Germany squad presented with Silver Laurel Leaf after World Cup triumph

Rooney wonder goal and Herrera double move Manchester United above rivals City and into third... so, is top-four race now all over?
Liverpool's miserable week gets a whole lot worse as four sublime strikes give Arsenal crucial win in race for Champions League
LIVE: Chelsea 1-1 Stoke - Adam scores screamer from inside his own half to draw visitors level after Hazard penalty
LIVE: Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayern Munich - Lethal Lewandowski scores against old club to give Pep's side lead
Trott could be ready to face the international 'pressure cooker' for England again, claims captain Cook
Everton 1-0 Southampton: Jagielka dents Saints' European hopes as Howard stars in Goodison Park win
STERLING WATCH: Contract rebel struggles to enforce his negotiating stance as sorry Liverpool are thrashed
Leicester 2-1 West Ham: King proves the hero as relegation threatened Foxes leave it late to earn three points
MARTIN SAMUEL: Sterling's contract situation at Liverpool sums up attitude of stubborn English stars
Zamora scores contender for goal of the season as QPR first-half blitz stuns Baggies
Swansea 3-1 Hull: Gomis scores spectacular overhead kick as Meyler sees red for struggling Tigers
PLAYER RATINGS: Herrera continues his fine run of form at Old Trafford
Wenger refusing to get carried away as Arsenal move up to second and just four points off league leaders Chelsea
Leeds considering takeover bid from Red Bull, claims owner Cellino
$25 Oct 1997: Marco Negri of Rangers in action during a Scottish Premier League match against Dundee United at Tannadice Park in Dundee, Scotland. Dundee United won the match 2-1. \\ Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill/Allsport$ HIV scare forced me to quit Rangers, reveals former Ibrox striker Negri
Liverpool deserve credit for ambitious wage structure... and Sterling should realise £100,000 a week is generous
Sterling holds the power but he isn't going to Real Madrid yet... he needs to get on with playing, says Redknapp
Enough is enough: Arsenal and Liverpool fans miss first 10 minutes at the Emirates in protest against Premier League ticket prices
Sneijder apologises after launching knife range on 15th anniversary of Leeds fans being stabbed to death in Istanbul
Hartson says he 'was a drinker, a sh***er and a gambler' before cancer battle made him change his ways
Let Raheem go! Mischievous Jose stirs up Sterling contract row after Liverpool star rejects bumper new deal
Wenger delighted Sanchez chose Arsenal over Liverpool last summer
Chelsea considering 12,000-mile round trip to Japan for pre-season tour
Carver won't makes the same mistake as Gullit in crunch Tyne-Wear derby

Germany beat Argentina 1-0 aet to win their fourth World Cup this summer
Squad was presented the Silver Laurel Leaf for their efforts in Brazil
President Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel handed out the awards at the head of state's Bellevue Palace on Monday
Germany face Gibraltar and Spain in this month's international fixtures

Published: 11:55 EST, 10 November 2014 | Updated: 14:30 EST, 10 November 2014

View
comments

The president of Germany has decorated the nation's World Cup-winning squad with the country's highest honour for sports, after their tournament victory in Brazil this summer.

President Joachim Gauck, joined by Chancellor Angela Merkel, presented the players with the Silver Laurel Leaf in a ceremony at the head of state's Bellevue Palace after describing their efforts in South America as a 'convincing performance that is recognised ungrudgingly by all its opponents.'

Speaking a day after the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Gauck noted that Germany's fourth World Cup is its first as a reunited nation - with West Germany winning the title shortly before reunification in 1990.

VIDEO Scroll down to see Arsenal's Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski honoured

Germany's World Cup winning squad were awarded for their achievements at a ceremony on Monday

Philipp Lahm (centre) and his team-mates were presented with the Silver Laurel Leaf at Bellevue Palace

World Cup winning captain Philipp Lahm (left) retired from international duty after Germany's success in Brazil

Lukas Podolski (centre left) was also awarded by President Joachim Gauck (left) on Monday

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski given World Cup honours

World Cup winning captain Philipp Lahm, who retired from the national team after the tournament, thanked Gauck and Merkel for their support.

Both traveled to the World Cup and visited the Germany dressing room, with Merkel posing for a selfie with Lukas Podolski after their victory against Argentina in the final.

Podolski, who has over 100 caps for Germany, has been named in coach's Joachim Low squad for their Euro 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar and international friendly against Spain this week, but Andre Schurrle misses out.

The Chelsea forward has failed to recover from a nagging infection that has led him to miss a significant amount of training in recent weeks.

As a result the 24-year-old was unable to travel to his homeland for Monday's award ceremony at the German Presidency.

Podolski (right) took a selfie with Chancellor Angela Merkel after Germany's victory in Brazil

Mario Gotze (front) scored the only goal of the match as Germany won their fourth World Cup

Lahm (centre) holds aloft the trophy after Germany's extra-time win at the Maracana Stadium

'Schurrle suffered a persistent infection in October and could not train regularly,' the German national team said in a statement.

'It was agreed with coach Joachim Low that he stays in London and trains individually to optimise his fitness.'

Despite Schurrle's absence Low has decided not to call up a replacement.

Germany, who will also attend the premiere of their World Cup movie in Berlin on Monday, face Gibraltar in Nuremberg on Friday before travelling to Spain to take on the former World Cup winners in a friendly on November 18.