Philipp Lahm

Full name: Philipp Lahm

Date of birth: 11 November 1983 (age 28)

Place of birth: Munich, West Germany

Playing position: Full back

Current club: Bayern Munich (Germany)

Germany captain Philipp Lahm has challenged his team to start Euro 2012 with a roar when they open their Group B campaign against Portugal on Saturday.

As one of the pre-tournament favourites, Germany arguably arrive at Euro 2012 on the back foot after suffering a shock 5-3 defeat to Switzerland and with Champions League disappointment hanging over some of their stars.

Eight of the Bayern Munich team which lost the Champions League final to Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out a fortnight ago are in the Germany squad.

While Lahm insists memories of their Munich misery have quickly been exorcised, the defeat did nothing for confidence, especially in the wake of the loss to the Swiss in Basel when a weakened German team was well beaten.

Despite having breezed through the qualifying rounds with a perfect 10 wins from 10, Germany struggled to take their chances in their final warm-up match on Thursday in a 2-0 friendly win over Israel, much to Lahm's frustration.

"We have sensational quality in our squad, we just have to show it now," said the 28-year-old referring to their clash with Portugal in Lviv, Ukraine.

"That not everything worked perfectly is completely normal as we haven't played together as a group for two weeks.

"It is important we hit the ground running in our first game."

As the only German to play every minute of their 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa, Lahm took over the captain's armband after former Chelsea star Michael Ballack was ruled out on the eve of the tournament with injury.

Equally at home at right or left-back, Lahm found himself on the left against Israel, having spent most of the season on the right for his club Bayern.

Germany coach Joachim Loew admits he is still toying with the idea of where to play his captain at the Euro.

"Next week we will decide where Lahm will play and that's where he'll play for the entire tournament," said Loew.

His captain says he is just at home on either side.

"I am very relaxed about the whole thing, I believe it is a big advantage to be able to plan on both sides," said Lahm.

"I know I have played at the top level on either side of our defence."

Having made his debut in 2004, Lahm has amassed 86 caps, scoring four goals in the process, including the first of the 2006 World Cup: a dazzling strike from the edge of the area against Costa Rica.

His 90th-minute goal in the Euro 2008 semi-final sealed Germany's 3-2 win over Turkey before a goal from Fernando Torres handed Spain a 1-0 win over the Germans in the final.

Despite his baby-faced appearance, Lahm has a tough edge and had no reservations about criticising his former coaches in his autobiography, published last year.

He also made it very clear he would not give up the captain's armband without a fight, even though Ballack's knee injury after the World Cup settled the issue.

Likewise, he has spoken out about the issue of homosexuality remaining a taboo subject in football, but also advised gays not to come out, because of the abuse they would suffer.

Having spent his entire career at Bayern Munich, apart from two seasons on loan at VfB Stuttgart, Lahm was a ballboy during the 1997 Champions League final at Munich's Olympic Stadium when Borussia Dortmund beat Juventus.

Now he's the one hoping to have European football at his feet after the final in Kiev on July 1.