Rocky Germany will need to step up
● Germany must shrug off a rocky World Cup build-up as they begin the defence of their title today against a vastly experienced Mexico side jolted by their own pre-tournament scandal.
While Germany’s Manuel Neuer finally won his eight-month fitness battle, Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan were jeered by German fans in friendlies after posing for a photograph alongside Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both are of Turkish descent.
The form of Joachim Löw’s side is another concern though. They had an unconvincing win over a Saudi Arabia, who were thrashed 5-0 in the World Cup opener by Russia on Thursday.
The players are aware they need to step up. “We will have to fight for every inch,” said defender Jerome Boateng, who then added that Germany were a team that got “better from day to day”.
Germany defeated Mexico 4-1 on the way to lifting last year’s Confederations Cup trophy but German midfielder Tony Kroos believes that result is of little significance now.
“We shouldn’t underestimate them, even if it was a clear win at the Confederations Cup last year. We’re taking this very, very seriously and, once more for emphasis, because it’s our first game at the World Cup.”
Germany are trying to become the first team in 56 years to successfully defend their title, after Brazil in 1962, but Mexico defender Carlos Salcedo believes their Group F opponents are not invincible.
“We speak a lot about them and we consider them clearly superior,” said Salcedo.
“But no one is unbeatable. In football, the difference between levels has decreased and there are lots of other factors.
“There are just two or three players who can score two or three goals per game, Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar, who can shake things up with a stroke of individual genius.”
Like Germany, Mexico qualified with ease for a seventh consecutive World Cup. They qualified with three matches to spare.
Rafael Marquez, who will retire after the tournament, is set to become just the third player — after compatriot Antonio Carbajal and Germany’s Lothar Matthaus — to feature at five World Cups.
But a number of Mexican players found themselves embroiled in controversy following a farewell party with about 30 prostitutes ahead of their departure for Europe.
Nine members of the World Cup squad reportedly partied with the women at a private compound in Mexico City following the team’s 1-0 win over Scotland earlier this month.
Mexican officials ruled out sanctions against the players involved because they attended the party in their free time, but the incident echoed similar scandals in recent years.