BERLIN - More than 250000 jubilant fans massed at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate yesterday to cheer the World Cup winners and new national heroes bringing home football's top prize for the first time to a reunified Germany.

Captain Philipp Lahm was the first player to emerge, clutching the golden Fifa trophy and lifting it in the direction of applauding supporters.

Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, his shoulders draped with the black, red and gold German flag, followed him down the steps to the tarmac, where airport employees snapped photos with their mobile phones as fans cheered.

"This is a historic event," said 34-year-old bus driver Bernd Hesse, followed all the matches in Brazil on the radio when he was behind the wheel.

Ecstatic fans lined the route as black buses ferried the players to central Berlin, construction workers waved from building scaffoldings and dozens of cyclists followed the motorcade, their bicycles draped with Germany banners.

Germany coach Joachim Loew told the jubilant fans that they shared the title with his players.

"We are all world champions," he said at the massive street party. "Of course we are all overjoyed now to be with the fans."

Team members wearing black shirts emblazoned with the number one took the stage in groups to greet ecstatic supporters.

They carried a giant banner reading "Obrigado Fans", "thank you" in Portuguese in a nod to tournament hosts Brazil, and "the fourth title is ours".

Mario Goetze, who scored the only goal in Sunday's nail-biter final against Argentina, called the Mannschaft's win "a dream".

"We played an amazing tournament It's an incredible feeling." - AFP