Highlights from Germany’s semi-final loss to Spain. Watching it again might give you more insight as to why Germany lost the game.

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Carles Puyol scored the only goal of the game to send Spain into the World Cup final against Holland following a 1-0 victory against Germany on Wednesday.

The Barcelona centre-back powered home a header from 8 meters from Xavi’s corner 17 minutes from time to send the reigning European champions into their first ever World Cup final. Holland reached the title game by beating Uruguay 3-2 in Cape Town on Tuesday. It means there will be a new name on the trophy for the first time since France claimed victory on home soil in 1998.…

The 33-year-old – who was ruled out of the World Cup after suffering an ankle injury in Chelsea’s 1-0 FA Cup final win over Portsmouth – admitted avenging the Euro 2008 final defeat by Spain in their World Cup semi-final in Durban would be difficult, but his compatriots could do it.

“It will be difficult to beat Spain tonight, but this is our time,” Ballack told The Times.

“Germany have been the best team in the World Cup and just have to keep it going. Spain deserved to win the European Championship final against us two years ago, but with the confidence we’ve gained from our past two performances, I think it’s our moment.”…

The reigning European champion vs. the runner-up. The leading scorer at this World Cup vs. No. 2 on the all-time list. The most dynamic team at this tournament vs. a squad that’s yet to show its full brilliance. A three-time champion vs. a team craving its first title.

Sounds like a great World Cup final.

Too bad it’ll be the semifinals when Germany and Spain face off Wednesday night at Moses Mabhida Stadium, with many expecting the winner to go on and be crowned world champion four days later.…

Paul has predicted all of Germany’s World Cup results correctly so far, including wins against England and Argentina.

Paul even said that Serbia would beat Germany 1-0 in the group stage.

However, there is still a glimmer of hope for Germany. In all his years of making predictions, the only one Paul has ever got wrong was the Spain v Germany final at Euro 2008.

The octopus opted for Germany but Spain were the victors, winning 1-0.

German fans are now hoping the opposite will happen and by picking Spain to win it will actually be Germany who come out on top.…

A row over the captaincy of the German national team threatens to torpedo the harmony within the side as the three-time champion takes on Spain in the semifinals of the World Cup Wednesday.

Injured captain Michael Ballack showed up in South Africa in what seemed like a show of support for his troops. But current captain Philipp Lahm caused a major controversy by saying he would not willingly hand the captain’s armband back to Ballack.…

Germany will need to replace suspended four-time goal scorer Thomas Mueller when they take on Spain in their World Cup semi-final on Wednesday but that will be no problem for coach Joachim Loew.

The 20-year-old winger has wreaked havoc in his first major tournament, scoring his fourth goal in Germany’s 4-0 demolition of Argentina on Saturday to advance to the last four but coach Joachim Loew knows no one in his young squad is irreplaceable.…

Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has credited a change of position to his improved fortunes on the pitch.

At just 25-years-old Schweinsteiger is already a veteran of 79 caps and if he continues like this he could well break German legend Lothar Matthaus’s record of 150 appearances for his country.

But having spent most of his early international career on the wing, where although highly competent he didn’t exactly excel, Schweinsteiger is now the heartbeat of the German midfield and a permanent fixture in the middle of the park.

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