Miroslav Klose claims the years he spent playing under new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal were the hardest of his career.

Manager Arsene Wenger has challenged his Arsenal team to raise their game against direct title rivals and deliver a first Premier League crown for a decade.

Germany’s all-time leading goalscorer, Miroslav Klose, has announced his retirement from international football.

Rose Jacobs asks: Is this the start of a century of German success?

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again. This seems to be key in any great sporting triumph.

Given the journey, the signatures secured, the football legends greeted, how fitting it was that Mike Griffin’s time in Rio de Janeiro ended with World Cup winner Mesut Ozil scribbling on his neck.

Germany 1 Argentina 0 (after extra-time)

Just when Brazilians thought it couldn’t get any worse after Tuesday night’s total humiliation in Belo Horizonte, they must now dry their tears and play host to their final from hell.

Lazio will not be tempted to cash in on Miroslav Klose’s increased popularity following his record-breaking goal for Germany against Brazil.

Germany’s jubilation at their historic 7-1 World Cup semi-final win over Brazil was kept in check by the realisation that their ambitions will be unfulfilled if they do not triumph in Sunday’s final.

World Cup Semi-Final 

Germany 7 Brazil 1

WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

France 0 Germany 1

WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

USA 0 Germany 1

Miroslav Klose has moved level with Ronaldo as the World Cup’s top goalscorer of all-time — a record the Germany striker now wants all for himself.

Germany 2 Ghana 2

The company behind the Fifa World Cup computer games have run a simulation exercise that predicts Germany will win the upcoming tournament in Brazil.

World Cup 2014 kicks off in nine days so Ger McCarthy looks at how some of the contenders and outsiders are shaping up ahead of their final friendlies before boarding the plane to Brazil.

Germany coach Joachim Low has named a preliminary squad of 30 players for the World Cup, with Fiorentina striker Mario Gomez the biggest name to miss the cut.

The Premier League title race is pretty much ‘as you were’ following a transfer deadline day in which most of the top eight — even super-wealthy Manchester City refused to pay overinflated prices and saved their money instead for the summer market.

Arsenal switched tack from youth to experience on deadline day, dropping their interest in young German winger Julian Draxler and turning to veteran Swedish midfielder Kim Kallstrom.

For Sami Khedira, it is a question of quantity, not even qualification.

Noel King will send his Republic of Ireland side out against Germany under orders to do whatever it takes to secure a famous victory.

Caretaker Ireland manager Noel King says he contemplated contacting former manager Giovanni Trapattoni before naming his new Ireland squad but at the last moment decided against doing so.

Faroe Islands 0 Germany 3

The mood in the Sweden camp is serious ahead of tonight’s crucial clash with Kazakhstan, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic adding his voices to those demanding focus on the tie in Astana rather than speculating about likely play-off opponents.

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Germany 3 Austria 0

Miroslav Klose made history in Munich and helped Republic of Ireland group rivals Germany put one foot in Brazil in the process.

Ireland’s Group C rivals Germany eased past lowly Kazakhstan 3-0 last night without deploying any strikers for the first time in a competitive match under coach Joachim Loew as they stayed top of the group.

Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has backed Luka Modric to make it at the Bernabeu once he finds his feet in Spain.

I doubt very much if Mansfield is twinned with Accra but these days the two can surely feel each other’s pain.

Barcelona strengthened their grip on top spot of La Liga with an excellent 4-1 win against Atletico Madrid in a pulsating game between the country’s top two.

Germany 4 Sweden 4

Germany 4 Sweden 4

The only way Republic of Ireland defender Darren O’Dea could describe last night’s record home defeat to Germany was by calling it an embarrassment.

A defiant Giovanni Trapattoni challenged his critics to find better players after seeing the Republic of Ireland humbled by Germany.

Marco Reus and Toni Kroos both helped themselves to two goals apiece as Germany made an emphatic statement of intent in World Cup Qualifying Group C with a 6-1 rout of Ireland in Dublin.

Republic of Ireland 1 Germany 6

Republic of Ireland 1 Germany 6

The press conference room in the bowels of the Aviva Stadium has housed many a pantomime moment over its short life, but never was there a chance of Joachim Loew adding to the theatrics.

Germany coach Joachim Low paid a glowing tribute to the Republic of Ireland team and warned his players not to underestimate their hosts in Dublin tomorrow night.