Germany Eliminates Argentina From World Cup (HIGHLIGHTS, VIDEO)

CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- No trash talking needed. Germany was just too good for Argentina.

Miroslav Klose scored twice to move into a tie for second on the all-time World Cup scoring list, and Thomas Mueller and Arne Friedrich added goals to give Germany a resounding 4-0 victory in the World Cup quarterfinals. As flashbulbs popped, the Germans hugged and high-fived each other before walking around the edge of the field, saluting their fans.

(SCROLL DOWN FOR GOAL HIGHLIGHTS, PHOTOS & MORE)

Injured captain Michael Ballack came down to the field, watching from the bench as his teammates celebrated.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona took a slow walk to midfield, hands jammed in his pockets, while several of his players broke down in tears. It was a surprisingly meek end for the Argentines, whose dominant run had given fans hope this might be a team capable of reaching the final for the first time since 1990, when Maradona led them on the field.

Instead, it is Germany that will play the winner of Paraguay-Spain in the semifinals Wednesday in Durban. This will be Germany's third straight trip to the semis and its 12th overall - nobody has more. [Article continues below.]

First Goal - Thomas Muller (2nd minute):	Second Goal - Miroslav Klose (67th minute):
Third Goal - Arne Friedrich (73rd minute):	Fourth Goal - Miroslav Klose (88th minute):

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Germany's Arne Friedrich, third left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Argentina and Germany at the Green Point stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday, July 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Germany's Arne Friedrich, third left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Argentina and Germany at the Green Point stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday, July 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

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Argentina and Germany have had a testy relationship since trading World Cup titles in back-to-back finals 20 years ago, and it's been downright ugly lately.

After Germany eliminated Argentina on penalty kicks four years ago, also in the quarterfinals, the two teams exchanged punches and kicks in a scuffle. A few team officials even got involved in the scrape.

Germany didn't wait for the game to get its digs in this time, with Bastian Schweinsteiger on Wednesday accusing the Argentines of lacking respect for opponents and referees. Captain Philipp Lahm chimed in a day later, essentially calling Argentina a bunch of hotheads.

The trash talking appeared to be carefully orchestrated, intended to ignite Maradona's infamous temper and distract his team. Or, perhaps, to put the refs on notice.

Turns out, Germany didn't even need the head games.

Argentina has been one of the tournament's darlings, with Maradona's every move causing a stir and superstar Lionel Messi showing you don't need to score to be sublime. The Argentines rolled into the quarterfinals as one of only two teams to win its first four games - the Netherlands was the other - and had been so powerful they never trailed.

No wonder there was a star-studded crowd on hand at Green Point Stadium, with German chancellor Angela Merkel, Mick Jagger, Leonardo DiCaprio and South Africa's own Charlize Theron all spotted in the VIP seats.

But Germany showed that Argentina doesn't have the lock on flair in South Africa.

Its spacing, pace and flat-out stingy defense made the Argentines look out of sorts all afternoon. The Albiceleste didn't get their first shot on goal until the 33rd minute, and any time they appeared on the verge of making something happen, the German defense shut it down.

It was enough to make Maradona clutch his fists in agony, looking as if he was physically pained.

Comments

[chiodo08]

01:33 PM on 07/06/2010

America need sto take note of this team and model ours after them....they have big athletes..WE have big athletes. You can do it with the right organization and focus towards a particular style of soccer. I know it's tough because we have to compete and qualify with Southa America's "little people"...but look where that got them...OUT.
I said it at the beginning of the WC while getting HAMMERED by this very board. The smaller athletes won't last and will get beat by bigger stronger faster...oooppps I was right.

[EvitaLuisa]

09:01 PM on 07/06/2010

fanned and faved for the support of this wonderful and awesome Nationalmannschaft. I agree, the US of A, as much as I love this country, what it stands for and do care about its soccer (and am very heartened by the growing enthusiasm for the sport here, too), I feel we have a loooonggg way to go. There is something truly gifted, beyond even, about how the Germans approach their sports and everything else: with rigor, dedication, unstinting devotion -- in spite of the most adverse circumstances -- care, thoughtfulness, relentless desire to success (not to be confused with a 'lust for success' -- nooooo, the Germans are waaayyyy to deep for that), and... the list goes on, but I conclude with: massive amounts of discipline.
There is nothing quite like it! Germany is... wow, no words sufficient to capture it. Hope they win the championship this time around.

[Nec V20]

09:12 PM on 07/06/2010

The USA considers football a joke.

What the yanks call "football" everyone else calls rugby - except for the pansy armour.

And as for baseball, it's a kids game called "rounders" elsewhere.

BTW it is called "The World Series" due to the "New York World" being the first to sponsor a US national competition.

As much disdain as the US Americans have for what they call "soccer" the rest of the world does not share their pride in their own national past-times.

[chiodo08]

09:14 PM on 07/06/2010

...you had me at "discipline"...

[ATomCat3]

06:31 AM on 07/06/2010

+++ breaking news +++

paul the profetic octopus predicts a spanish victory over germany!

pity. they had a good run.
sigh!
was great while it lasted.

[CologneCitizen]

09:10 AM on 07/06/2010

Yup, it's all over. We could beat England and Argentina but without Paul's spiritual input there is not chance.

[EvitaLuisa]

08:27 PM on 07/06/2010

:))))) awesome! I appreciate your bringing me back to some semblance of sanity on this. I DO hope that our dear Nationalmannschaft does not take this personally :))) I hope they can maintain that precious balance and focus!
Hoping, praying for and -- because they are GERMANS after all, expecting the very very best tomorrow.
Til soon -- EvitaLuisa

[Siebenstein]

04:23 AM on 07/06/2010

Do you guys know that the American dreamplayer Landon Donovan played for Germany before? Lverkusen and Munich.

He will be a great player. Watch him.

[netzwerg]

05:00 AM on 07/06/2010

He only played 6 games for Bayern, no goals, so Bayern gave him away because he was useless. He never played for Leverkusen though.

[netzwerg]

05:02 AM on 07/06/2010

Sorry, he played for Leverkusen, 7 games in 4 years... That's why I can't remember him there.

[widugallus]

05:59 AM on 07/06/2010

He's not that young anymore, though.

[Long Han]

01:35 AM on 07/06/2010

Germany Destroys Argentina At World Cup
Why's Argentina so weak? r Germany has powerful and continue to the next completion.
Thinking, why like that.

[avatar singh]

08:55 PM on 07/05/2010

it is maazing what germany has produced despite all destruction done to her by england -the country which planned and executed world wars on germany out of envy of german success in 1890s in everything.
chamberlain in 1938 at Munich was several times heard saying_intercepted by the soviets-that "we shoudl make soviets and Germany fight amosnt each other till they are bloodied and then we british will get in Europe"

What happened in 1938 in Munich wasn't so much "appeasement" as it was "collusion". One of Adolf's qualities that appealed so much to the West was his fervent anti-communism. Britain, the United States and other Western governments were counting on the Nazis to turn eastward and put an end once and for all to the Bolshevik menace to God, family and capitalism.[11]

[laocoon]

09:52 PM on 07/05/2010

soccer is the topic.

[Siebenstein]

04:17 AM on 07/06/2010

Are you feeling okay?

[tcny]

03:11 PM on 07/05/2010

Now we're spared the on-going antics of "Mara-d0ucheb@g."

[Siebenstein]

04:18 AM on 07/06/2010

agreed:-)

[chiodo08]

01:28 PM on 07/06/2010

...or his oily hair...seriously...

[EvitaLuisa]

09:03 PM on 07/06/2010

Dude has got some seriously GORGEOUS hair, a bit 'oily'? you say? Yes, very likely. But dam nnn, really really nice mane. You could prolly pull the empire state building from one location in NY to another by means of that "rope" of locks. Wow! Niiiiccceee.

[kiwiboy]

01:54 AM on 07/05/2010

Have to say, this is probably the most classy german side in a long time. They have always been great and hard to beat, but now they've combined that technical precision with some truly beautiful football. Congrats Germany!

[widugallus]

06:40 AM on 07/05/2010

Yes, not even the world champions of 1990 played that well. This may be the best mannschaft germany ever had, maybe with the exception of the team of '72 with Netzer and Beckenbauer (shame they never got along with each other).

[Nec V20]

09:50 AM on 07/05/2010

Arguably the best performance was in the 1996 European Championships where Germany played in the final with half of it's team on the injured list.

Thomas Helmer was so badly injured that his medical insurance threatened to cancel his policy if he went on the pitch - but go on the pitch he did and played the entire game.

Germany won that tournament and although the football wasn't sparkling, the sheer guts and determination that the German squad showed was the stuff of legends.

[liblizard]

01:11 PM on 07/05/2010

During this year's Cup I have not seen a team play with the confident precision and skill as this German team. A joy to watch!!

[EvitaLuisa]

11:33 PM on 07/06/2010

fanned and faved and faved and fanned. Indeed indeed -- beyond a joy, beyond a thrill to watch. Just thinking of putting into words how they play... well, to put it one way, it surely has stretched my vocabulary and imagination. :)))

[Tony Owusu]

03:29 PM on 07/04/2010

When is Paul the Octopus going to make his pick.I'm on pins and needles!!

[EvitaLuisa]

04:31 PM on 07/04/2010

ALL of us, I assure you, are waiting on pins & needles with you, TonyOwusu! I've much to do but keep checking in as often as possible today just to see if our Adorable Muschellover and Marvellous Mollusk Paul is gonna make a pick (THE pick!)!

Have his 'owners' bzw. 'handlers' reported out on this??? the WORLD is waiting!!!!

HAPPY FOURTH TO ALL!!! ENJOY!! Get caught up on all news GERMAN&SOCCER! Hold & press those thumbs and/or cross your fingers. 2010 has got to be THE YEAR!!!

GOOOOOOoooGOOOOOOOO DEUTSCHLAND!

[Tony Owusu]

05:26 PM on 07/04/2010

I can't wait until tuesday EvitaLuisa. I really like the Barca players on Spain but i've become such a fan of Uzil,Mueller(stupid ref and his dumb card) and most of the German players. I don't know who you support but i've always watched the Bundesliga and supported Bayern Munich when I watch German football. Samuel Kuffor from Ghana use to play for them as you might know. Alot of people don't like the Germans but i've always liked their players. Andy Moehler,Pierre Litbarski,Rudy Voeller,Ruminegge of course. Euro 96. Germany vs England..Classic!!

[tcnsrq]

03:22 PM on 07/04/2010

Vamos Deutchland!!

[Stefan Sirucek]

05:30 PM on 07/06/2010

haha and in the language of the enemy yeah!

[PaticaDeGato]

02:50 PM on 07/04/2010

No more Mr. Maradona, thankfully.

I mean, 4-0? Come on!

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

06:11 PM on 07/04/2010

I am Pro Germany, but I will miss Diego. That's fur sure.

[Hareega]

11:44 AM on 07/04/2010

I have been an Argentina fan since 1986, when I was 6. For 24 years I've been waiting for them to win it again, they've had a bunch of amazing players, Batistuta, Cannigia, Redondo, Zanetti, Ortega, Sorin, Ayala... but they never seemed to find the right plan to win something, This time I thought they'll do it, but I was wrong, it was one of the most depressing days of my life.

[a4plus]

01:41 PM on 07/04/2010

I hated the Argentina team since 1978, but which Dutch fan doesn't

[Hareega]

10:51 PM on 07/04/2010

Dutch fans hate everybody and I'm afraid they started hating themselves too

[MonkeeCharms19]

10:56 PM on 07/04/2010

It'll come, Hareega...and soon! Argentina deserves it! We give the world some of the greatest players, we just need to find the correct formula to use them all together.

Yesterday was depressing for me, too - of course I wanted Argentina to win it all! But I was comforted in thinking about just how far our team had come in the last year. From almost not qualifying to winning over the hearts of millions watching the World Cup...it made me proud to be Argentina and to know that my guys gave everything they had...and they did it with class.

Vamos ARGENTINA carajo!!! :)

[Droekie]

10:29 AM on 07/04/2010

Congrats Germany beautifull game.

For all predicting a Germany-Holland match, Nice prediction but being honest, The Dutch have a tendency of losing momentum when coming closer to their final game. They need to keep focused would they have any chance of making the finals.

(realistic)Dutchman fan

[a4plus]

01:39 PM on 07/04/2010

correct, but this year seems different, also the complete German team is different, the always wins in the last second. Maybe both teams learned from their mistakes and we have a great final

[CologneCitizen]

02:08 PM on 07/04/2010

Hi from Keulen,

I guess the final will be Holland-Germany and it will be open. In the past it is true with Holland losing their momentum. This year it seems different though. I haven't heard one bad word (reported in the German media) about the situation within the Dutch team, and you know they used to have a tendency to go at each others throat in tournaments. Let's see what happens. Of course I would like us to win, but if it comes to the final and you have the better end, so be it. We have won it three times and I would have no problem losing to my good neighbors.

[a4plus]

04:04 PM on 07/04/2010

Thanks, Hans from Texas, born in Arnhem, so almost neighbours. I hope the final will bring a great game and a great world champion who deserver to win.

[avatar singh]

09:54 PM on 07/04/2010

wish you best my german freind. well done so far and you desreve to win the title but everything doe snto come to the desreving-therefore paray for good luck too.
i will want germany to win.

[Gemma08]

08:57 AM on 07/04/2010

A dream final for Saffies would be Germany vs HOlland. We are originally a Dutch colony. So there is a sense of history. We support Holland because so many of our heritage is Dutch. Afrikaans is a language derived from Dutch.
And there is a HUGE German expat community in South Africa. Again, especially in Cape Town. I myself would be hard pressed to choose a team in a Holland vs Germany final. Altho I would probably go with the Krauts because my Great Grandmother was a German immigrant :)

[netzwerg]

09:31 AM on 07/04/2010

I was praying to G4nesh, Sh1va, J€sus, AIIah, Buddha, S@tan and L. Ron Hubbart before the World Cup started that the final match will be Germany vs. Netherlands.

[EvitaLuisa]

09:40 AM on 07/04/2010

Wise choice, wise choice! Indeed, GO with the Germans! They got it going on.

[A dean89]

08:15 AM on 07/04/2010

I do admit Germany were the better team last night but after mulling things over, They got lucky due to the officials.Against England, the 2nd goal should be in,i'm sure if it's in,The English will beat you,They suffer from disbelief.Not an England fan though.Last night was even worse, the offside goal was actually not offside,of course the Argentine players would be frustuated with that decision.Albeit all that,Germany may have a strong defense compared to those two.

[Nec V20]

08:35 AM on 07/04/2010

Do you know what the definition of the offside rule is?

Four Argentinian players were offside when the pass was played.

[A dean89]

08:43 AM on 07/04/2010

Like Germany doesn't commited with 5/6 players offside when the pass was played.Then again, it's your opinion ,i don't care.Germany won.

[widugallus]

08:42 AM on 07/04/2010

Not offside? There were four men in offside position at once.

[Nec V20]

08:08 AM on 07/04/2010

First off, there wasn't "an exchange of punches" in 2006, the Argentinians had a go at the German players and they defended themselves.

Yesterdays match was less of a battle and, with the kit that Germany was wearing, more like the Waffen-SS marching into the Sudetenland.

I hate to say "I told you so" but I did. The so-called pundits at the beginning of the world cup failed to recognise the fact that apart from 1958 - in Sweden - Brazil has never done well in colder climes. I predicted in a comment after Germany's first game that Brazil would not do well in this tournament,

I also said that the beginning odds of 14-1 were a joke with regard to Germany. Anyone who has even the remotest clue about the World Cup knows that, no matter how badly Germany plays in other games, when it comes to a tournament they are a major force to be reckoned with.

PZ Myers of Pharyngula fame will be ecstatic that an octopus named Paul in Germany has been a better predictor of Germany's chances than nearly all of the professional commentators.

On the other hand I am not surprised that a cephalopod has more brain-cells than the "common wisdom" displayed at the run-up and beginning of the tournament with regard to the German team.

[Gemma08]

08:49 AM on 07/04/2010

Its been an UNUSUALLY cold winter this year. Cape Town normally has wet winters but the temperatures remain mild compared to Northern Hemisphere temps. But this is the coldest winter I can remember. Not so much rain tho. So you have a point there. Would explain why so many S American teams have failed to dazzle.
But the Germans are SUPERB. Real class.

[Nec V20]

09:09 AM on 07/04/2010

The South American teams generally don't look so good when their opponents are not half-dead from heat-stroke. :)

[EvitaLuisa]

10:19 AM on 07/04/2010

great contextualization, though I take exception to that remark about the German kit and the Waffen-SS -- now that is a bowlful of Kahrazeeee! Seriously dude, how did you come up with that?

The odds that the Oddsmeisters gave Germany were a bit of a joke all around; the HuffPo page dedicted to "Who do you think will win the World Cup?" (something like that) had Germany at 15/2. Same as The Netherlands, and others the site rated more highly, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, well, at least two of them are home!!

[Nec V20]

01:01 PM on 07/04/2010

Waffen SS = dressed in black

Sudetenland = hapless and undefended.

The best comment I have read so far comes from the Süddeutsche Zeitung: "Diego Maradona sah aus wie ein alternder Pistolero in einem Sergio-Leone-Western, der schwer getroffen seine letzten Worte klagt."

Other Germans I have spoken to can see the humour in the comparison.

BTW I am German myself.