Werder Bremen's Niclas Fuellkrug made his Germany debut at the age of 29 this week, scoring the winner in their warmup match against Oman on Wednesday after coming on as a substitute.
Substitutes have been lighting up the scoreboards at the World Cup with dazzling performances that have sparked their teams back to life and secured wins or draws that have made their coaches look like geniuses.
Rediff.com presents the best goal celebrations at the football World Cup.
Veteran Germany striker Miroslav Klose arrived in Brazil with the most World Cup goals record in his sights but any hopes he had of a helping hand from coach Joachim Loew to break it were dashed on Sunday.
Juventus clinched their second successive Serie A title with three games to spare by beating Palermo 1-0 on Sunday while Miroslav Klose hit five goals in Lazio's 6-0 demolition of hapless Bologna.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos took the brave call to bench Cristiano Ronaldo and was rewarded with an artful display from his side as they set up a last-eight clash with Morocco
Germany survived a brief second-half scare before roaring back to crush Greece 4-2 in an almost entirely one-sided Euro 2012 quarter-final on Friday.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose scored his 15th World Cup goal but Germany were held to a thrilling 2-2 draw by Ghana in the Group G World Cup match in Fortaleza, on Saturday.
Whether it was Gerd Mueller, Rudi Voeller or Miroslav Klose, Germany have never had a shortage of gifted strikers but when they take on Kazakhstan in their World Cup qualifier on Friday there could be none in their lineup.
Inspiration for the World Cup semi-finalists has come from the unfashionable, the forgotten, the overshadowed and the discarded -- a ragtag quartet putting the pre-tournament poster boys in their place.
Germany will not be seeking revenge for a bitter 2006 World Cup semi-final defeat on home soil when they meet Italy again at the same stage of Euro 2012 in Warsaw on Thursday, coach Joachim Loew said.
Germany crushed Greece 4-2 to reach the Euro 2012 semi-finals on Friday, surviving a scare against the surprise quarter-finalists before putting them to the sword with second-half goals from Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus.
Germany coach Joachim Loew could spring a few surprises in their second Euro 2012 Group B game against Netherlands on Wednesday after his two last-minute changes paid off in the win over Portugal, he said on Monday.
The World Cup's original hip-shaking goal-celebrant Roger Milla believes only South Africa have come anywhere near to emulating him this time.
Lazio secured a controversial 2-1 derby win over bitter-rivals AS Roma who had goalkeeper Marten Stekelenburg sent off after eight minutes in Serie A on Sunday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic curled home a stunning freekick and then turned provider as AC Milan moved to within one point of Juventus at the top of Serie A with a 3-0 home win over Cagliari on Sunday.
Title holders Bayern Munich eased into the second round of the German Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win over amateurs Germania Windeck on Monday, with striker Miroslav Klose scoring once and setting up another goal.
Pragmatic Germany had to revert to old-school tactics to see off an outstanding Ghana team 1-0 on Wednesday and reach the second round of the World Cup.
Bayern Munich eased into the German Cup third round on Tuesday by crushing second division Oberhausen 5-0.
David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with five goals each, head the list of the goal scorers at the 2010 World Cup.
David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with five goals each, head the list of the goal scorers at the 2010 World Cup.
David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with five goals each, head the list of the goal scorers at the 2010 World Cup.
Germany thrashed Argentina 4-0 with a sparkling display of attacking football on Saturday to book their spot in the World Cup last four.
Germany crushed Argentina 4-0 with a sparkling display of attacking football on Saturday to book their spot in the World Cup last four.
Serbia pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory on Friday over strongly favoured Germany, who played most of the match with 10 men after striker Miroslav Klose was sent off in the World Cup Group D match.
Germany began their quest for a fourth World Cup in devastating style Sunday with a thumping 4-0 victory over Australia in their opening Group D match.
Germany opened their quest for a fourth World Cup with a thumping 4-0 victory over Australia in their opening Group D match on Sunday. Forwards Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose gave their side a 2-0 halftime lead to vindicate coach Joachim Loew's faith in them despite a recent lack of goals, with winger Thomas Mueller and substitute Cacau finding the net after the break.
The cream began to rise to the top of the Euro 2012 qualifying groups with world and European champions Spain, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal all winning their matches in style on Friday.
Bayern Munich crushed hosts Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 with a superb display of attacking football on Wednesday to advance to the German Cup quarter-finals.
German coach Joachim Loew deprived striker Miroslav Klose the chance of setting a World Cup scoring record but said he had no option but to leave the flu-stricken player out of the third-place playoff.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose is one goal shy of equalling Ronaldo's World Cup record of 15 but the 32-year-old striker has his eyes set on a bigger trophy -- the World Cup itself.
Just a couple of weeks ago Germany's Miroslav Klose was persona non grata among German fans following his trickle of league goals but the striker has silenced his critics with a sparkling comeback.
Serbia stunned Germany with a 1-0 win after Miroslav Klose was sent off and Lukas Podolski missed a penalty in World Cup Group D on Friday.
Germany will travel to the World Cup with all six strikers from their preliminary World Cup squad to keep their offensive options open, coach Joachim Loew said on Monday.
Bayern Munich went on a 70 million euro spending spree after their humiliating fourth-placed finish in the Bundesliga last season and are eager to avenge their failure to win silverware by grabbing all four titles this time.
Eintracht Frankfurt stunned Bayern Munich with two late goals to beat the Bundesliga leaders 2-1 on Saturday and leave the top spot up for grabs.
Substitute Miroslav Klose headed an 89th minute goal to give Bayern Munich a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in their Champions League last 16 first leg tie on Wednesday, their 13th straight victory in all competitions.
Striker Miroslav Klose struck twice in the final minutes to hand Bayern Munich a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Sweden's Helsingborg and Greek side Panathinaikos became the first clubs to reach the knockout phase of the UEFA Cup on Thursday while former European champions Bayern Munich missed their chance to reach the last 32, a 1-1 draw in Portugal against Braga ensuring the Bundesliga leaders still have work to do to qualify from the group stage.
Olympique Lyon winger Sidney Govou hit a double as France stunned arch-rivals Italy 3-1 in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Paris.
