This article concerns the Germany national football team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
Germany had to play against England, Finland, Albania and Greece, managed by fellow German Otto Rehhagel.
If Germany had won, then they would have finished first and with that qualified automatically to the World Cup finals.
The result of a England loss to Germany there followed by the latter being inundated by criticism, and they would not automatically qualify for a berth at the upcoming World Cup.
The three-time world champions saw them meet Ireland, Cameroon and Saudi Arabia in the group stage.
At half-time in the game against Cameroon, the score was 0-0, but Germany had Carsten Ramelow sent off for a second yellow card offence.
Cameroon, trained by fellow German Winfried Schäfer, also had a man sent off midway through the second half.