Manager: Joachim Löw

Best finish (as West Germany and Germany): Champions (1954, 1974, 1990)

World Cup record: Played 68, Won 41, Drawn 15, Lost 12

History

They're handy enough at this World Cup lark. Only Brazil (five) and Italy (four) have won more, no country has more top four finishes (12), and to the list you can throw in four runners-up spots and four third place finishes – including 2010 when they beat Uruguay, having lost by a single goal to eventual champions Spain in the semi-finals. Consistent, then. It's the dim and distant past of 1990, though, since they last won it.

White board: When they scraped home 6-1 in Dublin that time, their formation might have seemed on the 0-0-10 side, but Joachim Löw generally opts for a more guarded 4-2-3-1. An array of attacking talent to choose from, seven of their forward-minded players got three goals or more in the qualifying campaign. The key, though, is to tighten up at the back.

All Star - Mesut Özil: Way too many to choose from, not least Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm, but Özil's form in Brazil will be of particular interest.

County Colours – Tipperary: Always there or thereabouts, strutting around like they own the place . . . Oh, wait.

Pundit's Corner – Paul Merson: "They'll be deficient, Jeff. It'll be typical German deficiency."

Prospects: The bookies have them as third favourites, behind Brazil and Argentina, so hopes are high-ish. They won nine of their 10 games in qualifying, their only dropped points coming in that bizarre 4-4 draw with Sweden, after they'd led 4-0. Sweden also scored three against them in their 3-5 home defeat, all of which prompted Löw to fret over the leakiness of his defence against useful opposition. That could be their problem in a tricky Group G. A shootout with Jürgen Klinsmann's USA in the final game would be interesting.

FINAL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: 1 Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), 12 Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96), 22 Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund).

Defenders: 2 Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), 3 Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), 4 Benedikt Höwedes (Schalke 04), 5 Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), 15 Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), 16 Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), 17 Per Mertesacker (Arsenal, Eng), 20 Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), 21 Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria/Ita).  

Midfielders: 6 Sami Khedira (Real Madrid, Esp), 7 Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), 8 Mesut Özil (Arsenal, Eng), 9 Andre Schührrle (Chelsea, Eng), 10 Lukas Podolski (Arsenal, Eng), 13 Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), 14 Julian Draxler (Schalke 04), 18 Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), 19 Mario Götze (Bayern Munich), 23 Christoph Kramer (Borussia Moenchengladbach).

Forwards: 11 Miroslav Klose (Lazio, Ita),

TEAM LINE-UPS

GERMANY (v Portugal): 1 Manuel Neuer; 20 Jerome Boateng, 17 Per Mertesacker, 5 Mats Hummels (21 Shkodran Mustafi, 73 mins), 4 Benedikt Höwedes; 6 Sami Khedira, 16 Philipp Lahm, 18 Toni Kroos; 8 Mesut Özil (9 Andre Schürrle, 63 mins), 13 Thomas Müller (10 Lukas Podolski, 81 mins), 19 Mario Göetze.

GERMANY (v Ghana): 1 Manuel Neuer; 20 Jerome Boateng (21 Shkodran Mustafi, half-time), 17 Per Mertesacker, 5 Mats Hummels, 4 Benedikt Höwedes; 6 Sami Khedira (7 Bastian Schweinsteiger, 70 mins), 16 Philipp Lahm, 18 Toni Kroos; 8 Mesut Özil, 13 Thomas Müller, 19 Mario Göetze (11 Miroslav Klose, 69 mins).

GERMANY (v USA): 1 Manuel Neuer; 20 Jerome Boateng, 17 Per Mertesacker, 5 Mats Hummels, 4 Benedikt Höwedes (yc); 16 Philipp Lahm,  7 Bastian Schweinsteiger (19 Mario Göetze, 76 mins), 18 Toni Kroos; 8 Mesut Özil (9 Andre Schürrle, 89 mins), 13 Thomas Müller, 10 Lukas Podolski (11 Miroslav Klose, half-time).

GERMANY (v Algeria):

1-Manuel Neuer; 21-Shkodran Mustafi (6-Sami Khedira, 70 mins), 17-Per Mertesacker, 20-Jerome Boateng, 4-Benedikt Höwedes; 16-Philipp Lahm (yc), 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger (23-Christoph Kramer, 119 mins), 18-Toni Kroos; 8-Mesut Ozil (Gotze 83'), 13-Thomas Müller, 19-Mario Goetze (9-Andre Schürrle, half-time).

Those on one yellow card are: 

Benedikt Höwedes, Phillip Lahm.

GERMANY (v France):

1-Manuel Neuer; 20-Jerome Boateng, 5-Mats Hummels, 4-Benedikt Hwedes; 6-Sami Khedira (yc), 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger (yc), 16-Philipp Lahm, 18-Toni Kroos (Kramer 90'), 8-Mesut Ozil (Gotze 83'); 13-Thomas Müller, 11-Miroslav Klose (Schurrle 69')

Yellow cards wiped out after quarter-final

GERMANY (v Brazil):

1-Manuel Neuer; 16-Philipp Lahm, 20-Jerome Boateng, 5-Mats Hummels (17-Per Mertesacker, 46 mins), 4-Benedikt Höwedes; 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger;  13-Thomas Müller, 6-Sami Khedira (14-Julian Draxler, 76 mins), 18-Toni Kroos, 8-Mesut Özil; 11-Miroslav Klose (9-Andre Schürrle, 68 mins).

GERMANY (v Argentina):

1-Manuel Neuer; 16-Philipp Lahm, 20-Jerome Boateng, 5-Mats Hummels, 4-Benedikt Hoewedes; 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger, 23-Christoph Kramer (Andre Schurrle 31'), 13-Thomas Muller, 18-Toni Kroos, 8-Mesut Ozil; 11-Miroslav Klose (Goetze 88')

Yellow cards:

Schweinsteiger, Hoewedes