Rivalry between Olde Albion and Die Vaterland has always been intense – both on and off the football field. On the field, Germany are known as strong, ruthless and efficient, and are always somehow able to grind their way to victory. England on the other hand are known to play with fierce competitiveness, but their much admired all-out attacking approach has seen them go down in a blaze of glory on numerous occasions.

But at this World Cup things seem to be changing. Germany, so stoic and granite-strong in previous tournaments, are now playing breathless attacking football and may crash and burn at any moment. Meanwhile England are grinding their way forwards, playing unattractive, less than cohesive football – the type which German teams from yesteryear would heartily approve of.

So are England the new Germany? Can England grind their way through and win ugly games playing in an ugly fashion all the way to the final? The short answer is ‘yes’ – Germany have done it on countless occasions. Sven Goran Eriksson has conceded that if England win the tournament playing the type of football that leaves fans back home scratching their eyes out with sharpened 2B pencils and peeling the skin from their shins in frustration, then that is better than not winning at all. And, to be fair to the clueless Swede, he’s bang right. “Ghana have played wonderful football. Ivory Coast have played wonderful football. Holland and Spain, the same,” he says. “If I had to pick one team on Tuesday it would have been Spain. But where are they? Tell me, where are these four teams now? At home, that’s where. To win the World Cup… if that means playing bad football then, come on, who cares?”

And you can’t disagree with him. When Germany stumbled their way to the World Cup final in 2002, their insipid football inspired Franz Beckenbauer to snort: “If you put them [German players] all in a bag and hit them with a stick, they would deserve it.” But Der Kaiser couldn’t have argued with the progress of his team to that final – while England wilted against Brazil in the quarters, Germany did get to the final after all – even if they played poor football and were indebted to Oliver Khan. The omnipresent Beckenbauer himself should know how it feels to play poorly and still win. In 1974, West Germany played shakily on home turf in the group stages and were expected to be royally shafted by the purring, total footballing playboys of Holland in the final. Despite going 1-0 down, Germany called upon all their famed spirit and determination to spring a surprise win.

Go back further, to 1954, and the Germans set the standard for surprise victories. After being trounced by the brilliant Ferenc Puskas-inspired Hungarians in the group stages, the Germans beat them, incredibly, in the final despite coming under intense pressure. More recently, Germany lurched their way to victory in the 1996 European Championship final against the Czech Republic after defeating England (reckoned to be the best team in the competition) on penalties in the semi-final. In that one game, footballing stereotypes were laid bare. England were unlucky and valiant in defeat but heroes to a nation where the phrase ‘it’s not the winning it’s the taking part that counts’ is still recited by some, while Germany, the win-at-all-costs juggernaut, once again scraped though.

Fast-forward to 2006 and these roles look as though they are being reversed. Let’s hope so.

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