German football has come a long way since then with the ups and downs to fill several novels. Yet in 1998, when Germany crashed out to Croatia 0-3, the story seemed to be all over. The defeat that day in Lyon was deserved, but as the years passed disappointment (2000) followed disappointment (2004). The luck of Germany and brilliance of Oliver Kahn in Korea/Japan 2002 non-withstanding, Germany seemed consigned to the role of a former football power.

Thus, it was to everyone’s surprise that Jürgen Klinsmann and his team performed an international sporting and political coup in the summer of 2006. The success of his team and the hosting of an excellent World Cup had brought the international perception of Germany and German football from a dissonant field-gray to a vibrant and (in the words of Tony Blair “more fairer image”) of black-red-gold. Indeed, Germans themselves for the first time in half-a-century were unabashedly proud of their new united nation. They could fly the flag again, and it belonged to everyone again.

Klinsmann remarked that this was the stuff of fantasy, of fairy-tales, of football. The Sommermärchen was of course in no small part due to the classic German traits of discipline and determination. Nonetheless, above all else, Germany had not only recognized its past mistakes, but also just as importantly atoned for them. (Strictly speaking in the field of football), Germany has come full circle from that day in 1998. (When this Germany fan first started supporting them.) Now in 2008, deservedly (especially after another Croatian lesson and a stern Portuguese test) it’s time to bring the trophy home. Bring it home.

Hello fellow Germany fans I look forward to hearing your comments and sharing in the sometimes difficult and unfashionable task of supporting Germany. Enjoy a pretty catchy and popular Germany Euro 2008 song. It’s actually a cover of the Swiss (unofficial) Euro 2008 song. Ironic ain’t it!

Nick

And now it’s time to hand it over to Eminem. If you already know the history, you might still want to know, how players like Uwe Seeler or Sepp Maier come across in a contemporary bad-ass video compilation.
 

 
via: FANartisch

With all of the national pride at stake and bla bla… Come on. Quality papers like the Sun are – of course – gonna have another headline tomorrow like “The tanks are rolling again into the new Wembley” or “Bloody Krauts”. That’s part of the fun. Wait for our OOOMPAH-bands. A brilliant World Cup can be forgotten pretty darn quick. But how much is it about that game at all? I wish Löw would have nomminated Didi Hamann, all he can field is 11 players and 6-7 more right now. But it would be insane to risk any injuries right now in the first place for something that is being called a friendly. But that’s not what it is. This is always a matter of “national pride and honor”.

There are quite some players being injured for England, Rooney will be definitely out, Beckham and Hargreaves might be unfit to play. But as a Germany blogger, I’m gonna be more detailed about “my” team:

Definitely out, but consistant players from World Cup and/or the qualifiers are (There is no third goalie so substract from 22):

Podolski, Ballack, Klose, Frings, Fritz (and I would have loved to seen him on the squad, just for the name’s sake!), Gomez, Jansen, Schweinsteiger. Not 100% fit: Metzelder after a sprained ankle, Mertesacker after a back injury, Hilbert after having to play defense instead of his common offensive midfielder role, Kießling because of a mild concussion suffered last weekend, Lahm because of a torn cartilage 6 weeks ago.

The players that are regulars is narrowing down to: Lehmann, Lahm, Friedrich, Metzelder, Schneider, Mertesacker. Khedira was nominated, but can’t even play. Another “young gun” is Pander, a defensive player from Schalke. Hitzlsperger will have his big chance to step up, rise, shine and reenact a “Hamann” with a free kick. Pander will see game time. God bless them, but I hope Helmes, Odonkor, Rolfes and Tasci are not gonna see too much playing time against experienced England pro’s. But then, on the other side… what other reason would there be having those U25-players on the lose? Am I just too afraid of the English side? Couldn’t there be anything sweeter to beat England again, after Germany beated England in their very last game at the old Wembley? The kids will know what to do, even if they’ll loose with dignity. Give’em hell, boys! And if you’ll blow it, do it with portliness.

Realistically, with all the injuries, England is still the favourite, espacially on home soil. Being real, Germany has a coach that is by far better than his counterpart and this might hold England to a draw. See you again for a restrospective analysis of the game. My best guess: 2:1 for England.

Sometimes it really sucks being a fan of this team. As Bob mentioned in an entry before, that team ain’t the old juggernaut. The sheer will and forcing your luck made them triple WC and Euro champs. The German team was supposedly Rocky, who had lost the eye of the tiger after 1996. 2002 was only a dramatic comedy the football gods set up to piss us off. Thinking we can dare to win it, Kahn blew it blundering. With him being the only reason we got there in the first place. Now, hold your tongues and listen to what I’m soothsaying:

This’ll be it. Germany opens the tournament with a 1:0 against the Ticos, very late goal by Podolski. The media is spilling hatred all over Klinsmann. Next game. Germany is drawing 1:1 against Poland in Dortmund, and a serious number of fans pooped their pants (Hey, this rhymes!) because that draw can be considered as a very lucky one. A header by Ballack in the 78th minute was the equalizer. The media spills even more hatred over Klinsmann. The Germans are not going anywhere, they didn’t even start the tournament in their heads, to be honest. And the final 2:0 against Ecuador in the last group stage game makes them coming in at the second spot. Round of the last 16 game against group B winner England. Full stop. German fans are already choking.

This will be the breaking point, the do-or-die. If Germany will overcome this English squad, they will march on to win the World Cup. And Germany starts well, takes the lead with a free-kick by Schweinsteiger. England equalizes in the early second half, Lampard hits it low. The game is over, extra time it is, ladies and gentlemen. Friedrich can’t stop Gerrard, he stumbles and falls – penalty for England in the 114th minute. Friedrich is being red-carded by the ref and sent off. Beckham steps up and chips it right into the midnight sky of Stuttgart. The over-time is done without any goal giving a team the edge. A penalty shootout must decide who can keep their dreams alive.

The stadium announcer puts in a CD – it’s the “Eye of the tiger”. And NO, the fans didn’t vow for Hasselhoff. 3 kick-takers have no trouble with putting it behind the goalies. Beckham undoubtedly hits the net and makes the 4:3 (And pigs are flying thru the skies – that’s not gonna happen, too). Ballack can hold the draw, 4:4. Lampard is denied by the hands of Kahn. Metzelder steps up, hits the post, the ball flips back on the head of James, and it is…. it is…. IIIIIIIIINNNNNNN. What drama we’ve seen here. The English, inconsolably sad of what just happened, turn their backs to the field. Again on penalties, again against those Germans, again going home while having one of the most talented teams by far. Kahn is calmly recognizing the success, but tells his fellow countrymates to shut up and concentrate on the next game while he has a couple of them in a stranglehold.

They lived on happily ever after, and if anybody is following my success story for Germany glory, I will provide you up with the quarterfinal.

Opinion: Germany and Brazil will stage a rematch of last year’s final, with Germany winning in a penalty shootout. Germany once again is in poor form leading up to the World Cup, just as they were four years ago, and we know what happened then. This year they have the home field advantage. Brazil is still Brazil, head and shoulders above most teams in the world. Of course, at this point last time, I thought France and Argentina were shoo-ins to reach the final.