Philipp Lahm is Germany’s Mr. Reliable, with his combination of experience, versatility and unyielding will to win making him an irreplaceable figure in the national side. The Germany captain led Bayern Munich to a long-awaited UEFA Champions League triumph last season, as well as FIFA Club World Cup glory, and having already amassed over 100 international caps he is currently at the peak of his powers.
After finishing in third place at the two most recent FIFA World Cups™, Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, the 30-year-old is determined to finally lift the world’s most coveted Trophy at Brazil 2014.
Lahm has long been considered one of the finest players in world football thanks to his unruffled composure in possession and skill at reading the game. Those qualities, combined with his outstanding technique, tireless energy and tackling ability have also made him one of the most dangerous full-backs around.
Having started out as a left-back, Lahm opted to switch flanks before Pep Guardiola converted him into a defensive midfielder, a change Joachim Low has also frequently adopted in the national side.
Aside from a two-year stint with Stuttgart at the beginning of his professional career, the Munich native has played for Bayern since he was 11 and has been a pillar of the Germany team since 2004. In the opening game at Germany 2006, Lahm became a firm fan favourite by breaking the deadlock against Costa Rica in Munich with a stunning strike into the top corner from the edge of area.
Four years later he was named as Michael Ballack’s successor as captain. It remains to be seen what kind of impact Lahm and the Germany side will have in Brazil, but their objective is to be in the Final at the Maracana: “I hope I’ll be playing football on 13 July,” Lahm told FIFA.com in an exclusive interview a few months ago.