So, it’s the start of a new international season, and a World Cup final rematch between the Nationalmannschaft and Argentina in Düsseldorf. It’s a new-look German team with some new combinations as Nationaltrainer Joachim Löw looks to build for the
I have always been in two minds about the international season starting so early, particularly during a World Cup year. Despite it being almost two months after the Nationalmannschaft’s triumph in Rio there is still something of a sluggishness, with
The victorious German team are back home or on holiday, the World Cup trophy is safely in the locker for another four years, and it’s now time for what will be one of most memorable tournament post-mortems. The recent retirement
When the World Cup began more than a month ago, the thought of Germany being in the final would be little more than a dream. Placed in the toughest half of the draw with a possible quarter-final against France and
It’s a warm and bright late afternoon in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the day has arrived. After over a month of competition, the two best teams are here compete for football’s biggest and most famous prize: the
Coming into the semi-final against Brazil at the Estadio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte, Germany would be the bookies’ favourites. But only just. When the match kicked off the first ten minutes saw Brazil edge the opening tussles, with Jogi Löw’s
We’re all set in Belo Horizonte, with Nationaltrainer Joachim Löw keeping things simple and my pre-match tittle-tattle short by naming the same side that had beaten France four days earlier. Confidence is high and the defensive midfield duo fit and
We all can keep commenting, analysing and criticising, but they always come good in the end. The World Cup is like a magical elixir for the German national team, and after all of the pre-match discussion and debate Jogi and
For many, the quarter-final against France at the famous Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro would be the first in a number of defining moments for Nationaltrainer Joachim Löw. The coach had been targeted heavily by the press for
Germany’s World Cup goes on, but their second phase encounter with Algeria would produce yet another dramatic chapter in what has so far been an incredible tournament – arguably the best for a long time, possibly since Mexico 1986. Expected
Having safely negotiated what had been dubbed the “Group of Death”, Joachim Löw’s German side now meet Algeria, runners-up behind Belgium in a group that would also include Russia and South Korea. It is a repeat of the infamous meeting
I had promised to just watch every match as it comes and not get too involved in the ongoing discussions regarding the selection choices and tactical decisions being made by Nationaltrainer Jogi Löw, but as the tournament enters the knockout