Rise of a new star?

Andre Schürrle celebrates even the smallest of victories with zeal. A loud "YEAH!" echoes around the training pitch, as Schürrle gloats to himself that he had wrestled the ball from Mario Götze, with extra applause coming from Real Madrid's Sami Khedira.

The five versus two training match is exactly Schürrle's sort of thing with his lightning quick reactions, good technique and polished passing game. The youngster can do almost everything with the ball at his feet and it shows here at Germany's training camp in Santo Andre.

Agile and always lively; he claps his hands, calling for the ball from his team-mates, while making short, but raucous commands. His whole body sends out a strong message that he is ready for a place in the team.

A good three hours beforehand at the press conference, Schürrle displayed a somewhat more reserved style: a white t-shirt, sparkling earring, colored wristband and the hair-style neatly blow-dried. He quietly took his position on the platform and spoke lightly with a hushed tone of voice about his role in the national team.

Quiet talker

"I will be making no demands," Schürrle said. "It's all about the team. With that in mind, the egos have been left behind."

"I have tried to give everything in the training camp and friendly matches. I think I have done well, as I've helped the team. Now, it's up to the coach to decide."

The coach could have already decided with regards to Schürrle. The German number-nine is currently considered as a one of the first-choice attacking-midfielders by Joachim Löw.

Schürrle emphasized recently that he had become more mature at Chelsea and has become a more assertive player, without claiming a settled place in the starting eleven.

Not yet, anyway. The 23-year-old is physically in excellent condition, he is playing technically top football, and tactically, he has made huge progress in his first season - thanks to his coach Jose Mourinho.

"I have to do lots of work at the back in his system and I have become stronger defensively. That's been good for my game," Schürrle says.

In his first year on the banks of the River Thames, Schürrle has experienced a number of highs-and-lows. But the understanding between him and boss Mourinho has been pivotal to Schürrle's change in mentality he says, even though the Portuguese coach has often left him on the bench during the Champions League encounters.

Schürrle says he admires Mourinho for his "total greed for success" and that too, has also made him a better all-round footballer.

On top of his game

Again and again, Germany coach Löw and assistant Hans-Dieter Flick have emphasized how important it is for Germany to be solid in defense, in Brazil's sweltering heat conditions.

As the moist air increases the risk of fatigue, at a quicker rate, even the creative heads need to roll their sleeves up and protect the defence against a counter-attack. Schürrle feels the pressure, but is willing to offer himself for the good of the team.

"I feel the pressure to give everything in training," he admits. "I feel so much better than one year ago and I have developed, not just in my fitness, but in my attitude."

For his part, Löw praises the former Mainz attacker as "dynamic" and "strong" and feels he has stronger physically since moving to the English Premier League.

If he keeps his form in training, Schürrle should be pulling on his boots to start the game, in Germany's first tournament game on June 16 against Portugal.