After the long break for the winter, the international circuit kicks into life again for the Nationalmannschaft, with two prestige friendlies to get their warm-up preparations for this summer’s European Championships underway. Two old and established rivals provide the opposition;
Usually I release the minute by minute match report a few hours after the end of the match. Barring a few edits and typo corrections, it is usually ready to go. Things were a little different after the game in
After the almost year-long hangover following the World Cup final victory in Brazil, it was time for the world champions to show their true colours. Apart from a nervy spell at the end of the first half, it was a
After a somewhat testing start to 2015 against Australia in Kaiserslautern Germany got their ship back in order against Georgia with a clinical but arguably underwhelming display in Tbilisi. After a tough opening half an hour two goals just before
2015 started in slightly uncertain fashion for the Nationalmannschaft, with a hard-earned 2-2 draw against recently-crowned Asian champions Australia in Kaiserslautern. Having taken a deserved early lead Joachim Löw’s side suddenly found themselves 2-1 down and under threat of repeating
There’s an interesting look to the German starting eleven for the team’s first fixture of 2015, with both skipper Bastian Schweinsteiger and ‘keeper Manuel Neuer rested with Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira taking the captain’s armband and Hanover 96’s Ron-Robert Zieler
2014 would end on a sound note following the hard-earned 1-0 friendly win over Spain in a damp and blustery Vigo, and 2015 starts for the Nationalmannschaft with another friendly, against Australia in Kaiserslautern. After a few days’ break the
Germany closed off a successful 2014 with a visit to 2010 World Champions and reigning European Champions Spain, and following a series of iffy displays in their opening four European Championship qualifiers they finished the year on a high with
It’s a wet and windy evening on Spain’s Atlantic coast – one might call it “Fritz Walter Wetter”! This prestige friendly and Germany’s final fixture of the year sees the Nationalmannschaft and their predecessors as World Champions Spain meet for
Friday’s game against Gibraltar sharpened the media focus on Germany’s current poor form, but perhaps even more worryingly it saw two more players join the already significant injury list. Both goalkeeping titan Manuel Neuer and defensive rock Jérôme Boateng were
When your team wins 4-0, there is usually no reason to complain. Yet the reaction in Germany after their fourth game in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2016 would see plenty of consternation and more hand-wringing. The Nationalmannschaft had registered
In perhaps the most one-sided contest since David versus Goliath – OK, Germany versus San Marino – the Nationalmannschaft take on UEFA’s newest member Gibraltar at the Grundig-Stadion – otherwise known as the Frankenstadion – in Nürnberg. After two disappointing