Bet on : Argentina/Germany

Winning World Cups, European Championships and continental club trophies with monotonous regularity, the Germans were Europe’s answer to mighty Brazil.

The turn of the century was not too kind on Germany as the country was hit by a dearth of quality players at a time when it needed them most.

German football at club and national level was engulfed in a serious crisis and the national team reached its nadir when it crashed 5-1 to England in a 2002 World Cup qualifier in Munich.

Yet the Germans never lost the belief that they could regroup and regain their rightful place among the elite of world football.

It all started at the 2006 World Cup on home soil when a vibrant and exciting side led by Jurgen Klinsmann reached the semi-finals before losing 2-0 to Italy in the match of the tournament in Dortmund.

The mannschaft’s magnificent performance in the tournament was a revelation and showed the German fans that there still was a flame flickering among the embers of its national game.

And, boy, hasn’t the flame become a bonfire now!

Bundesliga crowds are the best in Europe and perennial giant Bayern Munich reached this year’s UEFA Champions League final after eliminating Juventus, Fiorentina, Manchester Untied and Lyon before being spooked by Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan.

At national level Germany showed that its 2006 success was no fluke by reaching the 2008 European Championship final in Vienna where it ran into rampant Spain and lost 1-0.

And it has taken Germany four matches at the 2010 World Cup to show the world that its functional football is back to its imperious best.

Alright Germany was incredibly lucky that Frank Lampard’s legitimate “goal” was not seen by the referee when the match against England was still in the balance.

However if the truth be told Germany was in control of the match for 85 of the 90 minutes and England would be the first to acknowledge that it was outplayed and outclassed by a quicker, fresher and more creative team.

The way Philipp Lahm’s youthful side brushed aside England’s feeble challenge must make Argentina, nearly everyone’s favourite for the title, a tad nervous about its forthcoming quarter-final blockbuster in Cape Town at the weekend.

Argentina’s victory over Mexico was not as convincing as the 3-1 scoreline might suggest.

Carlos Tevez’s opener was a blatant offside while Gonzalo Higuain’s goal was given to him on a plate by schoolboy defending.

Italy, France and Spain were quick to take advantage of Germany’s “transition” period that lasted almost a decade from about 1998.

Germany is not the finished product yet and there is still a long way to go to the final in Johannesburg on 12 July but the events unfolding at South Africa 2010 would suggest that the Germans are back in business.