While the Germans have claimed that a more experienced England are the favourites to reach the quarter-finals - and a likely meeting with Argentina - England have blushed and avoided provocative reaction.
'After you Klaus' followed by 'No, Claude, you first, bitte,' summed up the mood. Nobody was talking of beer or disappointment.
The appearance, at a crowded news conference, of David James steered an inquisition by television reporters towards memories of Italia '90 and penalty shoot-outs, but the 39-year-old goalkeeper stood firm.
No wonder all the talk, despite the patchy form of both nations here so far, is of a "classic".
James, however, was not playing ball on Friday despite the best efforts of reporters straining to catch every word and the possibility of Saturday's front or back page headline.
Revenge? No - we don't care about the history.
German strengths? It's just another match against a "decent side."
Where were you when England lost to Germany, on penalties, in Turin, 20 years ago? Long pause. "I think I was in a pub with my mate, drinking orange juice."
As a warmer-than-usual sun shone on the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus, England's footballers stayed calm somewhere out of sight while clusters of media men gathered on an outdoor deck.
It was no 'tabloid frenzy', but there were unique sightings of information exchange and mutual laughter.
Coach, Joachim Low, talking to reporters at the same time as James, was asked about the tabloid talk of WW2 and said: "This is 2010 ..."
Despite their flurry of four goals against Australia, in their opening Group D game, the Germans remain an unknown quantity, a young team lacking an experienced leader, following midfielder Michael Ballack's injury-enforced withdrawal.
