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.
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.
spainsuckballs
Guest
The author says that Spain was dominant. Right, dominant. In their 2010 win, they score 8 goals throughout the tournament and won on pure luck and a load of defensive coward play against the Germans and the Dutch. In 2014, the Dutch gave them exactly what they deserved and send them packing back to Coward Land with a 5-1 thrashing. Spain also lose to Chile and have the honour of becoming the first "world champions" (I use that term lightly with Spain) to be say bye-bye within two matches. Some "dominance" that is. Sure, I'd agree that the German performance of 2006 and 2010 was far more solid than their 2014 one, but they are nowhere near as pathetic as Spain was.
Matt
Guest
I agree with everything you have said. This German team is one of the best to win the world cup in some time.
Matt
Guest
I agree Brazil went further than they should have and were exposed horribly against a very good German team in the semi-finals.
Matt
Guest
7-1 win over host Brazil in the semi-finals need I say more. The spread of talent in this team is simply sensational and are a great world cup winning team. I think this article is trying to be controversial and stir up debates.
D
Guest
"Anything before 2002 doesn’t warrant a mention because the game was significantly slower back then (Barca from the mid 2000s revolutionalised football by playing possession at the pace an EPL team plays counter-attack)." I think you mean 'revolutionised'. Before trying to get to grips with this football lark, you might want to learn the basics of the language first. I see you're one of these modern fans who thinks football was invented by Sky in 1992. No surprise with a Man United avatar. The likes of Hungary 54, Holland 74, Brazil 82, France 98 & above all Brazil 70 would wipe the floor with this German team. Most of the rest of your 'analysis' is hogwash.
D
Guest
Peter - you're obviously clueless about football based on your comments about Spain. Saying 'even the Swiss knew how to beat them' when it was just a one-off and nobody else could subsequently do it highlights your idiocy. Spain had Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets in midfield. Germany have Ozil, Khedira and Toni fvcking Kroos. It's a complete mismatch and Spain would have dominated them. Also, Spain would have scored more than 7 against Brazil if given all that space. That night was more about Brazil's ineptitude than anything Germany did.
D
Guest
They only scored a record amount of goals because of how terrible Portugal & Brazil played against them. And of course they were lucky - Algeria were through on goal against them a few times and Argentina missed three great opportunities against them in the final. You're talking as if they swept everyone aside with ease. Kroos had an aeful season for RM, looking shaky when Modric got injured and wasn't around to make him look better, and Barca hammered Bayern's team full of German nationals. Even the ordinary players in the squad - Khedira, Schurrle, Boateng - are talked of as if they're legends of the game. What is it with you people and your German bandwagon? You're clearly another Germany lover who thinks they're above criticism. Not doing too well in Euros qualifying I see - they'll get there easily but if they win three tournaments in a row like Spain did I will transfer £2000 from my bank account to yours.
D
Guest
You're just another who's bought into the German hype completely. Good to see Toni Kroos proving me right by being average most of the season, as well as Bayern's teams of German nationals being destroyed by Barca. You probably think the PL is the best league in the world too, because Sky Sports tells you it is.
Canarinho
Guest
Actually, France was far from being a poor team. They had one of the best performance last WC ever against Switzerland (who beat teams like Spain, Brazil and Germany in their path last years) and deserved to reach 1/4 finals. In my humble opinion, they were on a par with Germany and Holland that WC. Concerning the (poor) article, I strongly disagree with Meron Walsh. Germany has been one of the best teams to win a WC since 1974. From 2nd half from Algeria vs Germany on, they hit their overall performances and showed being a solid team with an excellent squad. And taking into account there were many important players that didn't play that WC as Reus and Schurlle.
Cris
Guest
Itay in 2006 was rubbsh? Buffon, Pirlo, Nesta, Cannavaro, Totti, Del Piero, Inzaghi, Zambrotta, Gattuso... rubbish....ahahaha and lucky against Australia? playing in 10 for a non sensed red card.... and still they never got close to score... you must not be an expert in football, don't you?!
Mason
Guest
Absolutly ridiculous article. The author clearly has no idea about football and is probaly just bad sport (Brazilian, Spanish or maybe French?). Having the best individual players doesn't win you anything at this level. Yes, Germany do not have a Messi, Ronaldo or Neymar. That being said, I think Özil, Götze, Khedira, Klose, just to name a few, are among the best in the world in their respective positions and lets not forget Neuer, unarguably the best Goalkeeper in the world at the moment. Brazil never fulfilled their high ambitions, Spain went out after the group stage and even Argentina only actually had one good game and that was the final where they were probably, at least over 90mins, the better team. Lets not forget France or Italy who both preformed poorly, the French actually achieving more than expected with thier 1/4 Final entry. The dutch were probably the only team to preform consisently well and on par with Germany and should've been the Final opponent. Regardless, the Germany were the best team and their victory was deserved!
fussballgott
Guest
an amazing team in my opinion
fussballgott
Guest
7 - 1 against Brazil is not a 'not so great team'. No. It is a team that made history.
David
Guest
Spain were lucky? Algeria and Ghana could have beaten Germany, France were unlucky not to beat them, and if Messi, Higuain and Palacio not fluffed their lines they'd have lost to Argentina in the final. You're just another moronic, clueless fanboy sheep who's bought into the 'anti Spain, pro Germany' narrative the media has been spinning for the last few years. The irony of you telling him to stick to hockey. And before you tell me to do the same, I'm European, have been watching football since the eighties and know players and teams from history whom you've never even heard of. You're nothing but a biased Germany sycophant. They were sh1te last month against Scotland and lost tonight in Poland. We will see what a fluke they are when they fail in France in two years time.
bobby
Guest
This German team is the best team I have ever seen. 7-1 beating of Brazil in Brazil in a World Cup Semi Final.....magnificent!! the beautiful game is now German and they didn't even have 3 of their best players there through injury (Reusable, Gundogan and Schmelzer). Tlhe fact their under 19s won their European Championship 2 weeks later and you can see the future is German. Best team EVER.
Peter
Guest
Well said !!
R
Guest
If this comment is really your opinion, if this is really what you believe... The I don't think you watched a lot of games in your life. Honestly, whar was special about Italy '06? Yes, absolutely nothing! They were lucky trhoughout the whole tournament. There hasn't been a single outstanding performance from them. Even Spain in South Africa was not that brilliant as everybody says. They lost aginst a poor Switzerland team, and they were very lucky against Paraguay in the Quater final. Paraguaymissed a penalty before Spain scored - also with a penalty. And if Robben had pushed the ball in when he was lonely in front of Casillas, Holand would have won in 2010. Your from Canada right?? Stick to hockey dude...
brad
Guest
Spain 2010 - lost first match to switzerland and won every k/o game 1-0. France - bundled out in '02 without a win and '04 euros at q/f so 8 year dominance is pushing it. brazil - great attack on paper in '02 but they didn't exactly put teams to the sword. Germany scored more goals that tourny and this. Italy '06 - again, great legendary players but didnt have it all their way during the tournament. Just because they're a young side, doesnt mean anything. I'd argue they are the best TEAM out of the one's you've mentioned.
Peter
Guest
Germany certainly wasn't lucky at all. And I don't know how people can call them boring, scoring a record amount of goals. Certainly the most exciting team and the only one who deserved it.
mez
Guest
I agree. This is NOT the best German team we have ever seen. But best teams dont always win. Brazil of 1982, Holland of 1974 and 1978 and Italy of 1990 are just a few examples of very good teams that failed to win the WC. Germans are never exciting to watch - even when they play their best football. They are just efficient and grind out results when it matters most. Looking back at their history, they are almost always in 1/4s and semis in most competitions - which is an incerdible feat - given they show very little creativity when playing. Some people mentioned luck had somethig to do with it - but is it their fault they are lucky???? you need luck in tournaments like this and no team/manager can ever deny that.