Bastian Schweinsteiger insists Spain are the favourites for Wednesday's World Cup semi-final encounter in Durban, despite Germany being the most impressive team in South Africa so far.
Apart from a group stage blip against Serbia, Joachim Low's team have steamrollered almost every team that has crossed their path, but the Spaniards have been far more subdued, battling their way through almost every round.
But Schweinsteiger insists Spain are still "the better team on paper" and said: "On paper Spain are still the better team but I think we have shown in our last two games that we can beat teams that appear the better ones on paper."
Years | Winners | Runner-up | Third place |
2006 | Italy | France | Germany |
2002 | Brazil | Germany | Turkey |
1998 | France | Brazil | Croatia |
1994 | Brazil | Italy | Sweden |
1990 | Germany | Argentina | Italy |
1986 | Argentina | Germany | France |
1982 | Italy | Germany | Poland |
1978 | Argentina | Holland | Brazil |
1974 | Germany | Holland | Poland |
1970 | Brazil | Italy | Germany |
1966 | England | Germany | Portugal |
1962 | Brazil | Czech | Chile |
1958 | Brazil | Sweden | France |
1954 | Germany | Hungary | Austria |
1950 | Uruguay | Brazil | Sweden |
1938 | Italy | Hungary | Brazil |
1934 | Italy | Czech | Germany |
1930 | Uruguay | Argentina | America |