DURBAN, South Africa — The World Cup semifinal Wednesday between Spain and Germany is a rematch of the last European Championship title game. But that's where the similarities end — at least on the German side.

"Two years later for us there are many changes while the Spaniards are similar," German coach Joachim Loew said Tuesday.

Loew took over the German team after the last World Cup, where Germany finished third. "We have made progress in the style of football we play and the results we get," he said.

With an average age of 25, the German squad is the country's youngest in 76 years. Yet Germany comes into Wednesday's semifinal having beaten veteran teams from England and Argentina by a combined 8-1 in its last two matches. Spain is coming off a pair of 1-0 wins over Portugal and Paraguay.

"They have undertaken a renewal with an important base of young players," said Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, who took over after the 2008 European final.

That doesn't mean everyone on the German side has forgotten that game. Striker Lukas Podolski, one of nine players left from that 2008 team, said memories of the loss remain fresh.

"I keep thinking back to that final, and it's painful still," he said. "But now we have a chance against Spain again."

And Podolski said the fans at home are almost as excited as the players in South Africa. "Sometimes when I call my family I can literally feel the excitement in my own country," he said.

kbaxter@tribune.com