GERMANY are on top of the world - and now plan to celebrate becoming the best team on the planet.

But if they imagine Scotland are simply coming along to watch them party with their supporters in Dortmund on Sunday, they are in for a rude awakening.

Gordon Strachan's men are aiming to be the first to burst the German balloon following their success at this summer's World Cup finals. And they reckon they have what it takes to be party-poopers and spark their own celebrations among the Tartan Army.

Chris Burke is adamant this is not merely rhetoric to mask apprehension.

The winger, who has helped Nottingham Forest shoot to the top of the Championship in England, believes Strachan's side is ready to create shock waves around the world which was, only two months ago, loudly applauding Germany's achievement in Brazil.

"We are not going over there thinking we are going to get turned over," said the former Rangers star.

"We are going there to get a positive result - because we think we can. That's the basis of it. If you don't believe, then you will not get anything in any game.

"It's what the manager keeps telling us, and we are with him in that because of the good play we have shown over the past year. That's given us belief and confidence in what we can achieve."

Nevertheless, it is going to take more than decent form and confidence to knock Germany off their perch in this opening Europa 2016 qualifier.

Joachim Low's side may have lost some of its stalwarts - including Miroslav Klose, Per Mertesacker and Philip Lahm - but they remain No.1 in the Fifa rankings for good reason.

Burke accepts this, having joined football fans around the world revelling in Germany's performances in Brazil.

He did so in the knowledge that soon it would Scotland's turn to try to stop them in their tracks.

So was it an analytical eye as well as an appreciative one that he cast over them as they battled to World Cup glory, a run which included the total humiliation of hosts Brazil?

"If I'm being honest, I was just enjoying the football they were playing," confessed the man who helped Scotland to beat Croatia and Poland last season as they climbed out of the international wilderness. "It was a fantastic World Cup, with so many great games.

"I don't think many people expected it to be like that. But it was great to watch - and the best side won.

"Germany are fantastic as a unit. They work together as a team and obviously know their jobs. But what we'll talk about over the course of this week is how to exploit their weaknesses, just as we would do for any team we play against."

BURKE is not banking on catching Germany with their guard down, even though this will be their first competitive outing since they won the World Cup.

"I don't think there's any time that you could say would be a good time to get them," is his honest assessment, "but any player has to look forward to getting a game against the world champions.

"We know they are a great side and we will respect them. The best way to do that is just to treat it as a normal game and prepare as we would for any other match.

"That means we will have to look at ourselves and see what we can do, because we have talented players."

As the top country in world football, Germany will know everyone will redouble their efforts to take their scalp.

However, Burke does not anticipate that this will faze them in any way.

"They are the sort of team who respect everybody," he explained. "They go into every game knowing what they have to do, and they don't take their eye off the ball.

"That's why they are the world champions, because they are so consistent.

"Germany will be going into these qualifiers looking to add the European Championship to the World Cup, and looking to win every game.

"That's just how their mentality is. But, what a great time to play them. We're looking forward to testing ourselves against the world champs."

Scotland were on the outside looking in while the samba soccer party was taking place in Brazil, another finals invitation having slipped through our fingers for the seventh major tournament in a row.

However, the progress made since Strachan came in as manager in January 2013 has convinced Burke that Scotland are ready to make a serious challenge for a place at Euro 2016 in France, starting from the first whistle in Dortmund.

THE former Birmingham City and Cardiff City star said: "We are ready for the challenge. We have shown that in the games we have played since the manager came in.

"From the start, you can see we have improved, and that's all you can ask for.

"But we want to get better again, and what a great way to test yourself - by taking on a team like Germany."

At 30, Burke is aware time may be running out for him to sample a major finals in person rather than on TV.

He has sympathy for the generation that has missed out since Scotland last made it to France 1998. But he remains philosophical about it.

"Scotland didn't get to those World Cups and European Championships because they didn't deserve to get to them," he said. "That's just a fact.

"This time, though, we look like we have given ourselves a good opportunity because we are ready for it. We want to be there, it's what we aspire to.

"But the only way to do it is continue doing what we have been doing over the past year.

"The preparation has to be right, and I believe it is."