Kick-off for Germany: “Everyone is hot”

The long wait ends. “Everyone is hot. I have an incredible desire to play,” said national player Julian Draxler on behalf of all 23 players in the German team. “You can feel that the level of tension is constantly increasing,” reported Joachim Löw. “There is nothing better for a player than playing in a World Cup,” added the national coach. The 58-year-old hopes that the reigning champion of the football world can prove in his first World Cup appearance on Sunday (17.00 p.m.) that he wants to have a decisive say in the awarding of the title in Russia again.

“We want to set an example against Mexico. We have the ambition to win the game,” said Löw before the game in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, which has a capacity of more than 80 spectators. The World Cup final will also be played there on July 000th. After winning the title in 15, 1954 and 1974, the triumph was never repeated four years later. “It’s the hardest thing ever,” said Löw about the goal of winning twice in a row for the first time in DFB history.

INITIAL SITUATION : Despite a bumpy preparation, Germany goes into the first group game as favorites. So far, all three World Cup comparisons against Mexico have ended as winners. And at the Confed Cup a year ago there was a 4-1 win in the semi-finals in Russia. “Confederations Cup is something different than a World Cup,” remarked then-captain Draxler. “The game will be completely different now,” he predicted.

Probably playing from the start: Mesut Özil. © APA/afp / PATRIK STOLLARZ

Personal : All 23 German players are fit – an ideal situation. And even though Löw said the day before the opening game that he still had “two or three considerations” for the starting eleven, it seems to have been fixed for a long time. Captain Neuer will be in goal. Kimmich, Boateng, Hummels and Hector form the defensive line. Khedira and Kroos would have to start before that. The attacking midfield line consists of Müller, Özil and Draxler, with Werner at the top in front of them.

MEXICO : Walls shouldn't be popular with outsiders in Mexico. “Above all, you have to develop the love of victory and not the fear of defeat,” said goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa the evening before the game. National coach Juan Carlos Osorio is convinced “that we will have a good chance of keeping up with one of the best teams and meeting them on an equal footing.”

THE OTHER SUNDAY GAMES: In addition to the German team, top favorite Brazil will also take part in the tournament on Sunday. The footballers around superstar Neymar meet Switzerland at 20 p.m. Costa Rica and Serbia are already in action at 14 p.m. Brazil star Neymar. © APA/afp / NELSON ALMEIDA

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Kick-off for Germany: “Everyone is hot”

Tension is rising in the DFB quarters. The next top start to a tournament with Löw as boss should be successful against Mexico (Sunday at 17 p.m.). The national coach gets his 23 players excited: “There is nothing better than a World Cup.”

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