That magnificent generation of Germany

Germany is always there. With varying success, with more or less bright, but always with the trade, efficiency, professionalism and winning the competitive gene that leads to Mannschaft always be a team to beat favorite and default any competition in the to make an appearance. Just simply talk about the first decade of this century in which there was one of his great generation, but which reached the final of the 2002 World Cup, the European Championship 2008 and the semifinals of the World 2006, to realize that it is always a formidable rival.

However, for Germany to win and now it only has a new generation of talent led by Müller, Özil or more Götze Schweinsteiger veteran, in addition to the classic German reliability, add individual technical quality allows the combined Löw high school football practice. A selection that will certainly be among the favorites to win the next European Championship, perhaps the greatest rival of Spain in defending the title. It is the last great batch of German football, before there were stars like Ballack or Khan, but the last great generation of Germanic country was one that proclaimed champion in Italy 90 and to shine in the decade. Italy, who was then the strongest league in the continent, took careful note of the level of those players, most of which ended up displaying their football in the Calcio.

The Italia 90 is considered not the worst, but the most unsightly of all the world that have been disputed, with many drunken football combined defensive and clothe when getting dial. But does not reduce to a merit selection, the German, who won a deserved victory of being the best team in the tournament, defeating in the final against Argentina's Maradona and taking his revenge for what happened four years earlier, when in the Mexico World Cup had already been faced in the last game. Thus, Franz Beckenbauer achieved his second world, this time as coach, something he had done before the Brazilian Mario Zagallo.

The Kaiser was then a great generation of players at a key moment in addition to the history of Germany, for a year before he had finally fallen Wall of Shame, which the two Germanys, the federal and democratic again be one. However, the Italian would be even the last World Cup that would be present in the FRG, West Germany. This prevented players such as striker Ulf Kirsten and above all, Matthias Sammer, may be present in the Alpine country's world.

That team had one thing in common with South Africa Spain's world: he had great players, but the star was the team itself. Of those players only Matthäus could be remembered as one of the best ever, who also won the Golden Ball that year. But Germany did not have a Maradona as Argentina in 1986, a Romario or Ronaldo as Brazil in 1994 and 2002 or a Zidane as France in 1998, but a team that knew exactly what he played, he did perfectly and had with a great squad of good players in each of their posts. Thus, teams such as the European champions Holland in 1988 with Van Basten, Gullit and Rijkaard, Lineker's England or the already mentioned Maradona's Argentina succumbed to the Teutonic order.

Italy was then the league of reference and there wanted to play most players in the world, and that selection of Germany was no exception. Up to ten major players that combined paraded Calcium, which must be added to Sammer and a Effenberg who was not in the World Cup in Italy, when he was only 22, but that is part of the same generation. Some succeeded and some failed to meet expectations, but overall, his time in Italian football was satisfactory. Inter, Juventus and Roma were given to the best. Curiously, the Milan, Italy's largest team in those years, did not hire any of them, but years later would have two outstanding players in the country as Bierhoff and Ziege Germanic.

Inter were the most benefited from the contribution of those German players, as Matthaus, Klinsmann and Brehme offered great performance at the Giuseppe Meazza. In 1988 he landed Matthaus and Brehme, and a year later came Klinsmann. They remain in Milan until 1992, winning the Cup UEFA a year earlier. Brehme was an elegant and technical side however was left-handed ambidextrous. In fact he was the author, a penalty , the only goal in the final against Argentina, and threw it to the right. Years later, Brehme recognize that the penalty on Völler Sensini was not so, for the Argentine defender touched the ball before the striker. After his time at Inter signed for Zaragoza, in the twilight of his career.

Klinsmann was a globetrotter football featured many of his best moments at Inter in his first two seasons, but in the third all twisted in the Nerazzurri club and triggered his departure to Monaco. Klinsmann was a real cazagoles, especially remembered was his performance in the second round of the World Italy to Holland, when he scored the first goal and, after the expulsion of Voller, put himself in check behind Oranje. DT was also at the World Cup Germany 2006, leading to host the semifinals, where it would be defeated by the then champion Italy.

Meanwhile, Matthäus has been one of the most complete midfielders in football history, and the only player, along the Mexican Carbajal, who has played five World Cups. In addition to Inter, Bayern was the one who saw his best years. After the departure of these three great players came Inter's another German team, Matthias Sammer, but had no luck in Milan. Midfielder or sweeper, Sammer was nevertheless one of the best players of the nineties, even to win the Golden Ball in 1996 ahead of Ronaldo in a controversial decision. Sammer was a leader in the field of play, a player with class scored goals despite his position and was instrumental in the success of Borussia Dotmund and the German national team at Euro 96.

Juventus played in two of the most talented footballers of his generation, the midfielders Hassler and Möller, with varying success. The first was only a season after going off to Rome where he spent three seasons setting a high standard in the Olympics. Hassler was not the German player prototype, measuring 1.66, was a great free kick taker, technical and skilled. He was named best player of Euro 1992 but never won any titles at club level. After leaving the calcium had offers from big clubs in Germany, but opted to sign for Karlsruher.

Andreas Möller spent two seasons in Turin, from 1992 to 1994. In Delle Alpi showed good showing his class and his arrival, scoring 19 goals in 56 games. It was not a footballer's gesture to the gallery, but effective and very technical, but somewhat cold. Andy had no luck in the finals with Germany was a substitute in Italy 90 (counting time 23 years) and could not play the final of Euro 96 per sanction tournament where he scored the decisive penalty against England for the Mannschaft was in the final.

And talk of Juventus's not forget Jürgen Kohler, one of the best center in the early nineties. Great and powerful score, spent four years in Turin Kohlerone earning the nickname, the lord Juventina defense. He and Moller won the Cup UEFA against Borussia in 1993, four years later, would win the Champions League with Borussia against Juventus. Another player from that underwent combined Turin was the very rapid right side Stefan Reuter, who was about to sign for Liverpool. He was only a campaign in Italy, returning to Germany to play for Borussia Dortmund.

One of the oldest of all those who played in the Calcio was Voller, who had played the finals of Mexico 86 where he scored a goal. Matthaus and Brehme also played in that final. Voller played five seasons in Rome where he scored 45 goals in 142 games and won one Coppa Italia, one of the idols of the crowd. Voller Klinsmann formed with a major attack on the World Cup Italia 90, though one of its most remembered was his controversy with Rijkaard who spat at German striker and both ended up being expelled. DT would Völler other German World Cup in Korea and Japan, where Germany reached the final. In Rome coincided with Berthold, fierce and effective defense that played two seasons at Hellas Verona and two in the Olympic, and also played in the finals of Mexico 86.

Effenberg not shine for his career in the selection, full of controversy mainly by lifting your finger not very friendly to their own fans at the World United States. Effenberg would be punished with four years without resorting to calls for his country. Known for his strong character, his controversies, his rank in the midfield, his eternal controversy with Matthäus (devoted a chapter in his biography entitled to Lothar "what Matthäus knows football," was a blank page), by lift the wife leaves her husband Strunz, being included in the best eleven of the history of Bayern with legends like Beckenbauer and Müller Rumenigge, his duels against Real Madrid won the Champions League or against Valencia, he played two seasons at Fiorentina, where coincided with the likes of Brian Laudrup and Batistuta and where he became one of the idols of the fans viola, but never end up adapting to Calcio.

Karl Heinz Riedle was a substitute in the World Cup in Italy, but two years later became the top scorer at Euro 1992 and 1997 mark two goals in the final of the Champions League with Borussia. Great cabeceador, opportunistic, and always mindful of the goal, he spent three seasons with Lazio from 1990 to 1993, where he scored 30 goals in 84 games. He also played for Liverpool. Other players that militated in calcium but stressed the world champions Germany were Littbarski, a talented midfielder who excelled in Cologne, the central Augenthaler, Bayern, meta Illgner, would play years later in Madrid, or the Buchwald defense.

The success of that generation did not stop after the World Cup Italia 90, I will have proven in other lines: reached the final at Euro 1992, where they were defeated by a surprising Denmark, and won the Euro 1996 to the Republic Czech, although they had already changed many faces. In fact, in the end only and Hassler Klinsmann played in Italy for six years before, but other players like Reuter Möller and were also important in the victory. 96 England team that met the maximum of Italy 90: did not have the big stars of the tournament, but emphasized the collective. In fact, only the meta Köpke, the sweeper Sammer (essential on that computer) or Dieter Eilts midfielder was named among the best at the end of the championship. They also stressed or Bierhoff Scholl, author of three goals, one of which is decisive in the final.

In the U.S. Global 1994 also had received a great team led by Berti Vogts, and the base was the champion of Italy with respect to the previous major global developments such as Mario Basler, Sammer or Effenberg, but in quarters were caught again by the big revelation: Stoichkov's Bulgaria and Balakov. But the successes were not over, and many of them gathered at Borussia Dortmund. Thus, Kohler, Reuter, Sammer, Möller and Riedle won the Champions League against Juventus in 1997 Zidane and Del Piero. At that Borussia were also the magnificent goalkeeper Klos, Heinrich-handed side, the average Portuguese Paulo Sousa or Swiss striker Chapuisat.

It was the perfect finale for one of the greatest generations that gave the world football and his name embroidered in gold letters with titles such as the World Cup, European Championship, Champions League or Cup UEFA . Lineker said that football is a sport invented by the British and the Germans always win. Not always, but almost.