When Germany won the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in the summer of 2014, it was the realization of a dream that started more than two decades ago. The German Football Federation (DFB) had invested heavily over the years to reorganize their football system and improve infrastructure for one purpose – to win in the future with a squad that went through that very system.
With the world conquered, they now switch their focus to Europe. Having last won Euro in 1996, Joachim Low’s side will be looking to win their second major title. The final 23-man squad was announced on 31 May, with Marco Reus being a notable omission due to injury.
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“We need two teams for this tournament,” Low had said before announcing the squad. “A team up until the round of 16, and then a second team.” Germany are in a group with Ukraine, Poland and Northern Ireland who could play defensively before Die Mannschaft take on attacking teams in the knockout stages.
So what will be Germany’s starting lineup at Euro 2016? We predict Low’s best lineup for the tournament.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper
No surprises here with the Bayern Munich shot-stopper set to take his place between the sticks again. Neuer has always been the first choice keeper for Germany and it is highly unlikely that either Marc-Andre ter Stegen or Bernd Leno can do anything to change that.
Arguably the best sweeper-keeper in the world at the moment, Neuer’s reflexes and ability to come off his line make him indispensable. The fact that he sometimes spends more time outside his box when the team plays a high line also made him an auxiliary outfield player under Guardiola with a calm first touch that never saw Bayern troubled by quick players getting in behind Bayern’s defence.
The 30-year-old kept 20 clean sheets in the Bundesliga alone. And he also had a distribution accuracy of 83% as the Bavarian side wrapped up their fourth consecutive Bundesliga title and also the DFB Pokal on penalties.
Defence
With senior leaders such as Philipp Lahm and Per Mertesacker now retired from international football, Low will be looking for new blood at the back. In central defence, he is most likely going to play Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels.
It gives the pair another chance to get acquainted with each other’s game before they pair up at Bayern Munich next season after Hummels moved back to his boyhood club this summer.
The two did play in central defence at the World Cup as well but Hummels’s fitness is a cause for worry. He had torn his calf muscle in his final game with Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Pokal and only just made the squad.
The full-back is a relatively weak position for Germany in the traditional sense. Benedikt Howedes played as a full-back in the World Cup as Low looked to have a solid defensive line at the back. That looks set to continue in this tournament as well with Low not picking too many specialist full-backs. As a result, 26-year-old Jonas Hector looks set to start on the left of the back-line.
Midfield
After Ilkay Gundogan failed to make the squad following an injury, the stage is set for Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos to start in central midfield. Kroos has had a successful season with Real Madrid after winning the Champions League title and also giving Barcelona a run for their money till the final day of the Spanish La Liga title race.
His vision, ability to keep possession and ciculate the ball and his threat from set pieces will be key against defensive teams sitting back in the group stages.
Khedira has just won a league title in a third country after Juventus strolled to the Serie A title after a hiccup at the start of the season. Although Bastian Schweinsteiger is the captain after Lahm retired, his fitness would be put to the test.
The Manchester United midfielder has not played a competitive match since mid-March and whether his match sharpness is up to speed is still a question. Low would be wise to play Khedira instead, who has also scored five goals and has four assists in Serie A this season.
Mesut Ozil will simply walk into this side no matter what kind of team they play. Although he played on the left on a number of occasions, especially in the World Cup, he is best suited to the playmaker’s role in this setup.
Germany have a number of players who can play on the flank and the Arsenal midfielder’s talents are best suited to the centre with the permission to drift wide when required. 19 assists in the Premier League saw him top the European assists charts and he looks to be in sublime form after also breaking the Premier League record for most chances created in a season.
Attack
In spite of scoring the winner at the Maracana against Argentina, Mario Gotze has not exactly seen his career graph rise. After making a record-breaking move to Bayern Munich to play under Pep Guardiola, he has warmed the bench more than he has lit up the pitch.
With Marco Reus also out of the squad after failing to recover from a groin injury, the left forward position could go to Julian Draxler. The attacking midfielder can also play as a forward but is best suited to the left wing and was a key member of the Wolfsburg side that reached the Champions League quarter-finals and were close to eliminating Real Madrid. With 9 goals and 7 assists this season, he should play ahead of Gotze.
On the right, Low will go with the unconventional forward Thomas Muller. Raumdeuter as he is known for finding space in the unlikeliest of places in and around the box, the lethal Bayern Munich man was Germany’s top goalscorer in the Euro qualifiers with 9 goals (only behind club teammate Robert Lewandowski and Zlatan Ibrahimovic).
Up front, there is a spot for the man who has returned to the kind of form that made him terrorise defences at the start of Euro 2012. Mario Gomez was the joint top scorer in the tournament with three goals and has shaken off his injuries to return to the German squad after missing out on the World Cup.
28 goals for Besiktas in all competitions has seen the 30-year-old return to his best. With Miroslav Klose no longer in the picture following his retirement, Gomez should lead the line for Germany.
