World Cup

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Attendance: 74,240

World Cup | Quarter-Finals

Jul 4, 2014 at 5pm UK

France
0-1
Germany

FT(HT: 0-1)

Hummels (13')

Lothar Matthaus: 'No problem with winning ugly'

By Simon Sinclair, Reporter

Published: July 6 2014 | 02:15

Last updated: July 6 2014 | 11:28

Germany legend Lothar Matthaus feels that there is no problem winning games ugly at the World Cup if it helps his countrymen claim their fourth tournament win.

Germany legend Lothar Matthaus believes that there is no problem in winning games ugly if it helps his country lift the World Cup.

Joachim Low's side haven't been at their most fluent in the competition since the first game of the tournament when they hammered Portugal 4-0 in Salvador.

Die Mannschaft reached the semi-finals of the World Cup with a solid defensive display in their 1-0 victory over France, and Matthaus has insisted that there is no problem with that formula as long as it gets the right result.

Matthaus told FIFA.com: "If you want to become world champion you have to win matches, and that means ugly victories too. In previous World Cups we have always had those kind of games.

"We have become spoiled over the last eight years with such a technically stylish team and you did not expect this from Germany.

"Now it is no longer as attractive and beautiful as it was in 2010 but it is more oriented towards having a stronger defence - there is a saying in Germany that the defence wins titles and the attackers get all the glory."

Germany face Brazil in their semi-final clash in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.