Germany's third-place finish at their home World Cup two years ago was something of a surprise, but a similar performance this time around would be nothing short of a disappointment.
Coach Joachim Low has continued the work started by predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann and hopes are high, particularly after being drawn alongside Poland, who have never beaten them, and unfancied co-hosts Austria.
They qualified second in their group behind the Czech Republic (10 points clear of their nearest challengers) but their 13-0 win over minnows San Marino set a new mark in European Championship qualifying history.
They have won the tournament in 1972 - their first appearance, 1980 and 1996 to add to their three World Cups and will fancy their chances of going all the way again this summer thanks to a squad that is going a long way toward altering the view of German football being efficient but uninspiring.
Manager - Joachim Low
Widely credited as being the main tactical brain behind Germany's third-place finish in their home World Cup, 'Jogi' took charge of the national side after Jurgen Klinsmann opted not to renew his contract after the tournament.
The inexperienced Klinsmann was head coach between 2004 and 2006 but admitted he had "learnt a lot" from his trusted assistant Low, who World Cup winner Lothar Matthaus describes as "a good, switched-on coach".
After a playing career including spells at SC Freiburg, Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Swiss sides Schaffhausen and Winterthur, Low's big break in coaching came at Stuttgart where he succeeded Rolf Fringer.
After leading them to the DFB-Pokal he took them into the European Cup Winners' Cup final the following year (they lost to Chelsea) before leaving for an 18-month spell at Fenerbahce.
Thereafter he flitted between Karlsruhe, Adanaspor, Tirol Innsbruck and Austria Vienna before Klinsmann appointed him as his No 2 in 2004 - and everything he has done since has enhanced his reputation.
Star man - Michael Ballack
A key member of the Germany team which finished third at the last World Cup on home turf and runners-up in Japan and Korea in 2002, Ballack remains the captain and figurehead of the current squad.
Having finished the season strongly following his return from a lengthy lay-off, the Chelsea midfielder is well on course for 100 international caps and looks born to play on the biggest stage of all.
Ballack could be forgiven for a touch of deja vu this campaign as Chelsea were second in the Premier League and lost in the finals of both the Champions League and Carling Cup.
But when he suffered a similar fate with Bayer Leverkusen, he inspired Germany virtually single-handedly to the World Cup final that summer and will hope to repeat the dose in Austria and Switzerland.
British interest
Michael Ballack and Jens Lehmann are the only players in the squad who made Premier League appearances last summer, and with the latter leaving Arsenal the former could be the only one in England next season.
Lehmann is leaving the Gunners after five years in London in which he was part of their 'Invincibles' in 2003/04 and an FA Cup winner in 2005, also helping them reach the Champions League final.
Ballack, of course, did likewise with Chelsea this season but endured three near misses trophywise just as he had with Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.
In Thomas Hitzlsperger, Germany have a man who spent five years with Aston Villa, while several of their players - including most recently Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm - have been linked with moves to the Premier League.
Why they'll win
Because - as the cliche goes - you just can't write off the Germans. Not that anyone will be this time around. They have a better squad, better form and more confidence than when they finished third in the last World Cup, since which they have lost just twice. They should have few problems moving through their group and can match anyone over 90 minutes threafter.
Why they won't win
Several of their key players haven't had full seasons of first-team football and may be undercooked while others seem to have gone off the boil. Their diamond formation makes them exciting to watch but can leave them exposed defensively. Recent displays have been iffy, with Ballack admitting: "We have not been playing as majestically as we did in our first few qualifying games, so I made it clear that we have to work that much harder now."
