Doha (dpa) – The German national soccer team will play against Japan and Spain in the preliminary round group E at the World Cup in Qatar. They also play against the winner of the qualifying playoff match between New Zealand and Costa Rica, as the draw in Doha revealed.
Spain
The old duel from the Joachim Löw era is alive again: Spain and Germany played each other in the final of the 2008 European Championships and in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup – the Selección prevailed 1-0 in each case and later won the title.
Now at the 2022 World Cup there will already be a clash in the preliminary round. The time of the then permanent title winners around Xavi and Andrés Iniesta is now over, but Spain is one of the title candidates again with a new generation.
At the 2021 European Championship, the 2010 world champion only failed in the semi-finals against eventual title holders Italy, who will now be absent in Qatar. Central midfielder Pedri made his breakthrough at the tournament and is seen as the team’s biggest promise. Leipzig’s Dani Olmo and strikers Alvaro Morata and Ferran Torres also pose a great threat. Germany lost 6-0 in their last encounter.
World Cup participations (including 2022):16 (1934, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
Biggest World Cup success:World Champion 2010
World Cup games against Germany:1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses (4 games)
Record against Germany:8 wins, 8 draws, 9 losses (25 games)
Trainer:Luis Enrique
Star:Pedri
Japan
In the opening game, the DFB-Elf of national coach Hansi Flick has to deal with a feasible opponent. Japan, who hosted the World Cup together with South Korea in 2002, has been a permanent participant in the most important tournament in the world for more than two decades, but also benefits from relatively weak competition on the Asian continent. The “Samurai Blue” have not gotten past the round of 16 so far.
Professionals like Takumi Minamino or Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada are rays of hope on the offensive, but Hajime Moriyasu’s team from the third pot is not a really difficult opponent. In qualifying, Japan even ended up behind Saudi Arabia and only got the World Cup ticket as a group runner-up.
World Cup participations (including 2022):7 (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
Biggest World Cup success:Round of 16 2002, 2010, 2018
World Cup games against Germany:no
Record against Germany:0 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss (2 games)
Trainer:Hajime Moriyasu
Star:Takumi Minamino
New Zealand or Costa Rica
National coach Hansi Flick and his national team will have to wait for the third group opponent alongside Spain and Japan. The winner of the playoff duel Costa Rica against New Zealand will face the four-time world champions in Qatar 2022. Costa Rica put in a furious finish in the North and Central America qualifiers and are favorites in the clash that takes place in Qatar in June. The German team also shares memories of the 2006 home World Cup with Costa Rica, when they met in the opening game in Munich.
Costa Rica:
World Cup participations:5 (1990, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2018)
Biggest World Cup success:Quarterfinals (2014)
World Cup games against Germany:0 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss – 1 game
Record against Germany:0 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss – 1 game
Trainer:Luis Fernando Suarez
Star:Keylor Navas
New Zealand:
World Cup participations:2 (1982, 2010)
Biggest World Cup success:Prelims (1982, 2010)
World Cup games against Germany:no
Record against Germany:0 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss – 1 game
Trainer:Danny Hay
Star:Chris Wood