Composure, tactical awareness and strength are all qualities Dennis Aogo boasts in abundance. After tasting success as part of the Germany side that won the UEFA U-21 European Championship 2009 in Sweden, the confident 23-year-old is now hoping to pit himself against the very best in world football at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

The son of a Nigerian father and a German mother, the Hamburg left-back was born in Karlsruhe and was soon discovered by renowned talent-spotters SC Freiburg, signing for the club aged 15. The pacy wide man rose through the ranks of the German national youth teams before celebrating his Bundesliga debut aged just 17. After heading north to Hamburg in the summer of 2008, Aogo soon became an established member of a first team squad which reached the semi-finals of the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League.

On 13 May 2010, the flying defender made his first appearance for the German national team as Joachim Low's charges coasted to a straightforward 3-0 friendly victory over Malta in Aachen. Now Aogo is hoping the Germany boss will consider him for a starting role on the left side of defence at South Africa 2010.