Friedrich was a good makeshift RB, much more suited to the role then some of the CB’s that Low has tried there in recent years. That 2002 team was actually much better then they get credit for. I liked the Frings/Ballack midfield combo and Hamann was real quality too. Add in a world class keeper in Kahn, a world class (imo) CB Metzelder and young Klose who was already a great tournament striker and also people like Bernd Schneider and Lars Ricken who I also rated even if he didn’t play in that tournament much and it was a likeable team. They had much more of that traditional German grit/mentality as well. Lots of good characters. The current team could do with a bit more of that teams mindset.
Mertersacker was way too slow. People actually think Algeria was going to beat Germany don't get that Hummels was sick and we also had that bum Mustafi at RB. Those 2 are why Neuer had to rush like crazy, 2 very ineffective players. the Algerians were way too fast for the giant Per.
yeah it was better but the team got easiest route to the final ever. the reason why Kahn gets all the plaudits. Is that King Kahn was immense, don't think we've ever seen such a standout GK at WC. You will never see a GK win Golden Glove AND Golden Ball at a WC, he was that dominant. He's 1st GK in WC history to win Golden Ball. If it wasn't for his heroics in every single game, Germany would have been out very early. although I do agree that there was talent in that team and actual grit/good mentality. I too always like Bernd Schneider he's another player who gets less credit that he deserves. Even I sometimes forget to credit him for the 2002 WC. Ricken was quality. They were a likable team even guys like Neuville, Asamoah, Janker (who can forget that giant baldy), Linke, Baummann, Kehl etc. still too funny, who remembers when Germany got trashed 5-1 by England in WC Qualifiers and We are the ones who got to the final. Take that England Golden Generation. That 5-1 loss is why the WHOLE world dismissed Germany in 2002.
GERMANY 2002: THE WORST WORLD CUP FINALISTS EVER? https://thesefootballtimes.co/2016/04/10/germany-2002-the-worst-world-cup-finalists-ever/
Haha yes I really liked giant baldy Jancker too! And Asamoah, Neuville and Bierhoff. Lots of variety in strikers and all good characters. I actually prefer Klose, Neuville, Bierhoff, Jancker, and Asamoah to the current group of attackers lol. Less talent maybe (apart from Klose my all time favourite striker) but way more likeable and offer good variety and proper striking nous.
I'm still in mind that the last great striker from Germany was Gomez. And Klose is too my favorite striker of all time, my hero growing up! the dev of strikers post Gomez is extremely poor. It's why we keep playing Gnabry uptop who to his credit only works because he's efficient as hell for Germany. But Gnabry did not play for Germany during the dark times like the guys from early 2000s which makes it easier for him. It's why Klose, Neuville, Bierhoff, Jancker, and Asamoah had harder time. and then it basically goes Werner who feels like Low never gets the best out of him and that Germany is more posession based than RB..... And guys like Volland and others who are basically blacklisted, lol. Waldschmidt seems to lack experience, makes sense last season was his 1st real pro season. sucks having to wait for the new crop of German young CFs to breakthrough to be able to enjoy real German CFs. But until then we have to make due with what we have. Reality for Germany going forward, is that not every CFs will suit the NT due to modern day demands and style.
They probably were one of the worse finalist I've seen, mind you Argentina 1990 team was awful and were very lucky in so many games. England team was strong in the 2002 world cup.
if I'm honest if it wasn't for refs cheating for Korea. I would have expected a redo of 1994 of Brazil vs Italy. England was strong but it sucks for them having to play Brazil in QF. That was likely their best shot at winning WC. Had they defeated Brazil and the 3Rs they would have made the final but 2002 Brazil was too strong. it's not coincidence that Italy won 2006 WC. They had the players to win 2002 WC as well.
Consistently germany and Italy have been the strongest in world cups even though Brazil have won 5 titles
you know what Brazil has on Germany and Italy? They know how to win Finals. Germany is team who lost the most finals, lol with 4 2nd place tourneys. Finals Germany 4/8 wins=50% Italy 4/6 wins=66.67% Brazil 5/7 wins=71.43% The Germany national football team is one of the most successful national teams at the FIFA World Cup, winning four titles, earning second-place and third-place finishes four times each and one fourth-place finish. If you consider 3rd place or better for a winning campaign, Germany's 12 victories in 19 tournaments add up to at least three more than any other nation. In addition, Germany are the only team which has stood on the podium (3rd place or better) every decade there was a tournament held—1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Along with Argentina, Brazil and Spain, they are one of the four national teams to win outside their continental confederation, with the title of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in South America. The team was present in 19 out of the 21 tournaments, the second most frequent, and only did not reach the quarterfinals twice, in 1938 and 2018. With this, Germany's 8th place or better (quarterfinals) in 17 out of 19 tournaments (89%) ranks highest in FIFA World Cup Finals history. It makes Germany the better team in the history of the tournament in terms of final positions, if points were awarded proportionally for a title, runner-up finish, third-place finish, semi-final and quarter-final appearances. Fact is historically Germany is overall the best team in WC history and the most consistent team in world cup history. Brazil and Italy both work on generation when they have bad generation they end up being bad for awhile until a good generation appears again. Italy had struggles from 50-70 and then 2010-present. Brazil had issues between 78-94 and then between 02-18. bad man Low is embarrassing he got one of the worst results in German history in 2018 WC, LOL.
also had Germany won 1 more WC than Rankings would be 1-Germany -Brazil 3-Italy tiebraker Germany has more silver than Brazil and more Bronze too. Even more reason why we NEED to win another WC BEFORE Brazil wins another.
I did not like Bodo Illgner. I thought he was average and overrated. He would give the expected saves but nothing else. it seems like he conceded a goal every time I watched him play for the NT. He also had little in terms of leadership
I don’t think the 90 team could cope with the pace of the game and the technical level of the 2014 side. They would press 90 to death.
No one is going to talk about Michael Ballack? His reputation with me dropped after he left Bayern for Chelsea. But few players can run the midfield like him. comfortable anywhere in midfield
I followed Ballack when he moved to Chelsea. Yes, regressed, indeed. But not really a flop, he had his moment there. The biggest tragedy by someone who moved to Chelsea was Andri Shevchenko. I am a big fan of Sheva and it hurts me to see how he fared in Chelsea.
I mean being a Bayern fan, I hated him when he rejected our extension left us to join Chelsea on a free transfer When he left Germany and Bayern coincided with the start of their golden age
Don't care. Actually loved to see us 'rumpel' through tournaments and people from all over the world be pissed that once again they went far with mentality,luck and hard working football. And could have won that 2002 against Brazil. Same 86, a team with a lot of workers and very few technicans,almost beating big favourite Argentina.
at least 2002 team had more passion, mentality and backbone than the the disgraceful 2018 which were one of the worst performing German team in WC history. I'm 100% sure the 2002 team would not have been this bad had they played 2018 WC.
The inept performance in 2018 was down to loews tactics, absolutely no clarity on tactics or what his best 11.
it also felt like there was no leaders on the pitch and the team's mentality was weak as hell. They didn't look or feel like a German team.