Chelsea weren’t in the mood for Germany's uber-coach Loew

Final choice: Joachim Loew, coach of Germany

Middlemen approached Chelsea to alert them about the availability of Loew, who had to recover from the 2-1 group game defeat by Croatia to guide his team to this evening's showpiece against Spain in Vienna. But Chelsea initially chose to pursue AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti before turning to Scolari.

Germany's run to the final included a last-eight 3-2 win over Portugal and the Stamford Bridge club's decision to announce Scolari's appointment days before the game was blamed by many back in Portugal for the defeat.

If Loew's side prevail against Spain tonight, Chelsea may have cause to regret missing out on a coach with a reputation for playing the attractive, winning football which their billionaire owner Roman Abramovich is said to crave.

Even when Loew was assistant to former Germany head coach Jurgen Klinsmann - another former Chelsea target - he was the one credited with masterminding the 2006 World Cup campaign.

He was particularly keen on an attacking approach, one that stood out in qualifying for Euro 2008 when the team scored 35 goals in 12 games in a run which earned him a two-year extension to his contract.

'Jogi' has particularly impressed the German Football Association with his innovative training techniques and ability to integrate young, talented players into the national side. But some have suggested Germany's resurgence after the setback against Croatia owes as much to player power as to Loew's ability.

At a team meeting before the Portugal match, captain and Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack led calls for a change in tactics, which Loew publicly admitted to taking on board.

Now Loew insists that past form accounts for nothing and that he believes Germany's 'winning mentality' will prove a key factor in tonight's game against Spain.