World Cup 2010: Germany Squad

This time around, the bookies' list of World Cup favorites doesn't really feature the Germans in a prominent position, and not many of us are expecting Germany - shorn of their inspirational captain Michael Ballack - make a real splash at the World Cup 2010. While it is all good to argue that the squad is in a stage of rebuilding and this isn't quite their year, as the old saying goes, "you can never write off the Germans". Especially not with their spectacular record in international competitions. So Joachim Loew would do well to assemble the best squad that he possibly can and hope that he has a good shot at clinching the prize.

So while the two eccentric German goalkeepers in the form of Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann will not be playing any part in this edition of the World Cup, Loew has had to look elsewhere for his goalkeeping options and will have to choose between Schalke's Manuel Neuer and Bayern Munich's Hans-Joerg Butt, although Tim Weise of Werder Bremen too will fancy his chances of starting at the World Cup 2010.

Chances are that Loew will most certainly be going for experience when selecting his two centerbacks and combination the very experienced Arne Friedrich and Werder Bremen's towering Per Mertesacker will be his preferred selection at centerback. Philip Lahm of Bayern Munich has been handed the captain's armband in the absence of Chelsea's Michael Ballack and will the little German will start at left back. Jerome Boateng who has been excellent for Hamburger SV will be starting at right back.

With Ballack absent, Bastian Schweinsteiger will move into the center of the midfield, a position he has been adapted to for his club Bayern Munich. Mesut Ozil of Werder Bremen on the other hand will start on the wing, while Marko Marin of Werder Bremen and Sami Khedira of Stuttgart too should be playing a starting role in the Germany squad for the World Cup 2010.

Joachim Loew will be taking six strikers to the World Cup 2010, none of which is called Kevin Kuranyi, who after a fallout with Loew was told will never be selected as long as Germany have this Beatles lookalike coaching them. But with a wealth of options ranging between out of form as Lukas Podolski of Cologne to slightly misfiring in Miroslav Klose of Bayern and Cacau of Stuttgart to young and promising in Thomas Mueller of Bayern, it remains to be seen if Loew will regret his decision or not.

Final Squad of 23 for the World Cup 2010

Goalkeepers: Hans-Joerg Butt (Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Schalke), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Defenders: Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Jerome Boateng (Hamburger SV), Marcell Jansen (Hamburger SV), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart)

Midfielders: Sami Khedira (Stuttgart), Toni Kroos (Bayer Leverkusen), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Mesut Oezil (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV)

Strikers: Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

Coach: Joachim Loew.

So is this squad capable of taking on the squads of Netherlands, France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Italy and England? While the world continues to claim to never write off the German squad, but will most certainly be doing so, it remains to be seen if the World Cup 2010 can be the fourth time the squad picks it up!