Just days after lifting the World Cup trophy in Rio de Janeiro, Germany’s much-respected Spielführer Philipp Lahm created a stir in the footballing world by announcing his retirement from the Nationalmannschaft. For many German fans who had expected him to
At the end of October 2012, Felix Magath’s second spell at VfL Wolfsburg would come to a sad yet predictable end. In stark contrast to his first spell at the Volkswagen-Arena where he had taken the unheralded side from Lower
I am guessing someone somewhere had a look at my recent comments – or those of Franz Beckenbauer or Felix Magath, perhaps – on the subject of the singing of Nationalhymne by the German players.
The subject would be broached in the wake of the semi-final defeat at Euro 2012, and would continue to rumble through the summer as former footballers, coaches and politicians found themselves with something to say. The singing of the Nationalhymne,
Three games, three times the same line up – Jérôme Boateng’s one match suspension aside – and everyone expecting more of the same for this evening’s quarter-final against Greece.
At the end of the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, Germany beat Uruguay 3-2 to clinch third place. Since then, they have played a further thirteen competitive matches, winning them all. Ten from ten in qualifying for the
Another autobiography, another round of controversy – this time from current skipper Philipp Lahm. Those of us who follow the German game closely will know that Lahm is an intelligent, articulate, thoughtful man who wears his heart on his sleeve