Germany

Coach: Joachim Loew

Key Player: Lukas Podolski

World Ranking: 6

World Cup Record: 16 appearances – Winners in 1954, 1974 & 1990

Group D Schedule:
13 June - Germany v Australia
18 June – Serbia v Germany
23 June – Ghana v Germany

The late loss of captain and experienced midfielder Michael Ballack with an ankle injury was a blow to Germany.

Coach Joachim Loew's first World Cup in charge could also be his last, after contract extension talks collapsed earlier this year and were postponed until after the tournament.

Having taken over from Juergen Klinsmann after the 2008 World Cup in Germany, Loew has run the team with a steady hand, steering them to the Euro 2008 final. But he has failed to establish Germany as one of the favourites for the World Cup.

The 50-year-old has not relaxed his ban on striker Kevin Kuranyi and also opted to drop veteran midfielder Torsten Frings in favour of a younger and more agile midfield.

Striker Lukas Podolski could prove to be a match-winner. With a stunning scoring record for the national team, and after a subdued season at Cologne when he scored just two goals, Podolski is desperate to reveal his best form on the big stage.

Final Squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Schalke), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Hans-Jorg Butt (Bayern Munich);

Defenders: Dennis Aogo (Hamburg), Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Jerome Boateng (Hamburg), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart);

Midfielders: Sami Khedira (Stuttgart), Toni Kroos (Bayer Leverkusen), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Mesut Ozil (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg);

Forwards: Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski