5 reasons Germany will beat Hungary

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1) They've just vanquished holders Portugal

Germany threw their hat into the ring on Matchday 2 by blowing Portugal away in Munich. Despite falling behind to a 15th-minute Ronaldo goal, the three-time winners roared back to record a stand-up-and-take-notice 4-2 victory.

Captain Manuel Neuer barely had a save to make, while the likes of Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry and Thomas Müller, former Bayer Leverkusen prodigy Kai Havertz and Italy-based Robin Gosens caused the usually water-tight Portugal rearguard all manner of problems.

"We're allowed to feel a little excited," Müller said afterwards. "It's just fun playing in this atmosphere.

"Now we have the three points, we are well in the tournament and have it in our own hands. We mustn't get carried away and get complacent, but we must believe in our quality."

Germany will qualify for the last 16 automatically with another win at the Allianz Arena. A draw should also be enough to at the very least take them through as one of the four best third-placed teams.

2) Kimmich the world's best right-wing-back

Müller's not the only Bayern stalwart steering Germany towards the knockouts.

Kimmich played out of his skin on Matchday 2, triumphing in his Bundesliga-flavoured head-to-head with Borussia Dortmund's Raphael Guerreiro.

The 26-year-old supplied the devilish cross which Guerreiro put past his own goalkeeper for 2-1, and set up Gosens for Germany's fourth.

The tournament's joint-leading provider after two rounds of fixtures, he's also covered more ground than any of his teammates (14 miles).

"I've never known a person as ambitious as Jo," commented Bayern teammate Niklas Süle.

Watch: A Joshua Kimmich highlight reel

Hungrier than a Nile crocodile, Kimmich has managed to position himself as one of the world's best defensive midfielders and right-backs in the six years since making his Bayern debut.

He started out as a defensive midfielder, but entered the popular consciousness as a right-back before being used almost exclusively from midfield at Bayern once Hansi Flick took charge in November 2019.

With RB Leipzig's Lukas Klostermann sidelined, Kimmich has transitioned back from midfield to defence, where he is putting his inimitably zealous stamp all over the right-wing-back role in Löw's preferred 3-4-3 formation.

"Jo's comparable to Philipp Lahm," commented the Germany tactician, drawing parallels with his 2014 FIFA World Cup-winning captain - Kimmich's predecessor for club and country. "You can play him in different positions without any problems whatsoever. You get the same quality, the same level of performance."

Watch: Kimmich the right-back under the tactical microscope

3) A Bayern core

Leaning on Bayern's winning formula is a recipe for success, after all.

As well as the recently recalled Müller and tenacious Kimmich, Germany's starting XI against Portugal boasted a further two Bayern regulars in goalkeeper and captain Neuer and forward Gnabry, whose international scoring record reads an eye-watering 16 goals in 22 appearances.

Box-to-box specialist Leon Goretzka made his return from injury as a second-half substitute, rifling an effort off the top of the crossbar soon after, while deceptively quicksilver centre-back Süle gave Ronaldo a veritable man mountain to climb in the latter stages.

All six - along with the twinkle-toed attacker Leroy Sane and teenaged wild card Jamal Musiala - are fresh off an historic calendar year in which Bayern won an unprecedented sextuple, before ending 2020/21 as Bundesliga champions for the ninth season in a row.

Few players are better equipped for such a high-stakes game.

4) A team of born winners

That last observation could be applied to Löw's entire squad.

Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Matthias Ginter and Dortmund counterpart Mats Hummels are, along with Neuer, Müller and Toni Kroos, surviving members of the 2014 World Cup winners. Hummels is also a six-time Bundesliga champion, who added a third DFB Cup to his collection after underpinning BVB's triumphant run this past campaign.

Havertz, who opened his Euro account against Portugal, was Chelsea's match-winner in the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City  - a game that also featured Antonio Rüdiger, Timo Werner and Ilkay Gündogan - while Real Madrid midfield metronome Kroos lifted his first of four Champions League titles during a formative stint at Bayern in 2012/13.

Löw's heady mix of young and old have what it takes to go the distance, never mind beat Hungary.

5) Tournament pedigree

Not only are Hungary facing a team of champions on German soil - they also have the history books staked against them.

Although Hungary have reached the knockouts in all three of their previous appearances at the finals, no European nation has been crowned continental king more often than Germany's three times (1972, 1980 and 1996).

Four-time world champions to boot (1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014), Germany know how to win when it matters. Just ask Portugal...