Germany train after South Africa touchdown

Germany took part in their first World Cup training session in front of almost 2,000 spectators in Pretoria on Monday, a few hours after arriving in South Africa.

Joachim Loew’s side, robbed of captain Michael Ballack through injury, arrived at the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville in the Pretoria suburbs under heavy police escort in the late afternoon.

The players sported training tops bearing the word ‘yebo’, which means ‘yes’ in Zulu, and were warmly welcomed by the watching supporters, many of whom are either German expatriots living in South Africa or fans who have flown in from Germany to follow their team at the tournament.

The Euro 2008 runners-up have set up camp at a resort complex 10 minutes from Atteridgeville.

The majority of their training sessions will take place behind closed doors on specially built pitches within the complex.

Germany, three-time champions, take on Australia in Durban on June 13 in their Group D opener before confronting Serbia and Ghana.

The squad arrived in Pretoria from Frankfurt on Monday morning.