Germany among top title contenders after latest big win

HAMBURG - Germany have firmly established themselves as serious World Cup football title contenders after the latest big win, 4-0 over Argentina in the quarter-finals Saturday.

“World champions in waiting?” asked the website of British paper Daily Telegraph after the latest awesome display of Joachim Loew’s team in South Africa.

The BBC agreed in its live commentary: “They stride into the semi- finals looking every bit like potential winners after probably the best attacking display at this World Cup yet.”

“We might just be watching the emergence of one of the great teams,” said the BBC.

In the Netherlands, the Algemeen Dagblad said on its website that “Counter-attacking Germany waltzed over Argentina” and French sports daily L’Equipe said that Diego Maradona’s Argentina stood no chance against the likes of Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose.

“The Albiceleste never recovered from the determination of Mueller, the revelation of this World Cup. (Lionel) Messi and other Argentine stars did not existed against an unstoppable Klose,” said L’Equipe.

Germany have now scored four goals in three of their five games, the others 4-0 against Australia in the group stage and a 4-1 over England in the Round of 16.

The German public has rallied behind the youngsters even more than at the home World Cup and rarely has there been so much international recognition for German football which in the past lacked flair despite vast success highlighted by three World Cup titles.

The Daily Telegraph spoke of a “jaw-dropping master-class in incisive counter-attacking football with which Argentina could not compete.”

BBC pundit Alan Shearer, the former England striker, said: “That Germany performance smacks to me of a team that has spent hours and hours and hours on the training ground, and everyone knows exactly what they have to do and where they fit in.”

The Guardian said: “This was a slaughter to leave El Diego numbed and close to tears on the touchline. His dream has died.”

There was probably some kind of schadenfreude in Brazil the day after many Argentinians rejoiced on the exit of their bitter South American rivals, 2-1 against the Dutch.

The Guardian also noted that “after this victory, Germany will be undaunted at the prospect of playing neither Paraguay nor even Spain (who beat Germany for the Euro 2008 title) in the semi-finals” Wednesday.

“The momentum and conviction is all theirs,” said The Guardian in praise of the Germans.