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

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

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

A bit of flag action here. Good to see we've won that battle, at least
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Inside the ground, throngs of English men and women are making themselves known
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

The pesky Germans are out in force too
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

The players are out for the warm-up. Some star-jump fun to begin with
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Time for the national anthems ... come on Fabio, sing up
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Mick Jagger tries to fathom modern technology. Point and shoot, Mick, point and shoot
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

The match gets under way and it's a frenetic affair. Here, Glen Johnson fells Lukas Podolski
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

Frank Lampard charges forward, leaving Thomas Müller behind
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Jermain Defoe is challenged by Sami Khedira
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

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

The replay on the big screen shows James was nutmegged at his near post
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

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

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

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

What a mess. There are only 20 minutes remaining and it's 4-1 to Germany
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Rooney's face is a picture
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

... and Jermain Defoe knows the game is up
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

England have been pulled apart today by an effervescent display from Germany. So much for the prospect of penalties
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

Rooney looks utterly despondent after the final whistle. He's failed to score at the World Cup, as in 2006
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Another familiar sight at the end of an international tournament - bemused English fans who can barely believe they're going home
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Cheerio England, and maybe cheerio Fabio too...?
Photograph: Tom Jenkins