German fans cheer team up with rousing reception

STUTTGART, July 7 (Reuters) A cheering crowd of 10,000 flag-waving Germans greeted their World Cup team when they arrived at their hotel in Stuttgart this evening.

''Stuttgart is better than Berlin, better than Berlin, better than Berlin,'' the high-spirited crowd chanted as coach Juergen Klinsmann and his team climbed off their bus ahead of tomorrow's match for the World Cup third place in Stuttgart with Portugal.

Germany were defeated by Italy on Tuesday in the World Cup semi-final, dashing their hopes of playing in Sunday's final in Berlin where Italy will play France. They flew from their base in Berlin to Stuttgart this afternoon.

Ignoring heavy rain, the frenzied crowd packed the sidewalks and brought traffic to a standstill on a busy avenue between the hotel and the central rain station, waving German flags in between chants of ''Deutschland, Deutschland''.

The players hurried into the hotel to avoid the rain but many of them waved out of a first floor window to the cheering fans. Several players took pictures of the crowd -- at the same time hundreds of spectators were snapping pictures of them.

''Thanks lads for four great World Cup weeks,'' read a banner hanging above the hotel entrance. ''Stuttgart is proud of you!'' Aside from the hundreds of Germany flags, there were also dozens of posters reading ''World champions of the hearts'' and ''Klinsmann must stay'', a reference to the coach who has not yet made up his mind whether he will extend his contract which expires later in July.

Reuters PDS VP0200