After a difficult build-up to the 2002 World Cup, Germany went all the way to the final only to suffer a painful defeat by Brazil in Yokohama
It was a fine line between success and failure and a feeling of what if. We relive that final in the company of Dietmar Hamann
Germany's group stage elimination at Euro 2000 represented a low point for a team that had won the competition just four years earlier and things got even worse the following year when a 5-1 defeat at home to rivals England left Rudi Voller clinging to his job as coach. But despite being a team in transition, Germany went all the way to the World Cup final in 2002 and midfielder Dietmar Hamann still wonders what might have been if their star man had been available to line up against Brazil that night in Yokohama.
"After the disappointment in 2000, expectations were a little bit lower than previously," Hamann told
Sky Sports. "We didn't have an awful lot of players coming through at the time but you're always expected to get out of the group stages and once you're in the knockout stages anything is possible." Injuries to Sebastian Deisler and Mehmet Scholl robbed Voller of important players for the tournament but results did improve after the famous defeat to Sven Goran Eriksson's side so hopes were higher within the camp than some might have anticipated.
"We had a very good spirit in our team because England had won the group and we had to go through the playoffs against Ukraine," added the former Liverpool midfielder. "We had a tough game over there and got a draw before beating them 4-1 at home with Michael Ballack getting a hat-trick. That really brought us closer together. Then we got some good results before the World Cup so we fancied ourselves to go a long way."
An 8-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the opening group game was an emphatic start but strength of character was still required to reach the last 16. "We only conceded one goal before the final and that was an injury time goal by Robbie Keane against Ireland," said Hamann. "We needed a result from the final game against Cameroon. We had Carsten Ramelow sent off in the first half so we were down to 10 men and 0-0 at half-time in a game we couldn't afford to lose. We managed to win the game 2-0 and that gave us a lot of belief going into the knockout stages."
Germany's success was clearly built upon a solid defence and Voller was keen to emphasis Hamann's role as a holding midfielder in being pivotal to the team's disciplined approach. Voller told reporters during the tournament: "When the players are almost on the pitch he says quietly 'boys, keep order'. That sums up his frame of mind and his greatest strength is organising the defence in that quiet way of his. Irrespective of who plays next to him or behind him, Dietmar Hamann always performs to the best of his ability."
Typically, Hamann prefers to focus on the qualities of those around him. "Voller was a good manager and a good man," he said. "He did a good job for us. We had Ballack in peak form, an excellent defence and probably the best goalkeeper in the tournament in Oliver Kahn. We knew we could keep clean sheets and we got a bit lucky with the draw because South Korea knocked out Spain and Italy, who were in our half. But we took advantage."
Although South Korea were still considered underdogs against such an establishing football power, there was an atmosphere of feverish excitement surrounding the team as a nation dared to dream. "It was great," recalled Hamann. "I mean, to play the hosts in the semi-final, the whole country was buzzing. Nobody expected them to get to the semis but they had one of the most experienced managers in Guus Hiddink. We fancied our chances though and we defended well. We won that game and the only blemish on the night was that Ballack got his second booking that meant he would miss the final."
Kahn aside, Ballack was the undoubted star turn in the Germany team and a player at the peak of his powers having inspired Bayer Leverkusen to the final of the Champions League on the eve of the tournament. "He was the talisman," added Hamann, his midfield partner in Japan and Korea. "He scored the winner in the quarter final too. We always had a lot of belief when he was in the team. He was probably the biggest threat we had and to lose him was a big miss. To get booked and know you're going to miss the World Cup final but then score the winner speaks volumes for the man, the competitor and the mentality that he'd got."
Ballack may have been missing but Germany - against the odds - would still contest the World Cup final and Hamann remembers a time of intense focus among the players. "Leading up to the game, you know that the whole world is watching," he explained. "But you are just very focused and don't realise much what's going on around you. The whole focus is on the team and bringing the trophy back. I wouldn't say it was any different but obviously it's the biggest game you can play in international football."
Against a Brazil side that included star names such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, Germany were not overawed and the game remained delicately balanced at 0-0 well into the second half. History is written by the winners but it is worth noting that it was Voller's side that had more shots, more corners and more possession. It was only an uncharacteristic error from Kahn - winner of the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player - that allowed Ronaldo to find the breakthrough.
The same player added a second shortly afterwards and Hamann's dream ended in disappointment. And there is still frustration at an opportunity missed. "It was a close final," he said. "This wasn't a Brazil team that was outstanding. You could have been playing against the Spain team of a few years later or the Brazil team at various other stages where you knew you'd be up against it but that wasn't the case. Ronaldo scored a couple of goals but apart from that we had them covered pretty well.
"We hit the post in the first half and we had a couple of chances. I had one myself that I missed, unfortunately. If we'd scored first I really would have fancied our chances of winning the game. The game was there to be won but Ronaldo scored his goals and we couldn't pull it off. It was a great experience but the winner takes it all and it was disappointing not to win it." So could Germany have won the World Cup if Ballack had played in the final? "In the end, that probably made a big difference."
