Germany World Cup 2018 profile: Guide to record, squad list, path to final, team news, latest odds and star man

WORLD champions Germany head to Russia to defend the title they won so dramatically in Brazil.

Some of the stars of that side have retired, but they've been efficiently replaced by young, hungry talent - making the Germans one of the big favourites to win the World Cup.

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Here's all you need to know about the world champions, who have been drawn in Group F alongside South Korea, Mexico and Sweden.

In a nutshell: Teutonic titans with four titles under their lederhosen and a truly formidable track record in the event.

Flag: A no-nonsense tricolour of three horizontal bands – black, red and yellow. It’s been this way since 1919.

Population: 82.67 million

Nickname: The slightly sinister Die Mannschaft (The Team) or, occasionally, Die Adler (The Eagles). Not to be confused with Crystal Palace.

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Manager: The scratch and sniff sensation on the sidelines that is Joachim Low.

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Captain: Bayern Munich’s keeper Manuel Neuer.

Star Man: Vastly experienced Real Madrid stalwart Toni Kroos is the man that keeps Germany ticking. Everything goes through him.

Rising Star: In a squad blessed with an abundance of young talent, it’s the 21-year-old striker Timo Werner that’s really catching the eye. The Leipzig forward has already claimed seven goals in his ten caps to date and won the Golden Boot award as Germany won last year’s Confederations Cup.

Most caps: Lothar Matthaus (150)

All-time top scorer: Miroslav Klose (71)

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Nice kit? Interesting. A bit of a throwback to the classic West Germany strip from 1988, the new German kit is white as standard with grey stripes across the chest. It’s
also got the player’s number on the front too.

Most offensive haircut? Look no further than the gaffer Joachim Low, a man who looks like he’s just stepped out of a Just For Men commercial.

Any names we can laugh at like kids? Older readers and young 'Allo! 'Allo! fans can have a giggle at the team’s Sporting Director Hans Dieter Flick, or "Herr Flick" as he’s doubtless known back home.

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Rivals? While we in England like to think games against Germany are the be all and end all of international football, the Germans consider the matches against their neighbours the Netherlands and also Italy as their most tasty encounters. Truth is they don’t give a fig about us.

National anthem: The Deutschlandlied (Song of Germany). Apparently, it’s not called "Deutschland, Deutschland Uber Alles" and never has been…

Sample lyric:
Unity and justice and freedom
Are the pledge of fortune
Flourish in this fortune's blessing
Flourish, German fatherland!

National dish: Take your pick between Bratwurst and Sauerkraut and then decide that Bratwurst is by far the better option.

National drink: They like a beer or three but schnapps

World Cup Finals Record: P106 W66 D20 L20 F224 A121

World Cup Win Ratio: 62.2%

World Cup Wins: Four (1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014). They’ve also been
runners-up a record four times too.

FIFA World Ranking: 1

Path to final: Germany's second round match will probably be against one of Switzerland, Serbia and Costa Rica if, as expected, they win their group.

Should they win that, the winner of Group H or runner-up of Group G await in the quarter-final, meaning a derby match against England or Poland is one of a number of potential outcomes.

Spain or Argentina would then be on the cards in the semis and you'd imagine the Germans would prefer Messi and co, who they knocked out of the last three World Cups.