The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Germany is the worst team to have ever won a World Cup

Meron Woldu new author
Roar Rookie
16th July, 2014
Advertisement
Germany lift the World Cup after their 1-0 win over Argentina in the final. Will they go back to back in Russia? (Photo: Wiki Commons)
Meron Woldu new author
Roar Rookie
16th July, 2014
104
4573 Reads

Some of the greatest football teams in history have had the honour of lifting the World Cup trophy.

In a tournament where legends are made and teams are immortalised in history, I was left with the feeling that I hadn’t seen a team worthy of legendary status at this tournament. With the World Cup now over and a new Champion crowned, the question must be asked how does Germany’s 2014 World Cup winning squad compare to the great teams that have lifted the trophy in the past.

The simple answer is that they aren’t that great, and going back as far as I can remember, this Germany team is the worst team to have won the World Cup in all my time watching football.

This German squad is a good one, but not a great one. Not to belittle their achievement, but the overall the quality of the teams at this World Cup were far below the standard we are accustomed to seeing. In that sense the Germans were simply the best of a poor bunch. As far back as the semifinals, seeing the four teams that remained in the tournament, it was evident to me then that which ever team wins the tournament will be the worst one I have witnessed win a World Cup.

When compared to Spain’s dominant team that conquered everything in their path between 2008 and 2012, or the Italian squad of 2006, Brazil in 2002, or France’s 1998 team, this Germany team just doesn’t match up to those teams in terms of personnel, quality, or overall performance at the tournament.

Just go back and compare the past squad’s styles and the manner in which they won the tournament:

Spain’s team in 2010 is the most dominant team in international football history. Their tiki-taka style, coupled with their incredible resolve in defence and their hunger to win seen them stylishly sweep aside the whole World Cup en route to victory.

Italy’s 2006 team was a team packed with some of the best Italian players to have ever kicked a ball.

Advertisement

Brazil’s 2002 winning team had probably the most lethal front line of any team in World Cup history with Ronaldo, Rivaldo and a young and hungry Ronaldinho right behind them.

France’s 98 squad was led by the talents of Zidane and his golden generation of French stars that made France a force for the next eight years.

Compare those squad to what we seen from this Germany team. A good squad, but nothing special. Lahm, Neuer, and Schweinsteiger are the only notable names who you can really put up there on the pantheon of great footballers to have won a World Cup. Individuals aside though, the team itself was nothing special.

They weren’t a fluid side or a particularly cohesive in terms of their attack. Their defence was solid, but nothing incredible. They scraped through many games and managed to only one impressive performance the whole tournament, which was against Brazil in the semis(and what a performance it was!)

This team is simply a good one. The best from a poor crop. When history remembers Germany’s 2014 World Cup winning squad, they won’t remember a legendary team of incredible players such as Spain 2010, Italy 06, Brazil 02, or France 98, they will remember just a good team.

Congratulations on the incredible achievement though.

close