OH dear, it appears we’d all forgotten about the Germans.

With all the hype surrounding England – and pundits pointing to Brazil and Spain – Germany have once again crept under the radar.

Distinctly average in the lead-up to major tournaments, they come alive when it really matters.

Last night served as proof of this. Their thorough dismantling of Australia was not just a result of the usual German efficiency we are used to seeing as they sweep seamlessly through World Cups.

On this occasion, they had more than a little style to go with the substance. In Klose and Podolski, they have strikers who rise to the occasion.

They got a little help from the referee, but Joachim Loew’s team were ruthless and produced the best attacking play we have seen so far in South Africa.

Among my friends on Facebook, there was plenty of respect for the German performance, some of it even bordering on generous praise.

Perhaps it was not just the quality of their play that my pals and I appreciated. Maybe we just enjoyed a team meeting – and even bettering – expectations.

As England fans, that is not something we have the pleasure of witnessing on the biggest stage.

While Three Lions players continually get mentioned in the same breath as the footballing greats, they leave us disappointed nine times out of 10.

Take a leaf out of Germany’s book and just get the job done – and make it aesthetically pleasing in the process.