Pele, Maradona Praise Tactician Joachim Loew
Joachim Loew's Germany got their Group G campaign off to a spectacular start on Monday with a 4-0 hammering of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in Salvador as Thomas Mueller claimed a hat-trick.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: June 21, 2014 02:32 PM IST
Legends Pele and Maradona have poured praise on Germany coach Joachim Loew as his side bid to back up their Portugal drubbing by beating Ghana in Saturday's World Cup clash.
Loew's Germany got their Group G campaign off to a spectacular start on Monday with a 4-0 hammering of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in Salvador as Thomas Mueller claimed a hat-trick.
A win over Ghana in Fortaleza on Saturday would put the Germans on the verge of the last 16 and their strong start attracted the attention of Brazil's Pele and Argentina's Maradona.
"Loew's doing a great job, he's a great tactician," said the 73-year-old Pele, who won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 with the Selecao.
And earlier this week Maradona, who led Argentina to 1986 World Cup victory, was equally enthusiastic about Loew's handiwork.
"We saw a devastating Germany, a Germany who roamed around with perfection," the 1986 World Cup-winner said in the wake of Germany's win over Portugal.
Even ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack, who had a public falling out with Loew in 2008, praised his former national team coach.
"You could see Joachim Loew's handiwork, he changed the tactics," ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich midfielder Ballack told German daily Express.
Ballack said the Germans' strategy of compact defence and quick counter-attacking will pay off in the warm and humid conditions of Brazil.
The 37-year-old said Loew is wise to have "abandoned the idea of a purely attractive, attacking game" in order to be successful.