Germany whips up expectations
Print Edition
GERMANY yesterday swept up in a wave of red, black and gold World Cup euphoria after its record 7-1 victory over Brazil, almost as though the mighty “Mannschaft” were already world champions.
“Unbelievable” and “speechless” wrote headline writers, the morning after the national team’s stunning defeat of the hosts, sending hopes soaring for an end to the 24-year wait for a fourth World Cup title.
Shrugging off intermittent stormy weather, tens of thousands of fans at Berlin’s city-center “fan mile” had watched almost in joyful disbelief as their heroes scored seven times — five of them in 18 madcap minutes in the first-half.
Waving flags or draped in the national colors as they erupted into cheers, fans held high T-shirts emblazoned already with “world champion.”
Germany will face either the Netherlands or Argentina in Sunday’s final at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium.
“We haven’t reached our goal yet, we will put our foot to the floor once again and put our heart and souls into it to win this thing,” said Thomas Mueller, who scored Germany’s 2,000th international goal to kick-off the rout.
“We can’t run away with ourselves, just as it was said that we were finished after the (last 16 win over) Algeria, now we’ll be praised to the heavens.
“That’s really the wrong approach — we’re really just a very good team.”
Miroslav Klose became the World Cup’s all-time record scorer with his 16th goal, eclipsing former Brazil striker Ronaldo in the record books with his 23rd minute strike.
The 36-year-old, playing in his fourth World Cup, had already equalled Ronaldo on 15 goals with his dramatic strike in Germany’s 2-2 draw against Ghana in the group stage.
“I don’t think I can really measure what it all means just yet,” said Klose, who said he was only doing his job. “I’m a striker and strikers want to score goals. And naturally I want to stay on top of the scorers list as long as possible.”
“We played an unbelievable game, but another game is yet to come,” said man-of-the-match Toni Kroos. “We have come here to be world champions and we’re not there yet. Whatever happens, there is a top opponent ahead of us and we both have a 50:50 chance.”
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