Football European Championship 2024: Federal President Steinmeier visits the German group – appointment for the ultimate day | EUROtoday
Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.
Federal President Steinmeier visits the group – appointment for the ultimate day
“He can still do a little something, the uncle”
Thomas Müller is trying ahead to the European Championship with nice anticipation. “There is no alternative but to be over the moon,” mentioned the Bayern star. When requested about his function within the group, he mentioned: “It is not my job to entertain people.”
Visit by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier throughout the preparations for the European Championship, beer and bratwurst announcement by Chancellor Olaf Scholz: Julian Nagelsmann and the German nationwide group can depend on the assist of political celebrities. That's a practice.
It was 3:32 p.m. on Wednesday when the Federal President's entourage rolled as much as the “Spa & Golf Resort” in Weimar. Frank-Walter Steinmeier acquired out of a black limousine and was obtained by Bernd Neuendorf, the President of the German Football Association (DFB), and sports activities director Rudi Völler. The welcome was heat, and everybody hugged. Steinmeier had arrived 17 days earlier than the beginning of the European Championships at house to say a number of phrases to the German nationwide soccer group.
“Major football tournaments always make hearts beat faster, mine too, especially in our own country,” mentioned Steinmeier after assembly the DFB group, together with captain Ilkay Gündogan and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. “My impression is that the ambition is huge. I, like so many Germans, am keeping my fingers crossed that the players' dream of becoming European champions will come true.” Neuendorf pressured that they had been “very grateful that the Federal President was with us.” They had agreed to satisfy in Berlin on July 14 – that’s when the European Championship last will happen within the Olympic Stadium.
High-ranking customer: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (l.) stands with Rudi Völler (r.) and Bernd Neuendorf
Those: dpa/Federico Gambarini
The DFB group shall be getting ready for the European Championships on house soil in Thuringia till Friday. Then they are going to transfer to the match headquarters in Herzogenaurach. The opening match of the European Championships will happen on June 14 in Munich towards Scotland.
Angela Merkel particularly maintained good contact
Visits by high-ranking German politicians are a practice for the German group. Angela Merkel, Chancellor from 2005 to 2021, particularly maintained relationship with the German elite group. She had a very good relationship with Oliver Bierhoff, former director of the DFB, and Joachim Löw, nationwide coach from 2006 to 2021. They met commonly for dinner. “The Chancellor always serves me cordon bleu with French fries or fried potatoes,” Löw as soon as reported after a gathering.
In 2010, when the German group was getting ready for the World Cup in Eppan/South Tyrol, Merkel needed to cancel a go to to the coaching camp at quick discover. Horst Köhler, then Federal President, had resigned. There are extra vital issues than soccer. Merkel then visited the World Cup match, flying in for the quarter-final towards Argentina. She noticed the exhilarating 4-0 win reside on web site in Cape Town. After the sport, she went to the dressing room, gave a brief speech and flew again house.
Just a number of months later, when the DFB group met Turkey in Berlin, she visited the group once more. After the match, which Germany gained 3-0, she went into the dressing room with the then Federal President Christian Wulff, his daughter, a photographer and the previous authorities spokesman Steffen Seibert. Afterwards, a photograph went around the globe displaying Merkel with Mesut Özil. The then Chancellor in a blazer, Özil in tracksuit bottoms and shirtless.
Angela Merkel additionally visited the nationwide group in 2012, when the European Championship came about in Poland and Ukraine. She stopped by the camp in Sopot, Poland. In 2014, when Germany gained the World Cup in Brazil, Merkel was there reside on the last in Rio de Janeiro.
Chancellor Scholz: Fans ought to assist German group at European Championships
Chancellor Olaf Scholz can also be trying ahead to the upcoming European Championships and is hoping for a profitable house match for the German group. “I hope there will be great enthusiasm in Germany, but also in the world, for this European Championship. And of course I hope that our team is carried by this enthusiasm and has many successes so that it goes all the way to the end,” mentioned the SPD politician on “Spielmacher – the European Championship podcast from 360Media with Sebastian Hellmann.”
“I've also resolved to watch as many games as possible. I, for one, am full of admiration for what the boys can do and am happy to be able to watch it – with bratwurst and beer in the garden, by the way,” mentioned Scholz. “It would be completely absurd to constantly feel like Chancellor. Life has many beautiful aspects, and they are not connected to the office at all. You need these moments and this time, and I definitely need them too.”
He informs himself concerning the video games, however is a fan and spectator and doesn’t really feel like a “top expert,” mentioned Scholz. “The best thing to do is to go in there as a team and concentrate on the game – and not think at all about what everyone else thinks,” mentioned the 65-year-old. “That is probably the most important advice: 'It's up to you now. You are the team, don't look at others, don't think about what others think.'”
https://www.welt.de/sport/article251760348/Fussball-EM-2024-Bundespraesident-Steinmeier-besucht-die-deutsche-Mannschaft-Verabredung-fuer-den-Finaltag.html