Arsenal star Mesut Ozil is busy trying to recover from a knee injury before Germany kick off their World Cup campaign against Mexico on Sunday.
Ozil missed the friendly against Saudi Arabia last Friday as a result but has returned to training and faces a race against time to regain full match fitness before the opening game.
The playmaker of Turkish origin helped guide Die Mannschaft to lift the World Cup in Brazil four years ago and wants to repeat the achievement this time around.
The 29-year-old had a message for England fans as well, he hopes the Three Lions make the final in Moscow on July 15 but only so that Germany can beat them.
Ozil was quoted in the Daily Star as saying: “We are the current world champions. We have to try to repeat that — to get to the final and to fight for everything.
“That’s what German fans demand of us. But, personally, my dream is to play England in the final — and beat them without even the need for extra time.
He added: “The way I see it, England are there.”
Ozil is quite confident of England’s chances in the tournament but feels that Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Portugal are also sides to keep a close eye on.
He also tipped Belgium as being capable of pulling off a surprise and going all the way.
“They reached this World Cup with fewer problems to qualify than most other teams and that has given them time to prepare. They are going to be in the final stages of this World Cup, that’s what I expect,” he said.
“They are one of the teams that can make it hard for us. We are the current world champions and repeating the world title would be a great milestone for Germany.
“I see a lot of teams who will believe they can win. Brazil and Argentina, for a start, but I don’t rule out teams like England, Spain or Portugal.
“Everyone is training and preparing to go right to the end and there is always a team who spring a surprise and go further than you think. Perhaps this time it will be Belgium.”
Ozil is one of two players of Turkish origin in 23-man squad along with Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
Both players have come under fire from sections of German media and fanbase.
Gundogan was booed by his own fans against Saudi Arabia.
The duo gave shirts of their respective sides to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a recent even held in London.
Gundogan signed the shirt as ‘my president’ which did not go down well in Germany – although he is also an eligible Turkish citizen.
