Germany must stick to the methods which have brought them success down the years when they host this summer's World Cup.

That is the view of Germany legend Uwe Seeler, a man who scored in four consecutive World Cups from 1958 to 1970.

Seeler accepts the current national team coached by Jurgen Klinsmann lacks players with individual brilliance but believes they can still achieve success by sticking to the principles which have served them so well through the decades.

"I am very optimistic," Seeler said. "We will never have as much individual talent as Brazil or Argentina but we can compensate for it through our tremendous fighting spirit.

"No-one likes to play us because of our aggressiveness."

Seeler, who scored 43 goals in 72 matches for Germany, warned the squad to play to their strengths, rather than trying to match the styles of other nations.

"If we try to play like the Brazilians, we will certainly get our legs in a muddle," he added with a smile.

"We will rely on the classic German virtues such as team spirit, fighting spirit and the willingness to run. It will help us down the line.

"I hope we can keep it up for a period of four weeks."

The ability of German sides to raise their game for major tournaments has often upset the odds and their run to the 2002 World Cup final came as a shock to many in the game.

"We are a tournament team," Seeler explained. "It is just another German virtue to get our act together when it counts most.

"There are so many great sides who fail to perform in tournaments. Just look at Spain - they have never achieved anything.

"And then you've got surprise outfits like us four years ago. No-one took us seriously and we marched all the way to the final."

Germany were beaten 2-0 by Brazil in the final in Yokohama, but the 69-year-old would settle for a repeat performance this year.

"It would be great for the tournament if we, as the host nation, could stay in it for quite a while," he said.

"As long as we play attractive football, the semi-finals would be sufficient. But we are certainly among the teams who can win it - just like Brazil, Argentina or England.

"England have a very talented team," added Seeler. "They certainly have better individual players than Germany and they have improved.

"Just look at their great performance against Argentina (a 3-2 win on November 12)."

Seeler, who played in the famous 1966 World Cup final at Wembley, has no doubts that the third goal in England's 4-2 win, scored by Sir Geoff Hurst, did not cross the line.

"Of course that ball was not in," he said.

"The problem - what really angered us - was the fact that the referee had given a corner kick but changed his mind after speaking to the linesman, and there is no chance he could have ever seen it from his position.

"I am good friends with Jack and Bobby Charlton and Geoff Hurst," he added. "These days they admit that the ball wasn't in.

"But England were deserving World Cup winners. The referee just blew the whistle - that's the way it is in sports. We would have taken the goal too if they had given it to us."