Germany's president says he will award coach Joachim Loew the country's Federal Cross of Merit for taking the national team to third place at the World Cup.

President Christian Wulff said in a televised press conference Sunday that the players will be decorated with the Silver Laurel.

About 300,000 people were reported to have gathered at public viewing areas in Germany to watch Saturday's 3-2 third-place playoff win over Uruguay.

About 100,000 were near Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, roughly a third the number that attended previous Germany games.

Berlin police said Sunday the atmosphere was peaceful.

Wulff told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper the team had represented Germany well.

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