If you were going to bet on a winner for a World Cup might I suggest picking whoever beats Germany. Various teams representing the DFB (Deutscher Fußball Bund) have picked up this habit of being knocked out of the World Cup by the eventual winners.
The Women’s team has never done anything but lose to the gold metal finishers. Granted only six Women’s World Cups have ever been played, but still. They went down to the U.S. in ’91, were runners-up to Norway in ’95, and were booted-out by the U.S. again in ’99. Germany’s luck then changed when they won two back-to-back in 2003 and 2007.
They were looking for the hat trick when they hosted the competition this year. But their hopes were dashed in the quarter-finals by the mighty-mites from Japan, who beat German 1-0. You should have called your bookie right then and there because Japan made the finals where they faced a U.S. team that had survived to that stage on grit and determination. Japan was more like a Samurai Sword and less like a Cherry Blossom. Cool, sharp and with the ability to strike and defend in a single motion, it was left to the U.S. team to try to keep-up. They did well in that endeavor forcing the game to penalties after a 2-2 draw (with a goal scored on each side in regulation and extra time).
U.S Battles Japan into Penalties in the 2011 World Cup Final
The Japanese team held hands while the U.S. team formed the more traditional wall facing the goal where both their fates would be decided. The U.S. couldn’t hold out any longer. They made just one of their penalties. Japan made three to clinch their first World Cup win (Women’s or Men’s)! After a year of tragedy for the Japanese, the winning spirit of these warriors is a blessing to the hearts of a nation.
Japan lets go to Celebrate
Japan Lifts Trophy
Just a few hours later, on the other side of the world, Germany’s Under-17 squad was gearing up for their third place game against Brazil after losing out to the host nation Mexico in the U-17 World Cup. Good I see your reaching for your credit card. The crowd at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City was treated to some first rate footballing action as Germany took bronze in a 4-3 goal-fest.
Germans Celebrate Thrid Place in the U-17 World Cup
A couple hours/cervezas later and the crowd got another dose of aw when Mexico kicked-off against Uruguay in the final. Mexico shut out Uruguay in a 2-0 win.
Mexico Celebrate Victory on Home Turf
It was Mexico’s second U-17 World Cup title. The first was in 2005 in Peru. And what of the Germans? Well, out of 14 U-17 World Cups held since 1985 Germany only qualified for 10. Out of those ten, they lost to the eventual winners 5 times making them once more a litmus test for gold mentalists. In the World Cup in New Zealand in ’99 the Germans didn’t make it out of the group stage. But, in their defense, the two teams (Australia and Brazil) that did would met up again in the finals.
And what of the men’s senior side? They have played in 17 of 19 World Cups. They missed the first one in 1930 and the 1950 edition (thank you very much Hitler). Out of the 17 they were involved in they have won three (’54, ’74 and ’90). They were runners-up four times (’66, ’82, ’86 and ’02). They were third place finishers four times having lost to the winners twice (’06 and ’10). That means that 6 out of 17 World Cups have ended with Germany bowing out the to winners, and since the 80’s their record of doing so has been nearly flawless.
The Under-20 World Cup starts up in less than a week in Columbia. But, alas, Germany didn’t qualify, so we’ll have no betting edge on this one.
Fanatical for Football 