Focused Germans want title after Brazil rout

BELO HORIZONTE - Germany insist their only focus is now on winning Sunday's World Cup final, with the euphoria of their historic 7-1 semi-final drubbing of Brazil quickly forgotten.

Germany will face either the Netherlands or Argentina in Sunday's final at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium, which was their immediate concern in the wake of their stunning semi-final win in Belo Horizonte.

The Selecao were put to the sword by the Germans in the emotionally-charged semi as they felt the loss of injured superstar Neymar and suspended captain Thiago Silva.

But the Germans quickly switched their attention to Sunday's final as they bid to end their country's 24-year wait for a fourth World Cup title.

"We haven't reached our goal yet, we will put our foot to the floor once again and put our heart and souls into it to win this thing", said Thomas Mueller, who scored Germany's 2000th international goal to kick-off the rout.

"We can't run away with ourselves, just as it was said that we were finished after the (last 16 win over) Algeria, now we'll be praised to the heavens.

"That's really the wrong approach -- we're really just a very good team."

Germany will now travel to Rio for their eighth World Cup final having avenged their 2-0 defeat to Brazil in the 2002 final in emphatic style.

Toni Kroos and Andre Schuerrle both netted twice, while veteran Miroslav Klose made history of his own by scoring his 16th World Cup goal to become the competition's all-time sole top-scorer.
 

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Thomas Muller opened the rout with his fifth goal of this tournament. PHOTO/AFP
 

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The humiiation of Brazil was too much for the Brazilian fans. PHOTO/AFP
 

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Miroslav Klose, who is now World Cup's all-time leading goal scorer comforts Brazil's midfielder Oscar after a game to forget for the hosts. PHOTO/AFP
 

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The Germans are waiting to see who they will play in Sunday's final. It's either Argentina or Netherlands. PHOTO/AFP

"We played an unbelievable game - respect, but another game is yet to come," said man-of-the-match Kroos as Brazil suffered their worst international defeat.

"We have come here to be world champions and we're not there yet.

"Whatever happens, there is a top opponent ahead of us and we both have a 50:50 chance."

Centre-back Mats Hummels said the German dressing room in Belo Horizonte was eerily quiet after the final whistle and there is a determination to realise the dream of a fourth title.

"It was astoundingly quiet in the dressing room, but that was easy to explain as we knew we had the game won with an hour to play, not wishing to sound arrogant," he said.

"So there wasn't much emotion after the final whistle.

"This is really something special, especially when you think what each individual has done.

"Now we will try to give everything to make our big dream come true."

AFP