German Ambassadors

May 28th, 2009 | by: Nick |

It has been seven years since the national team was last in Asia. The current team manager Oliver Bierhoff was still playing for Germany, Jürgen Klinsmann was still retired in California, Michael Ballack and Miroslav Klose were two young players amongst a relatively unknown German selection, and the only hope for Germany and Bundestrainer Rudi Völler rested on Oliver Kahn. After a dismal qualifying campaign Germany seemed destined to join the ranks of Uruguay, Hungary, and Austria – nations never to regain the form of their glory days on the world stage. To everyone’s surprise Germany reached a record seventh World Cup final against Brazil. The achievement was a result crafted through teamwork and thanks in no small part to the best player and goalkeeper of the tournament Oliver Kahn. When Germany plays China in Shanghai on Saturday, through injury, club commitments, or retirement no other member of the World Cup 2002 team will be there. Kahn will be there like he always has for the national team, this time however, as a representative of FIFA to promote German football in China.

Another well known German in Asia is also along for the trip. Britta Heidemann won the individual gold medal event in Fencing (Épée) during the recent 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Perhaps she is better known abroad for her appearance in a special issue of German Playboy. Of course distracting the national team is not why she is along for the trip. Britta has a special connection with China. She was an exchange student in China some time ago, majors in Chinese, and is fluent in it. Naturally her good looks, knowledge of the territory, and happy demeanor would be assets to any promotional tour in China. Plus, Germany could use this sexy makeover.

Germany (ranked 2) plays China (ranked 97), already out of qualification, in Shanghai on May 30 before traveling to the UAE for a friendly on June 2. You can catch the in team happenings with DFB-TV and also watch Mario Gomez mumble about his recent transfer to FC Bayern.

Tags: Friendlies, Group A, Team News

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Comments

By diana | May 28th, 2009 at 11:30 pm

‘Perhaps she is better known abroad for her appearance in a special issue of German Playboy.’
I’m sorry I have no knowledge of her until what you wrote, Nick.

The Olympics last year for me was about Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps (that was before what he did) and our female table-tennis team ending a 48-year-old medal drought by eventually coming in second to the host nation China in the final. For a small nation like Singapore, that is as big as…winning the World Cup. When Spain won Euro 2008, I can understand of the elation Spain as a nation felt. It took them 44 years to end such a drought. I know that happened two months before the Olympics but, the pain of not winning something for a long, long time…I can understand the feeling.

Anyhow, but even if Britta Heidemann speaks Chinese fluently, for someone like me who does speak the language as well because that is my second language (it is due to my Chinese ancestry I first learned the language in school and also it is one of the official languages here in my country apart from English)…for one reason or another, it is just uncomfortable. Maybe it is the way I am being brought up.

And since you mentioned Hungary, they are actually currently second in their WC qualifying group in Group A in the European zone. Played a game more than leaders Denmark (Portugal is third) but it is the goal difference which make Hungary second at the moment. I had ’stolen’ all that info from the FIFA website actually. But anyhow for all we know, Hungary may make a return to the world stage. That is if things stay the way they are in Group A.

Posted from Singapore

By diana | May 28th, 2009 at 11:34 pm

I forgot to add about the Olympics part. It was due to the fact that whenever the Olympics come around, the media here will always remind us when was the last time we ever won a medal. The 1960 Olympics in Rome. So when we finally won a medal last year, I knew the media will not be ‘drilling’ us on that again!