The Anthem
Deutschlandlied (third stanza)
▶ Listen on YouTube ↗“Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit… / Unity and justice and freedom…”
Only the third verse is sung; its older verses are no longer used.
The Legends
Names that echo
Franz Beckenbauer
Defender · 1960s–70s
'Der Kaiser'; reinvented the sweeper role and won the World Cup as captain and coach.
Gerd Müller
Forward · 1960s–70s
'Der Bomber'; scored the 1974 final winner and once held the World Cup goals record.
Miroslav Klose
Forward · 2000s–10s
The all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals.
Fun Facts
Worth knowing
- 01
Germany has reached more World Cup finals (eight) than any other nation.
- 02
Miroslav Klose's 16 goals make him the World Cup's all-time top scorer, ahead of Ronaldo.
- 03
The team's quietly ruthless reliability spawned the famous saying about football being a game of 22 men where 'in the end, the Germans win'.
At the World Cup
The story so far
A four-time champion and perennial contender, Germany blends industrial consistency with moments of genius. Few teams have shaped the modern game's tactics and mentality as profoundly.
The Miracle of Bern
West Germany came from 2-0 down to beat the great Hungary in the final — a result said to have helped rebuild postwar national confidence.
7-1
Germany's astonishing semi-final demolition of hosts Brazil preceded a fourth world title.
Group Stage