Germany's World Cup Winners Arrive Home
Jubilant crowds have welcomed Germany's World Cup heroes home after Sunday's 1-0 win over Argentina.
Germany's goalkeeper on the flight deck. @Manuel_Neuer
The flight from Rio de Janeiro landed shortly after 8am with Golden Glove winner Manuel Neuer tweeting a picture of himself on the flight deck, clutching the trophy.
Thousands of supporters gathered at Tegel airport to meet the plane, a Lufthansa jet rebranded "Fanhansa".
Some fans had waited hours at Tegel airport for the plane to land
He pointed out that fans had waited 24 years to bask in the glory of a World Cup victory, the first since reunification.
Germany's captain Philipp Lahm leads the players off the plane
The team's celebrations will include an open-top bus parade towards Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of German unity since the country ended its Cold War division in 1990 - the last year a German team won the tournament.
Sunday's nail-biter extra-time win over Argentina marked the first time a side representing both the west and the former communist east brought home the trophy.
Fans will be able to watch the team on an open-top bus parade
Fans waved flags, with many wearing jumpers marked Mueller, Schweinsteiger, Podolski, Goetze and Lahm after the star players.
One fan, Ulrich Felgentreff, revealed he was born in 1954, the first year West Germany won the World Cup.
"Everyone has an immense feeling of pride," he said, "And that pride grows title by title."
Thousands of fans have gathered near the Brandenburg Gate
Fellow fan, Sven Engel, 18, who was not even born the last time Germany won, was equally jubilant.
"Germany deserves this title, they were must stronger than the other teams," he said.
"But the Brazil match was still the best," he said, referring to the astonishing 7-1 thrashing of the hosts during the semi-final.
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