How they got here: Came through Group 5 without really breaking sweat but without ever looking that good either. Even when distinctly ordinary performances at home to Lithuania or away to Scotland and Iceland cost them points there was no other team to challenge them for first place.

Manager: Rudi Voeller

Star turn: Quick and neat, Torsten Frings has developed into an impressive all rounder in midfield where his tackling disrupts the opposition and his passing does much to get the Germans moving forward. Has the sort of pace which many around him lack.

Prospects: Not all that great on the face of it but you know what they say about writing them off . . . Should certainly prove hard to beat again but that's not the same as winning games and it's not entirely clear how they might do that against the better sides. Anything from first round elimination to a place in the semis is possible.