On Saturday night at 19:00 GMT, the Black Stars of Ghana will go up against the might of Germany. Here’s a profile of the German team, Die Mannschaft.
There are some great nicknames in world football, whether club or country. Personally, there isn’t one I like pronouncing more than Die Mannschaft. I speak no Deutsch, but the name has a way of rolling of one’s tongue. The awesomeness of the name is only matched by the awesomeness of the national side it describes.
The German football team, like Germany herself, has a storied history. The team has played in the past as both East and West Germany, with their records being synchronised following the fall of the Berlin wall. This creates one of the most decorated sides in world football, and it is that might that the Black Stars has to contend with if they are to qualify from Group G.
Germany has won three FIFA world cup trophies, more than any other side not named Brazil or Italy. More impressive is their haul of three European Championships, a feat not matched by any side on the continent. By comparison, Italy with their four world cup trophies has only one European championship crown.
Germany was one of the earliest sides to qualify from Europe for the mundial, comfortably topping their group ahead of Sweden, Austria, and the Republic of Ireland. Their first game, a 4-0 demolition of fellow group favourites Portugal, should put the Black Stars on alert for what to expect from the fabled ‘German machine’.