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While debates on great players in a particular era stay within the confines of the coffee table, it is the debate on great teams of an era or different eras that finds its way into the middle pages of a newspaper or the opinion column of a website. While Brazil 1970, AC Milan 1989 and Barcelona 2009 are some of the teams that get talked about in terms of a certain timeframe, the German national team is a different kettle of fish.
It’s not as much as one team defining greatness over 20 or 30 years but myriad teams continuing to come out of the supply line with relentless efficiency.
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Germany had just finished the rather easy task of dismantling a strategy-less, shapeless Argentina in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The performance of the Germans clearly reflected in the scoreline – it finished 4:0. They followed that up with a rather timid performance against Spain, which finished 1:0 to the eventual first time World champions. Spain were coming on the back of winning all their games after a shock defeat against Switzerland. They were on the back of a hot streak of two 1-0s.
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Germany, on the other hand, were more philanthropic, contributing handsomely to the “goals for” column (they were on the back of two consecutive four-goal hauls and this was almost unheard of in modern international competitions). While people expected Germany to give Spain a game, Spain hardly gave the Germans a chance. They cut the supply lines, limited the counter-attacking forays and smothered the Germans like they were a two-year kid.
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It was a very familiar theme in the 2008 Euro championships. Germany had scored three in two consecutive knockout games while Spain won in a shootout before putting three past Russia to reach the final. But they once again limited the free-scoring Germany side very successfully. Fernando Torres struck the winner in the first half and Spain saw through to claim their first significant title in 44 years.
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In the 2006 World Cup, Jurgen Klinsman’s free-spirited side (perhaps surprising more than a few pundits), reached the semifinals of the tournament before bowing out to the flavour of the month, Italy 2:0 in extra time.
Germany losing a hat-trick of knockouts when within 180 minutes of the cup is unheard of. This is the first time that Germany, having reached the semifinals in three consecutive tournaments, have failed to reach the promised land. Again, perhaps suggesting a lack of mental strength?
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In the 2002 World Cup, Germany were rather placid but still managed to reach the finals where Oliver Kahn fluffed his lines which allowed Luiz Ronaldo to score a brace. (Placid, but their efficiency came out because they won three consecutive knockouts with identical scorelines: 1-0.
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West Germany before destruction of the Berlin Wall
| Year | European Championships | World Cup | No. of matches | ||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | LKO | WKO | ||||||||
| 1934 | Third place | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2+1 | ||||||
| 1938 | Group stage | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 1954 | Winner | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | ||||||
| 1958 | Fourth | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1+1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1962 | Quarter final | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 1966 | Runners-up | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| 1970 | Third place | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1+1 | ||||||
| 1972 | Winner | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||
| 1974 | Winner | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| 1976 | Runners-up | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| 1978 | Second round | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 1980 | Winner | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| 1982 | Runners-up | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 1984 | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 1986 | Runners-up | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| 1988 | Losing semifinalist | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 1990 | Winner | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
| 83 | 49 | 19 | 15 | 9 | 20+2 | ||||||||
*Key – P – Played. W – Won. D – Drawn. L – Lost. LKO – Lost Knock Out. WKO – Won knock out. +1 indicates play off for 3rd vs 4th.
Germany, circa 1992
| Year | European Championships | World Cup | No. of matches | ||||||
| P | W | D | L | LKO | WKO | ||||
| 1992 | Runners-up | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1994 | Quarter final | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1996 | Winners | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1998 | Quarter final | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2000 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | Runners-up | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| 2004 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2006 | Third place | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1+1 | ||
| 2008 | Runners-up | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2010 | Third place | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2+1 | ||
| 54 | 31 | 10 | 13 | 7 | 13+2 | ||||
In the 2000 and 2004 Euros, Germany went from being ruthlessly efficient to rather dull and sombre. They, in fact, did not even get out of the groups in both the competitions. When was the last time that Germany failed to get out of the group two consecutive times in the Euros? The answer is 0. Zero.
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The present crop of Germans could easily be as talented as the school of 1972, but do they have what it takes to emulate that class? The team, ever since they became unified (after becoming Germany), have not won a major tournament for seven consecutive tournaments (reaching only one final in the process).
Under West Germany, they averaged a title every 3.4 competitions. Under Germany, they have averaged a paltry one per every 10 competitions.
The hallmark of a great generation or generations (we are constantly being reminded by the press that Germany always do well at the clutch), is to convert the semifinals into a final and a victory. West Germany managed a total of 13 semifinal appearances out of a total of 17 appearances. That’s a staggering 76%. The unified Germany have managed a total of six from 10 appearances at a still healthy but relatively weak average of 60%. But where the graph dips has been their ability to convert the final appearances into victories. West Germany reached nine finals and won six of them at an average of 66%. Germany have reached four finals but have managed to win only one at an average of 25%, clearly indicating that perhaps that their clutch isn’t what used to be.
West Germany before the 1992 European Championships | |||
| Semifinals reached | Semifinals won | Finals reached | Finals won |
| Thirteen | Nine | Nine | Six |
Germany from the 1992 European Championships | |||
| Semifinals reached | Semifinals won | Finals reached | Finals won |
| Six | Four | Four | One |
Getting to the later stages of the tournament is one thing; but finding extra legs from somewhere, blowing a second wind into the system before willing yourself over the finish line is an entirely different thing. Something which the Germany of old constantly kept doing with the likes of Max Morlock, Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller always stepping up to the plate. The West Germans in 1954 were deadlocked with Turkey after the group games and had to participate in a play-off against them to determine who would go through. The Germans went through 7-2. Their opponents in the final? The legendary Hungarian team who had demolished them 8-3 in a group game.
