Into the 21st century - Germany

Entering the 21st century, Germany's standing as one of the best national sides in the world and a team that almost always reach the later rounds of major tournaments are starting to be threatened by disappointing results. In Euro 2000, they went out in the first round after failing to win any of their three matches, including an embarrassing 3-0 loss to a second-string Portugal side. Rudi Völler replaced Ribbeck as coach, initially on a temporary basis, and later permanently after planned successor Christoph Daum was involved in a drug scandal.

Coming into the 2002 World Cup, expectations of the German team were low, due to poor results in the qualifiers, including a 5-1 home defeat against England. However, they started out strong by thrashing Saudi Arabia 8-0 in their first match. At the knockout stages, they produced three consecutive 1-0 wins, against Paraguay, the United States, and co-hosts South Korea, setting up a final against Brazil, the first World Cup meeting between the two most successful teams in World Cup history (if one counts West German victories towards those of Germany). However, with the pivotal Michael Ballack suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, Germany lost 2-0. German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn was voted the best player of the tournament, the first time in the World Cup's history a goalkeeper became the best player of the tournament. Simultaneously, he won the Yashin-Award as the best goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, Germany failed to build on their success in 2002, and again exited in the first round of Euro 2004 without winning a match. Völler resigned afterwards, and the national team had to find their third new coach in six years, after having only six coaches in the previous 75 years. After prospective candidates including Ottmar Hitzfeld and Otto Rehhagel turned down the job, former national team player Jürgen Klinsmann, who had never held any coaching jobs before, was appointed, with his main task being leading the national team to a good showing at the 2006 World Cup, which Germany will host.