Germany aim to turn up the heat

The 2nd FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship gets under way on Wednesday. Niels Barnhofer of the German Football Association gives uefa.com the lowdown on his country's chances of adding a world honour to their clutch of European titles.

Silvia Neid knows what Thailand has in store for her players: "High temperatures and high humidity," said the Germany coach. So when it came to naming the squad that will represent Germany in Thailand, physical fitness was one of the key criteria, not just for the above climatic reasons, but also for the sporting challenge that the event will pose.

High-calibre field
"Playing creative football and asserting themselves under pressure" - that's how Neid wants to see the girls perform at the competition featuring the world's 12 best teams of players born in 1985 and after. A high-calibre field of participants, all of whom approach the championships with high hopes, ambition and motivation, await a Germany side who finished third at the first edition of the event in Canada.

Tough group
Past glory, however, rarely counts for much, so the German team will have its work cut out trying to survive the group stage - where they play Thailand, Australia and Canada. Far from underestimating anyone, the players have the highest respect for their opponents, of whom 2002 runner-ups Canada are not an unknown quantity. From two friendly matches staged in Montreal and Ottawa, respectively, one was lost (0-3), the other narrowly won (1-0). "For me, Canada are up there with the favourites to win the tournament", said an impressed Neid.

Clear favourites
Australia are a force to be reckoned with, as well. According to the German coach, "they are pretty tough physically, plus they have two players who featured in the 2004 Olympic squad". At the same time, Germany will bear the burden of being clear favourites against hosts Thailand - an opening match where "bringing home three points is a must".

Attacking style
Actually, there is every reason for cautious optimism. At the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in August, Neid's team impressed with their attack-minded style, scoring 25 goals in five matches, only to be thwarted by Spain in the final. An emphatic 7-1 win in a recent warm-up friendly against Sweden should provide additional self-confidence.

Leading roles
All in all, quality in the German squad is very evenly spread, which makes the team pretty difficult to figure out for any opponent. In fact, players seem to have decided to take turns in playing leading roles. There is no doubt that one of the key figures is Annike Krahn. "She's holding the threads together", was Neid's complimentary take on her captain's abilities on and off the pitch.

Mittag a threat
The Potsdam-born Anja Mittag adds a wealth of experience to the side. Her 25 goals in 41 U19 matches earned her a starting place in a recent senior international. Peggy Kuznik, who also plays for Bundesliga team 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, is another U19 stalwart with 22 matches. Young enough to continue in the team for another year, she "has become a true personality", said Neid, who went on to praise She's perhaps the team's most versatile player, who feels equally comfortable as a forward, in midfield, or on the wings."

Young hopeful
For reasons of space, we will refrain from singing the praises of every player in the 21-strong squad. One last point, though: as the second-youngest player, and with only two caps, 16-year-old Célia Okoyino da Mbabi will wear the No10 shirt. What better way to show how well-balanced the team is?