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International Friendly Preview: Germany - England
What: International Friendly
Who: Germany v England
When: 20:00 GMT, Wednesday, November 19 2008
Where: Olympic Stadium, Berlin
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Nov 18, 2008 7:45:43 PM
Former Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Gary Lineker once said: "Football is a game for 22 people that run around, play the ball, and one referee who makes a slew of mistakes, and in the end Germany always wins."
The rivalry between England and Germany is partly to do with the results from various football matches over the past half century, and mostly to do with the history of competitiveness between the two nations that pre-dates the World Cup.
The English and the Germans can't help but glance at each others achievements and think to themselves: "I want a piece of that, but I want to do it better." Take the Naval Race for example: from 1906 to 1914 tension between Great Britain and Germany increased to a breaking point as both fought to build a navy that could rule the waves.
By tradition, England had a superior navy, but Kaiser Wilhelm II caught a glimpse of Britain's array of sea ships when he entered a British Challenger yacht at a marine event at Cowes Week every year starting in 1887. The Naval Race begun when the Kaiser's enthusiasm to expand Germany's navy began to threaten the powers that be in England who in turn responded by increasing the size of their own navy... and so a vicious circle ensued and the race to build arms is cited as one of the causes of the First World War.
A Rivalry Is Born
Anglo-German rivalry was, and remains, mostly felt on the English side, as the Germans feel their matches with the Netherlands are of a far higher importance than those fought against the Three Lions.
Early footballing encounters between the two sides stretch back to the 19th century when the English Football Association organised an 1899 tour consisting of four matches to be played on the continent against Germany and Austria. That game resulted in a thrashing and the Germans were on the wrong end of an embarrassing 13-2 result.
Perhaps the most interesting (unofficial/ unofficiated) football match to have been noted not only between England and Germany, but two footballing teams as a whole in the entirety of the 20th century occurred on Christmas Day 1914.
Trench Foot
When British troops first signed up to fight in World War One they firmly believed that they would return home by Christmas 1914. They were wrong by nearly four years.
However, for one day, on December 25 1914, the bullets ceased firing, guns were lowered, troops from both sides left the trenches and walked into no mans land, and a game of football was played between two sides who had previously been trying to kill each other.
Of course there is no published note of the result, but it is widely assumed by those high up in historical circles that the scoreline remained goal-less after 90 minutes, a further 30 minutes, with the Germans emerging victorious on penalties after a comedy of errors by the English.*
Twenty-six years later, one year before the commencement of the Second World War, the English national football team travelled to Germany and posed for one of the most controversial football photos only recently published in Britain.
The snap captured the English (coincidentally in the same stadium they will be playing in on Wednesday evening) performing a Nazi salute. The squad said they felt uncomfortable saluting in this fashion, but were under order from the British foreign office and the gesture was seen at the time to follow the policy of appeasement.
Don't Mention The World Cup
Did the ball cross the line? Was it a fix? These questions will continue to be posed to England fans as they claimed their only World Cup trophy, on home soil in 1966, at the expense of West Germany in a fixture that required extra-time.
Thirty-four years later the Germans exacted revenge by knocking the English out of the 1990 World Cup semi-finals in what has since been billed one of the finest post-'66 teams the Three Lions have produced.
Penalties were needed to separate a 1-1 scoreline and Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle infamously missed their spot kicks to ensure the West Germans progressed to the final where they eventually beat Argentina 1-0 and lifted the trophy aloft for the third time.
Head to head
England remain in an exclusive club though who enjoy a better record over Die Mannschaft having recorded 14 wins, 10 defeats, and six draws.
Germany have not recorded a win over England in Berlin despite having seven attempts.
19 November
Ahead of any Anglo-German fixture the ominous calls surface from the mouths of the English: 'Never underestimate the Germans.' They are one of the most ruthlessly efficient and highly organised teams, while England even though they have enjoyed a resurgence under Fabio Capello are a bag of mixed sorts.
There has also been controversy as players are deemed to be putting club over country by pulling out of international action with suspicious injuries.
Steven Gerrard's adductor complaint was questioned and the influential midfielder was ordered to report to Soho Square to undergo medical checks by England's own physios. It turned out he was injured, but Capello issued a warning that any absentees are jeopardising their World Cup places, should the lions tally up enough points in qualifying to ensure they make the South Africa trip.
FORM GUIDE
Germany
October 15 v Wales (H) WON 1-0 (WCQ)
October 11 v Russia (H) WON 2-1 (WCQ)
September 10 v Finland (A) DREW 3-3 (WCQ)
September 6 v Liechtenstein (A) WON 6-0 (WCQ)
August 20 v Belgium (H) WON 2-0 (FR)
England
October 15 v Belarus (A) WON 3-1 (WCQ)
October 11 v Kazakhstan (H) WON 5-1 (WCQ)
September 10 v Croatia (A) WON 4-1 (WCQ)
September 6 v Andorra (A) WON 2-0 (WCQ)
August 20 v Czech Republic (H) DREW 2-2 (FR)
TEAM NEWS
Germany
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen); Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen).
Defence:
Marvin Compper (Hoffenheim); Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin); Andreas Hinkel (Celtic); Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen); Marcel Schaefer (VfL Wolfsburg); Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart); Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04).
Midfield:
Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart); Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04); Marko Marin (Borussia Moenchengladbach); Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen); Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich); Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg SV); Tobias Weis (Hoffenheim).
Attack:
Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart); Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen); Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich); Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich).
Possible Starting XI – TBA
England
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
David James (Portsmouth); Scott Carson (West Bromwich Albion); Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers).
Defence:
Glen Johnson (Portsmouth); Micah Richards (Manchester City); Matthew Upson (West Ham United); John Terry (Chelsea); Michael Mancienne (Chelsea); Curtis Davies (Aston Villa); Joleon Lescott (Everton); Wayne Bridge (Chelsea).
Midfield:
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City); Theo Walcott (Arsenal); Gareth Barry (Aston Villa); Michael Carrick (Manchester United); Scott Parker (West Ham United); Jimmy Bullard (Fulham); Ashley Young (Aston Villa);
Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough).
Attack:
Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa); Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth); Peter Crouch (Portsmouth);Darren Bent (Tottenham Hotspur).
Possible Starting XI – James - Richards; Terry; Upson; Bridge - Walcott; Carrick; Barry; Young - Agbonlahor; Bent.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Germany –
Simon Rolfes - while it seemed every defence-minded midfielder under the sun had been linked with a summer switch to the Emirates it is surprising how Rolfes was overlooked. He was part of the German side that reached the Euro 2008 final, and started both the quarters and the semis. With a potentially young and experienced England line-up, Rolfes will be asked to counter any early effervescence from Young, Agbonlahor, Walcott, Wright Phillips (if he features).
England -
It seemed Fabio Capello would pick his England sides on form, but he has continuously overlooked Ashley Young. Without David Beckham in the side Young can provide a potent threat from set-play, and only Cesc Fabregas provided more assists last season. Young's fellow Villan Gabriel Agbonlahor could be in line to make his debut and is England's co-top scorer in the Premier League along with Darren Bent.
PREDICTION
Germany 2-2 England
Alan Dawson
The rivalry between England and Germany is partly to do with the results from various football matches over the past half century, and mostly to do with the history of competitiveness between the two nations that pre-dates the World Cup.
The English and the Germans can't help but glance at each others achievements and think to themselves: "I want a piece of that, but I want to do it better." Take the Naval Race for example: from 1906 to 1914 tension between Great Britain and Germany increased to a breaking point as both fought to build a navy that could rule the waves.
By tradition, England had a superior navy, but Kaiser Wilhelm II caught a glimpse of Britain's array of sea ships when he entered a British Challenger yacht at a marine event at Cowes Week every year starting in 1887. The Naval Race begun when the Kaiser's enthusiasm to expand Germany's navy began to threaten the powers that be in England who in turn responded by increasing the size of their own navy... and so a vicious circle ensued and the race to build arms is cited as one of the causes of the First World War.
A Rivalry Is Born
Anglo-German rivalry was, and remains, mostly felt on the English side, as the Germans feel their matches with the Netherlands are of a far higher importance than those fought against the Three Lions.
Early footballing encounters between the two sides stretch back to the 19th century when the English Football Association organised an 1899 tour consisting of four matches to be played on the continent against Germany and Austria. That game resulted in a thrashing and the Germans were on the wrong end of an embarrassing 13-2 result.
Perhaps the most interesting (unofficial/ unofficiated) football match to have been noted not only between England and Germany, but two footballing teams as a whole in the entirety of the 20th century occurred on Christmas Day 1914.
Trench Foot
When British troops first signed up to fight in World War One they firmly believed that they would return home by Christmas 1914. They were wrong by nearly four years.
However, for one day, on December 25 1914, the bullets ceased firing, guns were lowered, troops from both sides left the trenches and walked into no mans land, and a game of football was played between two sides who had previously been trying to kill each other.
Of course there is no published note of the result, but it is widely assumed by those high up in historical circles that the scoreline remained goal-less after 90 minutes, a further 30 minutes, with the Germans emerging victorious on penalties after a comedy of errors by the English.*
Twenty-six years later, one year before the commencement of the Second World War, the English national football team travelled to Germany and posed for one of the most controversial football photos only recently published in Britain.
The snap captured the English (coincidentally in the same stadium they will be playing in on Wednesday evening) performing a Nazi salute. The squad said they felt uncomfortable saluting in this fashion, but were under order from the British foreign office and the gesture was seen at the time to follow the policy of appeasement.
Don't Mention The World Cup
Did the ball cross the line? Was it a fix? These questions will continue to be posed to England fans as they claimed their only World Cup trophy, on home soil in 1966, at the expense of West Germany in a fixture that required extra-time.
Thirty-four years later the Germans exacted revenge by knocking the English out of the 1990 World Cup semi-finals in what has since been billed one of the finest post-'66 teams the Three Lions have produced.
Penalties were needed to separate a 1-1 scoreline and Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle infamously missed their spot kicks to ensure the West Germans progressed to the final where they eventually beat Argentina 1-0 and lifted the trophy aloft for the third time.
Head to head
England remain in an exclusive club though who enjoy a better record over Die Mannschaft having recorded 14 wins, 10 defeats, and six draws.
Germany have not recorded a win over England in Berlin despite having seven attempts.
19 November
Ahead of any Anglo-German fixture the ominous calls surface from the mouths of the English: 'Never underestimate the Germans.' They are one of the most ruthlessly efficient and highly organised teams, while England even though they have enjoyed a resurgence under Fabio Capello are a bag of mixed sorts.
There has also been controversy as players are deemed to be putting club over country by pulling out of international action with suspicious injuries.
Steven Gerrard's adductor complaint was questioned and the influential midfielder was ordered to report to Soho Square to undergo medical checks by England's own physios. It turned out he was injured, but Capello issued a warning that any absentees are jeopardising their World Cup places, should the lions tally up enough points in qualifying to ensure they make the South Africa trip.
FORM GUIDE
Germany
October 15 v Wales (H) WON 1-0 (WCQ)
October 11 v Russia (H) WON 2-1 (WCQ)
September 10 v Finland (A) DREW 3-3 (WCQ)
September 6 v Liechtenstein (A) WON 6-0 (WCQ)
August 20 v Belgium (H) WON 2-0 (FR)
England
October 15 v Belarus (A) WON 3-1 (WCQ)
October 11 v Kazakhstan (H) WON 5-1 (WCQ)
September 10 v Croatia (A) WON 4-1 (WCQ)
September 6 v Andorra (A) WON 2-0 (WCQ)
August 20 v Czech Republic (H) DREW 2-2 (FR)
TEAM NEWS
Germany
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen); Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen).
Defence:
Marvin Compper (Hoffenheim); Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin); Andreas Hinkel (Celtic); Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen); Marcel Schaefer (VfL Wolfsburg); Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart); Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04).
Midfield:
Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart); Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04); Marko Marin (Borussia Moenchengladbach); Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen); Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich); Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg SV); Tobias Weis (Hoffenheim).
Attack:
Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart); Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen); Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich); Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich).
Possible Starting XI – TBA
England
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
David James (Portsmouth); Scott Carson (West Bromwich Albion); Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers).
Defence:
Glen Johnson (Portsmouth); Micah Richards (Manchester City); Matthew Upson (West Ham United); John Terry (Chelsea); Michael Mancienne (Chelsea); Curtis Davies (Aston Villa); Joleon Lescott (Everton); Wayne Bridge (Chelsea).
Midfield:
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City); Theo Walcott (Arsenal); Gareth Barry (Aston Villa); Michael Carrick (Manchester United); Scott Parker (West Ham United); Jimmy Bullard (Fulham); Ashley Young (Aston Villa);
Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough).
Attack:
Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa); Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth); Peter Crouch (Portsmouth);Darren Bent (Tottenham Hotspur).
Possible Starting XI – James - Richards; Terry; Upson; Bridge - Walcott; Carrick; Barry; Young - Agbonlahor; Bent.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Germany –
Simon Rolfes - while it seemed every defence-minded midfielder under the sun had been linked with a summer switch to the Emirates it is surprising how Rolfes was overlooked. He was part of the German side that reached the Euro 2008 final, and started both the quarters and the semis. With a potentially young and experienced England line-up, Rolfes will be asked to counter any early effervescence from Young, Agbonlahor, Walcott, Wright Phillips (if he features).
England -
It seemed Fabio Capello would pick his England sides on form, but he has continuously overlooked Ashley Young. Without David Beckham in the side Young can provide a potent threat from set-play, and only Cesc Fabregas provided more assists last season. Young's fellow Villan Gabriel Agbonlahor could be in line to make his debut and is England's co-top scorer in the Premier League along with Darren Bent.
PREDICTION
Germany 2-2 England
Alan Dawson
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £100 in free bets! |
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| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
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| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
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| Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50 |
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