** Joachim Low (Germany): “So, we will be meeting old friends. It’s already something special to have the USA in our group. Jurgen and I have had a very good and close relationship for a long time. We have always exchanged ideas on a regular basis, but that will certainly change before the World Cup.”

Paulo Bento (Portugal): “It’s a tight group with a favourite – Germany – because of their history and potential. Both USA and Ghana have good teams, well organised and good players in some of the best European teams. But our ambition does not depend on the group. We want to be in the round of 16 and that’s what will fight for.”

Kwesi Appiah (Ghana): “It’s nice to meet Germany and also United States whom we beat in Round of 16 in 2010. We are a better team than in 2010 and I’m sure there will be a lot of surprises in this group.”

Jurgen Klinsmann (United States): “”I had a feeling in my stomach we’d get Germany. It’s one of those crazy stories that football writes. It’s one of the most difficult groups in the whole draw. Including having Portugal and Ronaldo, Ghana’s history with USA and of course Germany it couldn’t get more difficult or any bigger.

“But that’s what the World Cup is about and we’ll take it. Hopefully we’ll surprise some people there. We’re going to be prepared, we’re going to be confident. We have built up our self-confidence over the last two and a half years and we have the most successful year in the 100 years of US football behind us.”

# # # #