The third place game clearly meant more to the Germans than the negative Portuguese, who despite flashes of Cristiano Ronaldo and 10 dazzling minutes from Luis Figo, never looked that interested. In many ways, it was a standard third place game, delivering 4 goals (the World Cup average), an openness of play (by the Germans at least) and a fantastic atmosphere (again, thanks to the Germans). In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to argue that the Germans were anything but the consummate hosts. It’s a German side that played with a jubilance seldom seen in German teams of the past, scoring a tournament high 14 goals and winning them many friends. Their countrymen absolutely fell in love with them, growing a respectable nationalism not seen in Germany for several decades. In particular, it’s been a very good tournament for Germany’s young prodigies Lukas Podolski, recently named the tournament’s best player under 21, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, the feisty Bayern Munich midfielder, who netted two top-drawer, long-range strikes against Portugal yesterday. Schweinsteiger’s goals were near mirror-images of each other, struck from about 25 yards out, flying past Ricardo to either side of the net. Like a proud father, Jurgen Klinsmann said afterwards, “These are special moments. We told the players to soak them up.”