World Cup Record: Won 1954, 1974, 1990
Manager: Joachim Low
Key Player: Miroslav lose
Qualified: 1st, Group 4, Europe
Odds: 12/1

Eight wins, two draws and no defeats in qualifying – it was very much par for the course as Germany secured their place at South Africa 2010 with the minimum fuss. There’s really not an awful lot that can be said about the Germans that hasn’t already been said. Three time winners, they haven’t ever failed to qualify for the finals (they withdrew in 1930 and were banned in 1950), and only once have they fallen before the knock-out stages – back in 1938. This is a record that borders on the ridiculous. German efficiency is clearly no myth. Even when they turn up with below average sides they exceed expectations, making it to the final in 2002 and the semis on home soil 4 years later. Chelsea’s Michael Ballack is the undoubted leader of the pack, and with four goals in qualifying he along with Bastian Schweinsteiger (3), Lukas Podolski (6) and Miroslav Klose (7) provide the main attacking threat. Nor do they lack experience at the back, where Philipp Lahm, Arne Friedrich & Per Mertesacker have just shy of 200 caps between them. Surprisingly perhaps, only Ballack, Stoke’s Robert Huth & Celtic keeper Andreas Hinkel play their club football outside Germany. And although Bundesliga clubs haven’t fared too well in Europe of late, you can bet come June that the national side will more than punch its weight.
Miroslav Klose

Age: 31
Position: Striker
Club: Bayern Munich
Caps: 93 (48 goals)

Given his goal scoring record for club and country, Klose is an almost criminally under-rated striker. With an international ratio better than a goal every other game, he has 10 at the World Cup finals alone and is the only player to score five times in consecutive tournaments. With the Germans again expected to make it to the latter stages, 25/1 on Klose top scorer looks like a great e/w (1-4) bet.