The excitement is building as we get closer to opening match of the 2010 World Cup. The Great Tournament is less than a month away and the anticipation of the 1st African World Cup is building, its going to be great. The next Group D team to breakdown is one of the great teams in World Cup history, Germany.

Official Name: Deutscher Fußball-Bund



Nickname: Die Nationalmannschaft

FIFA Confederation: UEFA(Europe)

FIFA Code: GER

How They Qualified: 1st place in Group 4 of UEFA WC Qualifying

World Cup Appearances (Including 2010): 17

Best WC Finish: 3x Champions, Switzerland 1954, Germany 1974, Italy 1990

World Cup Record (MP: Wins - Draws - Losses): 92: 55W - 19D - 18L

Head Coach: Joachim Löw

Most Capped Player (# of caps): Lothar Matthäus (150)

All-Time Goal Scoring Leader (# of goals): Gerd Müller (68)

Brief Footballing History:
The Germans are one of Top 3 unquestioned powers in world football. No nation has appeared in more WC Final matches, 7. Germany is arguably the most reliable tournament team in WC history, reaching every WC knockout stage with the exception of Italy 1938, when they were eliminated in the 1st Round.

The team formerly known as West Germany is also the dominant force in European Championship football having won a record 3 Euro titles and a record 6 Euro final matches appearances. Germany has produced legends like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Lothar Matthäus, and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and continue to produce top talent through the German 1st division better known as The Bundesliga.

Player To Watch:
The Germans are such a deep team loaded with skillful talent that everyone that makes the final 23 man roster is one to watch but Piotr Trochowski is the one to zoom in on for the 2010 WC.

(Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)
The Hamburger SV midfielder will shoulder more of the creation burden in the midfield now that Michael Ballack will miss the World Cup. Trochowski is one of Polish-born contingent that plays for Germany, joining Miroslav Klose & Lucas Podolski.

Outlook:
Coach Joachim Löw has chosen a youthful side for Germany preliminary 27-man WC roster as only 3 players are over 30 years old. That means that Germany has reloaded again for another championship run. Germany is always good for at least a quarterfinal appearance and 2010 will be no different, no one will be surprised if they win the whole thing.

WC Group Schedule:
June 13 vs. Australia
June 18 vs. Serbia
June 23 vs. Ghana

The next nation to breakdown is Ghana