Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm has been named Germany captain for the World Cup to replace injured Chelsea star Michael Ballack, newspapers reported Thursday. Ballack withdrew last week from the June 11-July 11 World Cup Finals in South Africa with an ankle injury sustained in a heavy tackle by Portsmouth's Germany-born Ghanaian Kevin-Prince Boateng in England's FA Cup final. The reports also said that coach Joachim Loew will name Schalke's Manuel Neuer as Germany's first-choice goalkeeper after Bayer Leverkusen's Rene Adler was forced to withdraw with a rib injury in April. Despite wide-spread reports here linking Lahm to the captain's role, German Football Federation (DFB) press spokesman Harald Stenger said Thursday the headlines were just speculation. But Loew will give a press conference Friday, ahead of Germany's friendly away against Hungary Saturday, when he is expected to name Lahm as captain, with Neuer in goal. Brazil arrives in SA Brazil arrived in Johannesburg Thursday to embark on a journey it hopes will take it to a record sixth World Cup title. Usually hot pre-tournament favorite wherever the quadrennial international football showcase is staged, Brazil has been downgraded by many pundits to second spot behind European champion Spain. A crisp, clear dawn in the South African economic hub greeted the South Americans, who flew from Brasilia having been given an official send-off by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Landing 12 hours after the Australian ‘Socceroos' became the first qualifiers to reach South Africa, Brazil followed the same procedure of restricted access to select TV crews and photographers and no interviews. The 23-man squad, coaches and officials boarded a brightly colored luxury coach for a journey to a hotel in a northern suburb golf course and the five-time world champion plans to train at a nearby school. Brazil is with 2006 semifinalist Portugal, Didier Drogba-led Ivory Coast and tournament outsider North Korea in Group G, labeled the ‘Group of Death' after the Cape Town draw last December because of its strength. And should a Brazilian squad boasting stars like Julio Cesar, Maicon, Kaka and Luis Fabiano match expectations and top the mini-league table, it could face fellow South American qualifier Chile in the knockout second round. The South Americans are no strangers to Johannesburg having won the World Cup dress-rehearsal Confederations Cup tournament there last June after wiping out a two-goal deficit against surprise finalist US.
