As Germany prepares to host Euro 2024, the 2006 FIFA World Cup – the final main worldwide soccer event on German soil – nonetheless performs a formative position within the nation’s collective consciousness.
Now extensively often called the Summer season Fairytale, the event is remembered because the second a unified Germany shook off the shadows of its darkish previous and confirmed the world a brand new, fashionable face.
On the sector, the German workforce coached by Jurgen Klinsmann overcame dire pretournament predictions to make it to the semifinals.
Regardless of shedding in additional time to eventual champions Italy to complete third within the championship, Germany’s efficiency kick-started a decade of dominance that peaked with the 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil.
Off the sector, the event modified not solely the way in which the world noticed Germany but additionally the way in which they noticed themselves.
Philipp Lahm, a key participant in 2006 who captained Germany to World Cup glory eight years later, instructed the AFP information company: “In 2006, we have been in a position to expertise the entire nation standing behind the workforce and giving us power.
“The celebrations are good. That folks come right here to Germany and have fun an enormous pageant collectively.”
‘The place are all of the Germans?’
German sports activities sociologist and thinker Gunter Gebauer instructed AFP the event had a sudden and long-lasting impact.
“Earlier than the event, the temper in Germany was very, very poor. The economic system was not going effectively. The climate was unhealthy and the soccer was atrocious.
“After which the World Cup began and through Germany’s first sport towards Costa Rica, Philipp Lahm scored and the solar burst by way of – it was nearly like one thing from the Bible.”
Dwelling in a middle-class Berlin suburb, Gebauer noticed a neighbour unfurl a German flag from his balcony, beforehand thought of a “taboo” because of the nation’s post-World Warfare II reservations with nationalism.
“From there, we noticed German flags and singing the anthem at Germany video games – one thing which simply didn’t exist earlier than.”
The dissolving of inner reservations meant World Cup guests noticed a unique facet to the straight, rule-enforcing Germans aware of nationwide stereotypes.
“Foreigners who got here to Germany have been delighted with the German public.
“The English individuals requested, ‘The place are all of the bloody Germans? We’ve solely come throughout pleasant people who find themselves partying all over the place.’”
Wolfgang Maennig, a rower who received gold for Germany on the 1988 Seoul Olympics, is now a professor of sports activities economics at Hamburg College.
‘Really feel-good impact’
In an interview with AFP, Maennig stated whereas the financial advantages of enormous occasions have been typically negligible, “the feel-good impact was the essence of the 2006 World Cup”.
Earlier than the World Cup, “Germans weren’t precisely thought of world leaders relating to being welcoming”. However after 2006, “Germany has improved considerably in worldwide perceptions”.
“I consider that foreigners see us fully otherwise, now not as unenthusiastic, considerably peculiar individuals, however as open and glad, which made us extra snug with how we see ourselves.”
Jan Haut, a sports activities sociologist at Goethe College, instructed AFP, “The German individuals turned a bit much less stiff. They have been extra snug and assured celebrating victories of the nationwide workforce.”
“What was slightly new was that Germans themselves turned extra conscious that in different nations the image of Germany isn’t as unhealthy because the Germans had thought,” he added.
Whereas 18 years have handed and Germany and the world have modified, many parallels stay.
Germany is once more racked by financial uncertainty, infrastructure issues and fears of poor on-field performances.
Haut stated the world’s consideration would once more shine a light-weight on Germany, for unhealthy and for good.
“Within the worst case, there could be some surprises – possibly that individuals change into conscious that issues don’t work so effectively in Germany presently, like public transport,” he stated.
After the humiliation of two successive World Cup exits within the group stage, Germany have proven indicators of life below coach Julian Nagelsmann.
They received simply three of 11 video games in 2023 however rebounded with sturdy wins over France and the Netherlands in March.
Regardless of the workforce’s leads to the event, Maennig stated Germany might financial institution on the unifying impact of the nationwide sport.
“As a rower, I say this with a little bit of sorrow in my voice, however solely soccer can carry individuals collectively like this. The cafes and eating places present the video games on screens and you’ll sit and watch in a pleasant environment.
“It’s actually fairly enchanting.”
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