Legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the German camp would be losing sleep over the prospect of meeting Australia in its Group D opener in Durban on Sunday (SAST).
The Frenchman claims the Socceroos are a major threat to the three-time champions' hopes of topping one of the toughest groups at the tournament, sensing the Aussies may catch the Germans rusty and off guard.
"If I was national team coach of Germany and I had to play Australia first, I wouldn't sleep well," Wenger told Channel 9 on Thursday.
"It will be interesting. Australia are tough cookies in the World Cup (and) sometimes Germany are slow starters in the big competitions."
"Maybe Australia can take advantage of that. I give them a chance against Germany."
"I wish they do (beat them) because it will make it a very interesting group."
Wenger rates Australia a 40 percent chance of knocking over the Germans and shaking up the predicted pecking order in Group D.
But German coach Joachim Low doesn't appear to be losing sleep over the up-coming contest, instead hinting fans will be the ones dozing off due to the Socceroos' defence-orientated game.
"Australia can be expected to offer anything but a great spectacle,'' Low said.
"Australia is all about top organisation, incredible work-rate and almost a perfect defence."
"It's very difficult to unbalance that team."
"Many other nations have had a very hard time against Australia."
German great Franz Beckenbauer cautioned his countrymen against taking Pim Verbeek's men lightly, using Australia's infamous 1-0 loss to Italy at the 2006 World Cup to illustrate his point.
Beckenbauer warned: "Don't under-estimate Australia.''
"We all remember Australia gave Italy a very hard time."