West Germany and Germany National Team XI of all times.

West Germany and Germany National teams throughout time.

For the other nations, I have presented the most succesful 11, here it will be a bit more. In the comments, I won't dwell on the teams that reached at least the semis (wich are numerous and majoritary) but a bit more on the others wich are still proposed to let show the transition between the late 90s and the 2000s.

1930 : did not make the travel to Uruguay.

 

1934 : that team reached the semis of the World Cup held in Italy (and ranked 3rd).

 

WEST GERMANY 1934

1938 : beaten by Switzerland in France. An exchange of good processes? Pfff. Pass.

 

1954: defeated? There they beat the invincible Hungary. The "miracle of Bern" it is called.

 

WEST GERMANY 1954

 

 

1958 : that aging team managed to reach the semi-finals. In Sweden.

 

WEST GERMANY 1958

(+ Schnellinger)

1962 : that team went through the group stage before being eliminated by Yugoslavia in q-f's.

WEST GERMANY 1962

 

1966 : beaten by England in the World Cup Final, in Wembley.

WEST GERMANY 1966

1970 : vanquished team of the "Match of the Century". 3rd of the Mexican World Cup.

WEST GERMANY 1970

1972 : first European title. West Germany beats CCCP in Brussels.

 

WEST GERMANY 1972

 

1974 : Weltmeister (with some help from the ennemies from the east, one says this, one says nothing)

WEST GERMANY 1974

 

1976 : beaten by Panenka.

 

WEST GERMANY 1976

1978 : elminated at the Second Round stage (beaten by Austria). Holland and Italy qualified from this group. The Group A.

 

1980 : second European title. Beating Belgium in Final. In Rome.

 

WEST GERMANY 1980 (as against Holland and before the final where it'll be more a 4-3-3 with Rummenigge on the right and Allofs on the left and Schuster on the left at midfield)

1982 : not ashamed to finish runner-up (beaten by Italy in Final).

WEST GERMANY 1982

 

1986 : "you need a runner-up, we're here". Beaten by Argentina in the Second Mexican World Cup.

 

WEST GERMANY 1986

As they played in Final with Matthaüs at the marking of Maradona And Brehme to block Olarticoechea (and cover Berthold's attacks).

1988 : Semi-finalists of their Euro.

WEST GERMANY 1988

1990 : Winner of the most spectacular World Cup ever.

WEST GERMANY 1990

1992 : Beaten by Danes in Sweden.

 

GERMANY 1992

 

1994 : the holder of the title managed to reach the quarter-finals where they were beaten by Bulgaria.

A concentration of players starving for (personal) glory and on the lookout for the slightest failure of Matthaüs, at his downhill. Free from Matthaüs (or Brehme also), free from Effenberg, and even Möller before the Final, Sammer would lead Germany to a new title two years later. What was not that expected.
Difficult to reconsruct the puzzle of that '94 team.

 

 

1996 : Winner of the Euro. In Wembley.

 

GERMANY 1996

 

+ Möller (captain) who did not play the Final due to suspension. 11 presented as they played in Final.

 

1998 :  that seriously aging team has been beaten by Croatia in q-f's (3-0).

 

GERMANY 1998

 + Möller, Babbel, Ziege, Helmer... and Kirsten always from the bench. Matthaüs found again his place instead of Thon in the last Group stage's game, then for the knockout matches.The midfield changed a lot. Jeremies did not play all the games but was the best player in the rotation and finally was here in q-f's. The front two never changed.

2000 : a team that did not significantly rejuvenated, with still, Matthaüs in it.

 

GERMANY 2000

Three matches and three different 11. That 11 is a default formation to show the most used players but it corresponds to none of the three 11 wich had been deployed. + Rink, Bode, Rehmer, Kirsten, Hässler (76 min in the first match), Ballack (46 min in the last match). Bierhoff only played the first match (full-time). Scholl scored the only one German goal.

2002 : Runner-up of the Asian World Cup. Beaten by Brazil.

GERMANY 2002

Jeremies played the Final instead of Ballack, suspended. This 11 is a synthesis, a mix of the formation used in Final with the 11 most used players. With Ballack instead of Jeremies.

2004 : 3rd of Group D at the Euro.

 

GERMANY 2004

The end of the transitional team of Kahn and Ballack (not completely the end for Ballack). A team that still managed to reach a World Cup Final. And the beginning of a new successful era with Schweinsteiger and Lahm.

2006 & 2008: 3rd at the homeland (World Cup), Runner-up of the Euro (in Switzerland and Austria).

GERMANY 2006 & 2008

2010 : 3rd in South Africa. Beaten by Spain, like in 2008.

GERMANY 2010

 

2012 : Semi-finalist of the Euro held in Poland and Ukraine. Beaten by Italy which is beaten by Spain in Final.

GERMANY 2012

2014 : World Champion in Brazil.

GERMANY 2014

Kramer played the Final instead of Khedira, burnt-out. Also, there was a rotation in attack (of the men and their position).

2016 : Semi-finalist at the Euro in France. Beaten by France (for the first time bar '58).

GERMANY 2016

As they lined in the semis.

Deprived of Khedira (MF), Hummels (CB), of the "veteran centre forward" Gomez (3 games as a starter, 2 goals, 4 appearances in total), without forgetting Reus injured before the tournament (like in 2014) and with 120 minutes in the legs (+ a penalty shootout) with their quarter-final with Italy, Germany was eliminated by a more athletical and in better shape French team that could also rely on the talent of his striker Griezmann and goalkeeper Lloris when Müller remained silencious in this tournament and that Neuer was not able to repair the errors of his teammates. Boateng get injured at the hour of play in this match too.

An all-time 11? Difficult since in gross, a generation replaces the other for identical effects. I would not pick Wörns anyway.

Edit :
FYT will go with this for its German Dream Team :

GERMANY ALL-TIME XI

With the feeling that the biggest ommission is Maïer, always present in the great appointments. Neuer is still active.