World Champions Germany arrive home to rousing reception

The newly crowned football world champions Germany arrived in Berlin amidst cheer and lots of fanfare. Rediff.com gives you a glimpse of the celebrations!

For the 2014 football World champions, Germany, it was a reception that matched none!

The atmostphere was carnival-like on Tuesday as the German team, upon their arrival, made their way through the streets of Berlin as they were greeted by thousands of cheering fans.

Hundreds of thousands of jubilant Germans welcomed their triumphant national soccer team home in Berlin on Tuesday, waving flags and wearing the national colours as they basked in the nation's fourth World Cup victory.

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"The atmosphere in Berlin is incredible! What a feeling! We are #1! #byyourside," said a tweet from @DFB_Team_EN.

The German team arrived in Berlin at 10 am local time as huge crowds gathered on Fan Mile to give their champion team a rousing welcome!

Landing at the capital's Tegel airport, captain Philipp Lahm led the team down the plane's stairs holding above his head the golden trophy secured in Sunday's final, with midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger close behind him wrapped in a German flag.

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Nearly half a million revellers packed Berlin's Fan Mile, a 1.3 km stretch of road running from the west of the capital up to the iconic Brandenburg Gate, for a massive party. Many more lined the streets in the city centre along the team's route.

"I am really excited to welcome the world cup winners during my lifetime. I am from East Germany and this is important," said Guenther Richter, 51, from East Berlin.

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In another tweetpic posted by the German football federation, the team bus is seen hitting the streets of Berlin.

'The #WELTMEISTER are on the way towards #Fanmeile! #aneurerseite,'  tweeted dbf_team.

Fans in Germany shirts, many with their faces painted in black, red and gold and some wearing wigs and bandanas in the national colours, had started drinking beer hours before the team's touchdown.

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The crowds chanted Goetze's name along with that of Schweinsteiger, who got a battering during the final match and ended up with a bloody cut under his eye.

The ever-so-thrilled Goetze couldn't believe what he was witnessing and tweeted, "Wow what is going on here! Madness! AMAZING! #Weltmeister #PartOfGoetze" 

Germany snatched the win in extra time with a stunning goal from fresh-faced Mario Goetze, the nation's 22-year-old boy wonder.

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Sunday's 1-0 victory over Argentina in Rio de Janeiro marked the first time a reunified Germany has been world champion, with West Germany having won the trophy in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

Not one to be left behind in the revelry was German forward Mesut Ozil who also clicked a selfie and tweeted, "What a crowd! unbelievable! ? #GER #Berlin #Fanmeile."

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A roar went up from the crowd when the team's plane circled overhead, and the fans counted down from 10 to its touchdown on the tarmac. "Football's coming home!" they bellowed.

Television channels blanketed the airwaves with coverage and newspapers dedicated whole editions to the victory.

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"It's an amazing atmosphere, it doesn't get any better than this," said Lukas Klein, 19, who drove through the night from the northern city of Bremen to be in Berlin. He told his boss he was sick.\

While celebrating, Lukas Podolski.com ‏tweeted, "The Cup is in Berlin!!! #poldi #aha #lp10."