Tens of thousands of jubilant Germany fans massed at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Tuesday awaiting the arrival of the World Cup winners with a giant heroes' welcome.
A flight bringing the triumphant players to the German capital took off with a delay from Rio de Janeiro and was due to land at around 0830 GMT, an airport spokesman said.
Crowds began massing in central Berlin before dawn and thousands more supporters gathered on a viewing platform under warm summer sunshine at Tegel airport to meet the plane, a Lufthansa jet rebranded "Fanhansa" for the team.
"This is a historic event," said 34-year-old bus driver Bernd Hesse, who managed to follow all the matches in Brazil on the radio when he was behind the wheel.
He noted that Germany fans had waited 24 years to bask in the glory of a World Cup victory, the first since the reunification of the country.
"It's not every day that you get to see something like this," he said.
Lydia Lampa, a 28-year-old advertising executive, stopped by the airport with a friend on her way to work.
Wearing a Germany jersey adorned with the coveted fourth star for the latest World Cup win and a Hawaiian-style garland of plastic flowers in the national colours black, red and gold, she said she had watched every World Cup match featuring the Mannschaft.
"This is my way of saying thank you," she said.
"All the games were exciting and I wanted to see the players at least once live. I had a good feeling from the start of the tournament and I though, 'OK, this time we're going to win'."
A bus will ferry the Mannschaft to central Berlin.
After meeting Mayor Klaus Wowereit, they will mount a giant stage at the Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of German unity since the country ended its Cold War division in 1990.
That was the last year a German team won the tournament and Sunday's nail-biter 1-0 win over Argentina marked the first time that a side representing both the west and the former communist east brought home the trophy.
More than 250,000 fans had rallied behind the German side on the so-called Fan Mile behind the Gate late Sunday and a similar turnout was expected Tuesday to watch the players and trainer Joachim Loew hoist the trophy.
AFP
Tue Jul 15 2014
Germany
Penganjuran Hari Perpaduan di sekolah bantu tingkat persefahaman antara kaum - Saraswathy
Penganjuran Hari Perpaduan di sekolah menjadi platform terbaik untuk meningkatkan semangat perpaduan dalam kalangan pelajar sekolah, kata Timbalan Menteri Perpaduan Negara K. Saraswathy.
MITI: RM58.91 juta diagihkan kepada PKS pada suku pertama bagi automasi dan pemodenan
Jumlah peruntukan bagi pinjaman mudah itu ialah RM150 juta untuk 30 syarikat dalam sektor pembuatan dan perkhidmatan berkaitan pembuatan.
2,214 stesen pengecas EV dipasang, MITI kekal sasaran 10,000 menjelang 2025
Ia sebahagian komitmen MITI untuk membangunkan infrastruktur pengecasan EV dan mencapai sasaran 10,000 titik pengecasan menjelang 2025.
Harimau Muda kurang 'kerja rumah' hadapi Piala Asia B-23 2024 - Penganalisis
Menerusi pemerhatian di laman media sosial, timbul cakap-cakap netizen yang lebih terarah kepada perjalanan kesemua pemain negara kendalian Juan Torres Garrido ke Qatar sekadar 'makan angin'.
UMNO aktifkan 'war room' bantu calon Kerajaan Perpaduan - Ahmad
Ahmad berkata UMNO juga akan melaksanakan kempen bagi membantu calon berkenaan dengan bersungguh-sungguh.
Pelepasan air terawat Fukushima digantung kerana terputus elektrik
Pelepasan air radioaktif terawat ke laut dari loji janakuasa nuklear Fukushima yang lumpuh digantung pada Rabu berikutan gangguan bekalan elektrik separa, kata pengendali loji itu.
Prabowo rasmi diisytihar Presiden Indonesia
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Umum (KPU) secara rasmi akan mengisytiharkan Prabowo Subianto sebagai Presiden Indonesia dipilih, dalam satu majlis pada Rabu, seperti yang dijadualkan.
Jerman-UNRWA mungkin bekerjasama semula
Kerajaan Jerman merancang untuk menjalinkan kerjasama dengan agensi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu bagi pelarian Palestin (UNRWA). Ia susulan daripada kontroversi yang mendakwa anggota petugas UNRWA terlibat dalam serangan di Gaza yang berlaku pada 7 Oktober tahun lalu.
Ini panggilan daripada Allah SWT - Dr Sharifah Mazlina
Ketua Misi Ekspedisi Wanita Berkumpulan ke Antartika, Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir yang merupakan salah seorang peserta dari Malaysia bagi misi Break The Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla menyifatkan penglibatannya dalam misi berkenaan sebagai satu panggilan yang ditentukan Allah.
Tujuh ditahan polis dalam serbuan 'keganasan' Australia
Polis Australia menahan tujuh individu yang menimbulkan risiko dan ancaman kepada orang ramai selepas melakukan serbuan antikeganasan membabitkan lebih 400 pegawainya, pada Rabu.