Published on 03:11 PM, July 15, 2014

World Cup heroes return home

World Cup heroes return home

Tens of thousands of German football fans in Berlin have gathered since daybreak to welcome the return from Brazil of their World-Cup-winning team.
The flight bringing the triumphant players to the capital touched down from Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday morning.
Celebrations will take place at the Brandenburg Gate, where the players will display the famous gold trophy.
The mood in the country is euphoric, with huge crowds expected for the parade through the city.
Many people have bought replica shirts with four stars on, marking Germany's fourth World Cup title.
TEAM GREETED

The team's 1-0 victory over Argentina in Sunday's final sparked delirious scenes across Germany.
Thousands gathered on a viewing stage at Tegel airport to witness the arrival of the plane, a Lufthansa jet rebranded "Fanhansa" for the team.
"This is a historic event," 34-year-old bus driver Bernd Hesse said.
He said that fans of the team had waited 24 years for a German World Cup victory, the first since the country was reunited in 1990.
"It's not every day that you get to see something like this," Hesse said.
Those members of the team that play for Bayern Munich will also get a separate welcome parade in Munich later.
The BBC correspondent in Berlin says that as many as half a million people are expected to greet the team when they arrive in central Berlin with the World Cup.

An overview taken with a fisheye lens shows German fans gather in front of a stage installed for a victory parade of Germany's football national team on July 15, 2014 at Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate to celebrate their FIFA World Cup title. Germany won their fourth World Cup title, after 1-0 win over Argentina on July 13, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro in the FIFA World Cup Brazil final game. Photo: Getty Images
An overview taken with a fisheye lens shows German fans gather in front of a stage installed for a victory parade of Germany's football national team on July 15, 2014 at Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate to celebrate their FIFA World Cup title. Germany won their fourth World Cup title, after 1-0 win over Argentina on July 13, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro in the FIFA World Cup Brazil final game. Photo: Getty Images

The triumphant side will appear on a stage in front of the Brandenburg Gate at one end of what is called the Fan Mile, where hundreds of thousands of people watched on big screens as Germany won the trophy on Sunday.
Our correspondent says that Berlin has been transformed for the arrival, with the old sponsors' logos for the tournament torn down and new ones for the home-coming put up.
Commercial opportunities are being maximised, our correspondent says.
It is not clear if Chancellor Angela Merkel will appear during the celebrations. She was photographed with the team shortly after the final whistle at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
The German victory in Brazil was the first time the competition had been won in South America by a European nation.