World Cup 2010: The best images of Germany v England

So, who's ready to watch England get beaten by the Germans on penalties? This guy looks up for it. Okay, perhaps pessimism is not the best mood in which to enter a knock-out clash with our old foes, but it's hard not to feel a sense of trepidation as kick-off draws near. A quick look at the statistics shows England have triumphed in just five of their past 19 matches with the Germans since Bobby Moore clasped the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966. Time to make amends ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Preparation is critical for a game of such consequence. This guy is taking face painting to new extremes. Still plenty of work to be done, though Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The venue for today's match - the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein - looks particularly picturesque as fans gather by the waterfront Photograph: Tom Jenkins Time to grab a beer and settle in for a tense afternoon. Something British, perhaps. Maybe a Bombardier? Not like this lady who's gleefully necking Heineken Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk A bit of flag action here. Good to see we've won that battle, at least Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Inside the ground, throngs of English men and women are making themselves known Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The pesky Germans are out in force too Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk This is either a case of unfortunate picture cropping, or the guys who brought the banner on the left are in some kind of cake army Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The players are out for the warm-up. Some star-jump fun to begin with Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Time for the national anthems ... come on Fabio, sing up Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Mick Jagger tries to fathom modern technology. Point and shoot, Mick, point and shoot Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The match gets under way and it's a frenetic affair. Here, Glen Johnson fells Lukas Podolski Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Wayne Rooney has a pop from distance, but to no avail. He's being partnered up front today by Jermain Defoe - Capello having opted for the same starting 11 that beat Slovenia in the group stage Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Frank Lampard charges forward, leaving Thomas Müller behind Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Jermain Defoe is challenged by Sami Khedira Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Disaster! Germany score in the 20th minute ... Miroslav Klose races onto a punted goal-kick and capitalises on Matthew Upson's failure to clear the danger. David James is stranded in no-man's land as Klose applies the finishing touch Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk It's a shocking start for England. And it gets worse 12 minutes later when Lukas Podolski makes it 2-0 from an acute angle after more woeful English defending Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The replay on the big screen shows James was nutmegged at his near post Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk But Upson then pulls one back with a towering header in the 37th minute as the German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer flaps at Steven Gerrard's cross. It's 2-1! Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk It should be 2-2 moments later but the referee and linesman conspire to rob Frank Lampard of a definite goal. Shades of 1966 as the ball hits the crossbar and bounces down ... only this time the ball is a good foot over the line, but the goal isn't given! Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk They can plead all they like, but it won't make a jot of difference. The question now is, will the referee's mistake precipitate an English collapse? Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The answer is yes. England are thrashed in the second half as two nimble counter-attacks, both finished by Thomas Müller, lead to an ignominious defeat. Here, Müller celebrates the first of his brace Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk What a mess. There are only 20 minutes remaining and it's 4-1 to Germany Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Rooney's face is a picture Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk ... and Jermain Defoe knows the game is up Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk England have been pulled apart today by an effervescent display from Germany. So much for the prospect of penalties Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Fabio Capello, what on earth has gone wrong? This is England's heaviest ever World Cup defeat. And to think, even Sven managed to get us to the quarter-finals Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Rooney looks utterly despondent after the final whistle. He's failed to score at the World Cup, as in 2006 Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Another familiar sight at the end of an international tournament - bemused English fans who can barely believe they're going home Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Cheerio England, and maybe cheerio Fabio too...? Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk