Hodgson: "Germany can win the title"

He may have been on the receiving end of a 1-0 loss at Wembley in November 2013, but that match is not the only reason why England national team coach Roy Hodgson is tipping Germany to lift this summer’s World Cup. "I like their playing style, enthusiasm, verve and the way in which a young team has grown into a unit," the former Fulham and Liverpool boss said in an interview with German sports magazine kicker. “They can win the [world] title.”

The 66-year-old has been the Three Lions’ national coach since 2012. England will meet Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in Group D this summer, but Hodgson cites Joachim Löw’s side among the favourites to win the World Cup trophy, along with holders Spain. "Germany have gone from strength to strength in recent years," said the former defender, adding that the facts speak for themselves: "And Bayern Munich – featuring half the national team – won the treble last season, including the Champions League."

Four England players warming club benches

The situation is very different in England, with title contenders Chelsea and Manchester City fielding hardly any English players. "I’ve got to accept that many foreign stars play here," Hodgson said."It’s a problem when English players don’t play regularly for their clubs. I’ve got several cases like that, and it’s a bigger problem for us than in other countries."

Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck is one such example, often resigned to watching proceedings from the bench. Despite this setback, Hodgson relied on the 23-year-old during his side’s World Cup qualifiers. "He’s still one of our best players," said the coach, "better than some of those who are regulars elsewhere."

However, there is no disputing that Wayne Rooney is and remains England’s top attacking threat. "People expect so much from him simply because he is good and has been for a long time now," the England manager said. Surely these increased expectations also create pressure? "That’s the way it is when you’re a well-known player," Hodgson agreed. "In Germany it’s exactly the same for players like Bastian Schweinsteiger."

“We’ve got more younger, less experienced players”

For Hodgson’s current squad, the famous "Wembley goal" of 1966 is something they have only read about in history books; indeed, Liverpool’s bright young prospect and World Cup hopeful Raheem Sterling was only born in 1994. It seems clear that England are ushering in a new generation. "When I announce my World Cup squad, there will be many more younger, less experienced players in there," the England coach confirms, "but that’s part of the transition process, and every footballing nation has experienced that."

Despite such upheaval, Roy Hodgson is not travelling to Brazil without ambition. "We’re going there to play our best football," he said. "We believe in ourselves. If the players deliver their top performances and we have a little luck, we can win it. Whether we’ll do that depends on whether my team can play well enough, whether we’re well prepared enough and whether we’re well organised enough. And it’s my job to take care of exactly that."