‘Germany are up there...’

Oliver Kahn, one of the finest custodians the sport has seen, feels the results in the run up to the World Cup hardly matter; rates Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon as the best goalkeeper.

What are your expectations from the World Cup?
For a footballer, there’s nothing bigger than the World Cup. It’s where the best national teams and the best players go head-to-head every four years. It’s a festival dedicated to football. It’s a magnificent experience.

Even after you’ve finished playing, you’re still looking forward to it. It’s just fascinating to see how the drama unfolds at the event. And there’s always a really special atmosphere in the host nation.

Who do you rate as favourites?
At the end of the day, the favourites are always the same: Spain, Brazil, Italy, France, and Germany too. However, teams’ form in the build-up to a World Cup tells you nothing whatsoever. Every World Cup develops its own, very powerful dynamic, based on who copes best and fastest with the climate, the conditions, and so on. So it’s very hard to say what might happen.

Does Germany have a chance?
I personally believe Germany are up there on a level with other top teams. This team is in a position to beat the Brazilians or the Spanish — and vice-versa, obviously. Nothing’s ever ruled out at this level.

Jens Lehmann, your long-term rival in the Germany goal, has announced his retirement. What was your reaction to that?
It’s a logical decision. As an elite athlete, you’re always asking yourself how long you can maintain your current level of performance. The best time to stop is when people repeatedly say to you, ‘you’re basically still in great shape’.

Would you play in a Jens Lehmann farewell match?
Of course I would, why not? It was always put about that we were somehow bitter enemies. But we weren’t: we were sporting rivals, and that’s all there was to it.

Rene Adler is officially the new first choice goalie for Germany. Is that the right decision, and was it announced at the right time?
I hope we’ll soon be back to the situation where we won’t be debating the timing of a decision, because we’ve finally found a man we can consistently trust. Obviously, Rene mustn’t make any more mistakes, or the whole debate will reopen. But if he keeps making the saves we’re used to seeing from him, the debate will soon die down. And as it happens, this particular debate involves some very good candidates.

What’s the value in forming a unit with your defenders as soon as possible?
It’s definitely important. You need to know how your defenders are likely to react in certain situations. You do need time to develop a complete understanding out on the field. Rene has already featured in plenty of internationals. I’m not sure the Germany rearguard is totally bedded in yet, but there’s a solid foundation.

Would you like one last go at the World Cup?
Actually, I’m really pleased not to be out on the field any more. I’ve seen it all, and been through it all. I was at five or six major tournaments. That chapter’s closed for me.

Who do you regard as the best goalkeeper?
The best ’keeper in my opinion is Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon. He’s the most experienced, he’s won the World Cup, and he’s at a leading club. He has the stature and personality too, and he’s currently the best in terms of combining all the best attributes of a first-class goalkeeper.

You’ve spent a while now as a analyst. What’s it like, offering analysis instead of playing?
It was a big change at the start, because you’re still too close to playing. But the further away you get from that, the fewer problems you encounter, because you need to offer well-informed, neutral criticism, and that requires a certain distance. I needed a year before I found the necessary distance, but nowadays I have no problem with analysis and criticism.

You collected a huge array of honours as a player. Which do you value the most?
Being named World Goalkeeper of the Year was an incredibly satisfying confirmation, as was the best player award at the 2002 World Cup. No goalkeeper ever achieved that before me, and I’m especially proud of that. —www.fifa.com