FIFA World Cup 2014: Why Germany should win

People outside West Germany in fact wanted to revel in schadenfreude as they prayed for a second trophy on the trot for Diego Maradona’s Argentina. The majority of the world, however, lost as the Germans won by a goal (fittingly a dubious penalty) in one of the terrible finals in the tournament’s history.

Cut to 2014. The role reversal is stunning. Germany have been the most exciting team at the World Cup in Brazil. Their players look human, affable and charming. And, they can play. Even though Germany continue to hold on to some good old virtues such as organisation and efficiency, it would be patently wrong to call them arrogant, cynical and ruthless any longer.

The Germans have won more fans here for their behaviour in the semi-final than for actually demolishing Brazil with a seven-goal salvo. They didn’t dance over the grave of their fallen opponents as the class of 90 would certainly have done. The management had asked Germany not to show disrespect to the hosts after they had raced to a 5-0 lead in the first half.

Ahead of the final at the Maracana on Sunday, more neutral fans are probably on the side of Germany. Nick Hornby, who wrote the cult book Fever Pitch, has gone to the extent of saying that the tournament would be deemed a success only if Germany won it. Coming as it did from an Englishman, the statement was a ringing endorsement of the transformation Germany have undergone in the new millennium.

In terms of overall strength and balance, Joachim Loew’s side are the best here. They also play as a team, despite being blessed with sparkling individual talent in every position. In all-star teams drawn by disparate people, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, right-back Philipp Lahm, midfielder Toni Kroos and forward Thomas Muller would be certainties. Defenders Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng would also be pushing for a place on the merit of their outstanding performances here.

Barring their last 16 match against Algeria, Germany have largely been untroubled in Brazil. They have beaten the team led by the reigning World Player of the Year and the hosts supported by 200 million fans most comprehensively. A functional 1-0 win over France in the quarter-final was proof that this German team could also grind out results when a need arose. They have scored 17 goals and shipped in four for the best record among all the teams that reached the semi-finals.

How did Germany achieve the transformation?

After a disastrous campaign in Euro 2000, the German football association started to focus on youth development with an eye on the future. The policy started to pay them dividends from 2006 when Germany staged the World Cup. Ironically, Jurgen Klinsmann, one of the central figures of the unpopular 1990 team, played a pivotal role in winning over neutral fans. Klinsmann coached an inexperienced bunch, which was called the worst in the history of the country, to the semifinals by playing vibrant football to prove to the German public that beauty and success weren’t incompatible.

The superbly-organised World Cup also opened the eyes of foreign fans about Germany, demolishing myths about Teutonic arrogance, unfriendliness and racist outlook. Selection of players from various ethnic backgrounds was another masterstroke that helped them score on and off the field.Times have changed. And, it’s time to raise a toast to Germany. A German win at the Maracana on Sunday would be a victory for football.