BLESSED with a squad most nations could only dream of, Germany head to Brazil in confident fashion. 

The three-time winners can count themselves unfortunate to have not won it more times.

Runners-up on four separate occasions, the last one in 2002, the Germans are a team you want to avoid at any cost.

Manager Joachim Low guided his side to top spot in qualifying winning all but one game, a memorable 4-4 draw against Sweden.

And despite having Portugal in their group, Ghana and the US are comfortable opponents and you wouldn’t be surprised if they won all three of their group games.

The squad is made up mostly of the players from the giants of the Bundesliga — Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Manuel Neuer of Munich is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world and in front of him Low is likely to push club-mate Jerome Boateng out to the right in order to partner Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker. 

Dortmund’s Erik Durm may get the nod at left-back which will allow Munich and Germany captain Phillip Lahm to play in centre-midfield.

Midfield is by far the strongest part of the pitch but there will be some big names missing.

Lars and Sven Bender picked up injuries at the end of the season which ruled both brothers out of the tournament.

Ilkay Gundogan has been injured for the past six months and has failed to recover in time.

But the biggest blow occurred last Friday night when Marco Reus tore a part of his ligament in his left ankle and has ruled him out of summer action.

However, Sami Khedira has recovered in time from the cruciate ligament tear he picked up at Real Madrid in November and will partner Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger just in front of the defence.

Behind the strikers Low is likely to play Bayern youngster Toni Kroos and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski. It says a lot that they are only bringing one recognised striker in Lazio’s Miroslav Klose. 

Should he score out in Brazil he will equal the record currently held by the Brazilian Ronaldo.

If he doesn’t start then Munich duo Mario Gotze or Thomas Muller could be used in the false number-nine position.

Needless to say, Low has picked a very strong 23-man squad despite injuries and it will be difficult to stop them once they get going, as England found out at the last World Cup.

They have built their own training camp in Brazil and have left nothing to chance, Germany have come to win.

VERDICT: A European side has never won a World Cup in South America but Germany have what it takes to win it and I think they will. Final at least for me.