cup did FIFA reinstate West Germany (which kept the statistics of the German National Team).

The win established a new Germany, a nation that could succeed even despite its horrific recent events.

1954: Fritz Walter

Walter, a 19-year-old prodigy before the World War II, was named captain of the rebuilt squad that qualified for the 1954 tournament.

In the semi-finals, Walter scored two penalty kicks to push the West Germans into the final against Hungary, a team undefeated in its 32 previous matches.

Walter finished the tournament with three goals, but even more important, much like the symbolism of the team Walter was the embodiment of the grit, toughness, exceptional work rate, and ambition of the German spirit in rebuilding not only the national team, but the country as a whole.

Walter was the first German captain to ever hold the World Cup trophy and is widely considered one of the best players in the history of the game. He was voted the third best individual in the tournament and awarded the Bronze Ball.

He was also named to the All-Star team.



1974: World Cup Champions

Germany’s second World Cup title came on its own soil. The team obviously escaped the first round, but suffered an embarrassing defeat to East Germany during group play. The match up had a lot of political tension surrounding it. East Germany would win the battle, but West Germany would win the war, dominating their second grouping and reaching the finals.

In the championship game, the Germans squared off against the Netherlands who had dominated play with a “total football” approach, practically eliminating designated positions and having all field players step up at any position when the situation called for it.

The Germans gave up a penalty kick goal in the first minute, but they came from behind with goals in the 25th and 43rd minutes to capture their second championship.

1974: Franz Beckenbauer

One of Germany’s most legendary players, Beckenbauer captained the 1974 squad in West Germany and lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy, the newest version of the trophy.

Beckenbauer’s leadership and defense helped propel the team in its efforts of winning the championship, especially in the final against the Netherlands and star Johan Cruyff.

Beckenbauer became the first German to win the Silver Ball, the highest individual honor a German had received at that point in history, and was also selected to the All-Star team.



1982: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

The captain of the 1982 team competing in Spain shone throughout the entire tournament.

Rummenigge scored the first goal for the Germans in the tournament, a hat-trick against Chile in the second game of first round play, and a goal in extra-time and converted his penalty in a shootout against France in the semi-finals.

He earned the Silver Boot award and the Bronze Ball for his outstanding play and leadership.

1990: World Cup Champions

1990 was a year of revenge for Germany.

Argentina beat Germany in the finals 3-2 in 1986, forcing the Germans to settle for second place. Four years later, the two teams squared off again in the finals and Germany would get vengeance with a 1-0 victory.

The game saw two Argentines sent off with red cards, a first in the World Cup final.

Despite the 1990 World Cup featuring the lowest goals-per-game average, Germany scored the most in the group stage (10). The team had four players—Lothar Matthaus, Andreas Brehme, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Rudi Voller—score multiple goals in the tournament, the most from any one nation to do so in 1990.

1990: Lothar Matthaus

Matthaus captained the 1990 West German squad to victory and had many moments of brilliance himself.

Matthaus scored four goals, including two against Yugoslavia in the group stage matchup and the only goal off a penalty kick in the 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Czechoslovakia. He also converted in the penalty kick round against England to help put West Germany back in the finals.

The 1990 West German squad played aggressively offensively and Matthaus was the leader of that charge. He received the Bronze Boot award for his four goals, and was also awarded the Silver Ball. Matthaus was also named to the All-Star team.



2002: Oliver Kahn

Despite low expectations for Germany in South Korea/Japan, Kahn put the nation on his back and lifted the team into the tournament finals and a second-place finish.

Named the captain of the team, Kahn allowed only three goals the entire competition, two of which came in the final against Brazil, playing with torn ligaments in his right ring finger. He was the first German keeper to record five clean sheets in a single World Cup.

Kahn’s performance in net was so brilliant that he was awarded the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. He is the only goalkeeper in the history of the World Cup to win the Golden Ball.

Kahn was also awarded the Lev Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper and was named to the All-Star team.

2006: Hosts, Third-Place

The stage once again was set on home soil. The Germans would not win it all, but they would give their fans a product to be extremely proud of.

The Germans stormed through group play going undefeated. They stumbled in the semi-finals, losing 2-0 to eventual champion Italy, but there isn’t much shame in losing to the best. They would bounce back and trounce Portugal 3-1, behind two goals from Bastian Schweinsteiger, for third place.

Goal scoring was at an all-time low pace for the tournament as a whole but the Germans played attractive and aggressive soccer for the fans. They scored the most goals in the tournament (14) and excited the nation when defender Philipp Lahm scored the opening goal of the World Cup in the first five minutes against Costa Rica.

The Germans were represented at every position on the all-star team by goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, Lahm, midfielder Michael Ballack, and forward Miroslav Klose. Klose was awarded the Golden Boot and Lukas Podolski was named the Best Young Player.

The 2006 World Cup saw strong patriotism and support from its German fans, some say the most flag-waving since World War II.



2006: Miroslav Klose

Klose followed up his 2002 Silver Shoe award (second-leading goal scorer in the 2002 World Cup) by winning the Golden Shoe in Germany in 2006. His five goals also landed him a second consecutive spot on the All-Star team.

Although his five goals were tied for the second-smallest total by a Golden Boot winner and lowest since 1962 when six players tied for the lead with four goals, Klose was still the best finisher. He helped Germany score the most goals in the tournament.

Klose is the first German since the reunification of the country to win the award and is the only player to score five or more goals in consecutive World Cups. His performance in 2006 also pushed him only six goals away from passing Ronaldo as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.

In the team’s opening game, which also happened to be Klose’s 28th birthday, he scored two goals in Germany’s 4-2 win over Costa Rica.

Photo Credits.
Lothar Matthaus: AP Photo/Carlo Fumagal
Franz Beckenbauer: AP Photo/Heribert Proepper
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: AP Photo/Daniel Maurer
Oliver Kahn: AP Photo/Christof Stache
Miroslav Klose: AP Photo/Axel Heimken