Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard during a training session in Kawasaki. (AFP)

Yokohama’s first experience of Europeans came when silk merchants settled in the 19th century, a tradition hardly maintained when the most prosaic team in Germany’s history arrived for the 2002 World Cup final.

Criticised for their unexciting style, Dietmar Hamann and his well-drilled unit produced more flair than anticipated yet inevitably lost to Brazil, those serial traders in silk.

An unloved underdog then, Hamann returns to the Yokohama International Stadium on Thursday an hour south of here in rather different circumstances, playing for an increasingly attractive, hugely-popular Liverpool side in a Club World Championship semi-final against Deportivo Saprissa. “It will be strange going back,” said Hamann on Tuesday.

“A lot of things will be in my mind.” The great atmosphere, the good football and the sight of Ronaldo shooting past a hitherto obdurate Oliver Kahn. Defeated 0-2, Germany at least bowed out with a few more friends than they went into the game with.

Another rich recollection should be deposited in the Hamann memory bank during Thursday’s meeting with an unexceptional Saprissa, the Concacaf champions who overcame Sydney FC on Monday in a game of startling mediocrity. But Liverpool’s players are certainly making all the right noises.

Now 32, Hamann has never stinted in his endeavour. Occasionally under-rated by the public, Hamann is admired by his peers for his tenacity, his humour, the way he has immersed himself in English life (with a passion for golf and horse-racing).

“There is no problem with motivation,” said Hamann of Liverpool’s approach to the oft-derided Club World Championship, a six-team tournament comprising the champions of each Fifa continent.

“A lot of the players haven’t been to Tokyo, the club has never won the trophy so we will be up for it. I have been at Liverpool for a long time now and have been lucky enough to win many trophies but this would be very special.

It would mean we could call ourselves World Champions as all the best teams are here from the big cup competitions. It is a meeting of the champions of champions.” The German international then added that “we want to win it for our continent” ? a fascinating suggestion.

The sentiment conjures up Ryder Cup overtones, and images of Hamann, Peter Crouch and Fernando Morientes “doing it for Europe”.

Maybe Liverpool will perform laps of honour at the Yokohama International Stadium waving the blue flag of Brussels wildly above their heads.