Football in Germany
Encyclopedia
Sport in Germany
In 2006 about 27.5 million people were members of the more than 991,000 sport clubs in Germany. Almost all sports clubs are represented by the Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund .-Olympics:...
. The German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
( or ) is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members (roughly eight percent of the population) organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system
League system
A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...
, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
on top, and the winner of the first Bundesliga is crowned the German football champion
German football champions
The German football champions are the annual winners of the highest association football competition in Germany. The history of the German football championship is complex and reflects the turbulent history of the country through the course of the 20th century.Brought to the country by English...
. Additionally, there are national cup competitions, most notably the German Cup (DFB-Pokal).
On an international level, Germany is one of the most successful football nations in the world. The German national football team has won three World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
(1954, 1974, 1990) as well as a record three European Championships (1972, 1980, 1996). The women's national football team
Germany women's national football team
The German women's national football team represents Germany in international women's football and is directed by the German Football Association . The team – informally called West Germany in English – played its first international match in 1982...
has won the Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
twice (2003, 2007) which makes Germany the only nation that has won both the men's and women's World Cup. Germany was the host of the 1974 World Cup
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
, Euro 1988 and the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, and the 2011 Women's World Cup.
First football clubs
The Dresden English football club is considered the first modern football club in Germany. It was founded in 1850 by Englishmen living and working around DresdenDresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. In the following 20 years the game achieved a growing popularity. Football clubs were founded in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
.
Foundation To WWI
On January 28, 1900, representatives from 86 football clubs from in and outside Deutsches ReichDeutsches Reich
Deutsches Reich was the official name for Germany from 1871 to 1945 in the German language.As the literal English translation "German Empire" denotes a monarchy, the term is used only in reference to Germany prior to the fall of the monarchies at the end of World War I in 1918...
met in the restaurant Mariengarten in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, founding the DFB. The founding meeting was led by E. J. Kirmse, chairman of the Leipziger Fussball Verband (Leipziger Football Association). Ferdinand Hueppe, representing the DFC Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, was elected first president of the DFB.
Already some years before 1900, associations like the Bund Deutscher Fussballspieler or Deutscher Fussball und Cricket-Bund were founded, but they were limited to smaller areas of the Deutsches Reich area, in that cases to areas around Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. The first championship beyond municipal areas was held in 1898 from the Verband Sueddeutscher Fussball Vereine (Association of South German football clubs), later affiliated with the DFB.
The German national football team represents Germany in international football competitions since 1908. It is controlled by the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
DFB, the governing body of football in Germany.
Inter-war period
After the war, Germany was occupied in three states. The DFB and its team continued in what was called West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, while the Saarland and East Germany fielded separate teams for some years.
East vs. West: 1974 World Cup game
The FIFA World Cup 1974 was staged in West Germany, and both German teams were drawn in the same group in the first round. Meeting on June 22, 1974 in a politically charged match in Hamburg, East Germany beat West Germany 1-0, on a goal by Jürgen SparwasserJürgen Sparwasser
Jürgen Sparwasser is a retired German football player and later briefly a football manager.Sparwasser started his playing career in the youth department of his hometown club BSG Lokomotive Halberstadt in 1956. In 1965 he moved to 1. FC Magdeburg where he gave his senior debut in January 1966...
. Both German teams advanced to the second round anyway. The GDR team was eliminated there, while the DFB team eventually went on to win the tournament.
Reunification
In the year of German reunificationGerman reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
(1990), West Germany secured its third World Cup as West and East Germans celebrated together. The present-day German national team is identical to the team informally called West Germany from 1949 to 1990 team, as the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
was again recognized by FIFA after WW2. Nothing has changed in 1990 except enlarged membership due to the access of East German states and player, thus the continuity in the German logo and uniform style as well as references to Germany's three World Cup and European Cup titles. Thus, all references to a "former West German team" are false - this team still exists, called Germany.
Germany's greatest triumph since 1990 has been the 1996 European Championship, secured in England as key roles were filled by players from both the former West (Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
as captain) and East (Matthias Sammer
Matthias Sammer
Matthias Sammer is a retired German football player and coach who is now working as technical director of the DFB . He played as a midfielder, and later in his career as a sweeper....
as anchor of the defense).
New millennium
The greatest successes for Germany's men in the new millennium have been their second place finish to Brazil at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, followed by a third place at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and in addition another third place at World Cup 2010. Germany's women have achieved even greater success, winning both the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in the USA and the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China.German Football Association
The national association is the German Football AssociationGerman Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
(or Deutscher Fußball-Bund) headquartered in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
.
The DFB was founded in 1900 in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, by the representatives of 86 clubs. Today, the association has some 26,000 member clubs which field 170,000 teams with over 2 million active players: these numbers include 870,000 female members and 8,600 female teams. The DFB is the world's largest sports federation with over six million members.
Men's
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
(DFB), the governing body of football in Germany. They have won three FIFA World Cups and have been runners up on four occasions.
Since the 1954 World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
, the German national team has been outfitted by the German firm adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
. For home games, the German team wears white jerseys, black shorts, and white socks. Varying levels of red and gold — along with black, the other two colors of the German flag — have been included in this uniform over the years.
Traditionally, the Germans have worn green jerseys, white shorts, and green socks as their alternate uniform. In recent years, however, the Germans have changed the color of their road jerseys and socks to gray (2002–2003), then to black (2004), and finally to red. The Germans wore red as their alternate color in the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
The German national team during the 2006 World Cup was coached by former captain Jürgen Klinsmann. Since July 12, 2006, former Assistant Coach Joachim Löw has coached the national team. Its current captain is Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm is a German footballer who plays for Bayern Munich and Germany. Lahm is also the captain for both the national team and Bayern....
.
Women's
The German women's national football team, also organised by the DFB, are the two-time defending world champions, having won the FIFA Women's World CupFIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
in 2003 under past coach Tina Theune-Meyer
Tina Theune-Meyer
Christina Theune is a graduate sports teacher, and the former national coach of the German women's national football team. After her marriage she bore the surname 'Theune-Meyer' until her divorce in 2008....
and 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup under current coach Silvia Neid
Silvia Neid
Silvia Neid is a former professional soccer player, and, since July 2005, has served as the head coach of the Germany women's national football team after having been assistant to Tina Theune-Meyer for some time...
. They are the first women's team to have successfully defended a World Cup. They have also won the last five UEFA Women's Championship
UEFA Women's Championship
The UEFA European Women's Championship, also called the UEFA Women's Euro and unofficially the "European Cup", held every fourth year, is the main competition in women's association football between national teams of the UEFA Confederation...
s (1995
1995 UEFA Women's Championship
The 1995 UEFA Women's Championship, also referred to as WOMEN'S EURO 1995 was a football tournament that happened between 1993 and 1995 . The final game was held in Germany. The UEFA Women's Championship is a regular tournament involving European national teams from countries affiliated to UEFA,...
, 1997
1997 UEFA Women's Championship
The 1997 UEFA Women's Championship, also referred to as WOMEN'S EURO 1997 was a football tournament held in 1997 in Norway and Sweden. The UEFA Women's Championship is a regular tournament involving European national teams from countries affiliated to UEFA, the European governing body, who have...
, 2001
2001 UEFA Women's Championship
2001 UEFA Women's Championship took place in Germany between June 23 and July 7 . It was won by Germany in the final against Sweden thanks to a golden goal....
, 2005
2005 UEFA Women's Championship
The 2005 UEFA Women's Championship, also referred to as WOMEN'S EURO 2005 , was a football tournament for women held from 5 June to 19 June 2005 in Lancashire, England. The UEFA Women's Championship is a regular tournament involving European national teams from countries affiliated to UEFA, the...
, 2009
2009 UEFA Women's Championship
The 2009 UEFA Women's Championship, or just Women's Euro 2009, was played in Finland between August 23 and September 10, 2009. The host was appointed on July 11, 2006, in a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Berlin and the Finnish proposal won over the Dutch proposal.The UEFA Women's Championship...
). Thus far, Germany is the only nation to have won both the men's and women's World Cups.
The Germany women's team are also the first to have won a World Cup at senior level, either for men or women, without conceding a single goal, having done so in 2007.
Home stadiums
The national teams play in various stadiums throughout Germany. The cities of DüsseldorfDüsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
are some of the more popular locations.
FIFA World Cup
The Germany national football teamGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
has won three FIFA World Cups and have been the runners up on four other occasions. The three World Cup championships are commemorated by the three stars above the German national team logo on the team's jerseys. Germany hosted the World Cups in 1974 and in 2006.
The women's national team
Germany women's national football team
The German women's national football team represents Germany in international women's football and is directed by the German Football Association . The team – informally called West Germany in English – played its first international match in 1982...
has won two FIFA Women's World Cups, commemorated by two stars above the crest on their jerseys. Germany is hosting the 2011 Women's World Cup.
FIFA World Cup 1954
The Wankdorf Stadion in Bern saw 60,000 people cram inside to watch the Final between West Germany and HungaryHungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, a rematch of a first round game, which Hungary had won 8-3. In response to his team's earlier thrashing at the hands of the Hungarians, legendary West German coach Sepp Herberger
Sepp Herberger
Josef "Sepp" Herberger was a German football player and manager...
made key tactical adjustments in his team's lineup prior to the Final. Shortly before the match, it had started raining - in Germany this was dubbed "Fritz-Walter-Wetter" (Fritz Walter Weather) because the German team captain Fritz Walter
Fritz Walter
Friedrich "Fritz" Walter was a German footballer. In his time with the German national team, he won 61 caps and scored 33 goals.-Early club career:...
was said to play his best in rainy weather.
The Final saw the legendary Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
playing even though he was not fully fit. Despite this he put his team ahead after only 6 minutes and, with Zoltan Czibor
Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor Suhai , also referred to as Czibor Zoltán, was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros TC and Honvéd, and Hungary before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good...
adding another two minutes later, it seemed destined that the pre-tournament favourites would take the title.
However, with a goal from Max Morlock
Max Morlock
Maximilian Morlock was one of the most popular German football players in the 1950s and early 1960s. In his time with the West German national team, he earned 26 caps and scored 21 goals...
(10.) and Helmut Rahn
Helmut Rahn
Helmut Rahn, known as Der Boss , was a German football player. He became a legend for having scored the winning goal in the final game of the 1954 FIFA World Cup .- Career :...
(19.) before halftime, the tide began to turn in the Germans' favor. The second half saw telling misses from the Hungarian team as well as a disallowed goal from Puskas with 2 minutes left.
When Rahn scored his second goal barely 6 minutes before the end of the match, the popular German reporter Herbert Zimmermann gave the most famous German piece of commentary of all time - "Rahn schiesst - TOR!" ("Rahn shoots - GOAL!") - while the Hungarian reporter burst into tears. The game would become known as the "Das Wunder von Bern" (the "Miracle of Bern") in German lore and would be the basis for a hugely successful movie in 2003.
FIFA World Cup 1974
The FIFA World Cup 1974 was held in West Germany.Led by legendary libero Franz Beckenbauer, keeper Sepp Maier, playmaker Paul Breitner
Paul Breitner
Paul Breitner is a former German football player. One of Germany's most controversial players, he was capped 48 times for his country.-Playing career:...
, and strikers Uli Hoeneß and "Der Bomber" Gerd Müller
Gerd Müller
Gerhard "Gerd" Müller is a former German football player and one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time.With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances, 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and the international record of 66 goals in 74 European Club games, he was one of the...
(Germany's all-time leading scorer with 68 goals in 62 games), Germany won its second World Cup by defeating the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in the final, 2-1, behind goals by Breitner and Müller. The Final was famous for the battle between Kaiser Franz (Beckenbauer) and King Johann (Cruyff).
The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup, was awarded. The previous trophy, the Jules Rimet Trophy, was won for the third time by Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
in 1970 and awarded permanently to the Brazilians.
FIFA World Cup 1990
In a tournament which included a memorable clash with rival Holland, Germany defeated ArgentinaArgentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
, 1-0, on an Andreas Brehme penalty kick, to win its third World Cup title. With its third title (and three second place finishes), West Germany became the most successful World Cup nation for 4 years, until Brazil won their 4th Championship in 1994. West German team manager Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
became the second footballer, after Mario Zagallo of Brazil, to become World Champion as a player (in 1974) and as team manager. In doing so, Beckenbauer also became the first captain of a winning team to later manage a winning squad.
FIFA Women's World Cup 2003
The 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup was held in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(changed from China due to the SARS epidemic) and won by Germany, who defeated Sweden
Sweden women's national football team
Sweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...
by 2-1 in extra time. Earlier in the semifinals they had disposed of the defending champions and hosts, the US
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
, 3-0.
FIFA World Cup 2006
Germany hosted the 2006 FIFA World Cup2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
. Thirty-two nations competed in the tournament, with matches played in a dozen cities ranging from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
in the north to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in the south; Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
was the only former East city to hold matches (the matches at Berlin were held at former West Berliner territory). The opening match (Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
vs Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
) was held on June 9 in the Allianz Arena
Allianz Arena
The Allianz Arena is a football stadium in the north of Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The two professional Munich football clubs FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München have played their home games at Allianz Arena since the start of the 2005–06 season...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, with Germany defeating Costa Rica 4-2. The final match took place in Olymiastadion Berlin one month later between Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. The match was drawn 1-1 at full time and after extra time. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
was controversially sent off for headbutting Italy's Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi , is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender, and is currently a free agent.At the beginning of his career, Materazzi played with various Italian teams in Serie B and Serie C, and with Premier League side Everton. He spent two periods with Perugia and signed for...
with 10 minutes to go before the match went into penalties. France lost to Italy in the shootout 5-3.
Germany defeated Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
3-1 in the third place play off at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion
Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion
The Mercedes-Benz Arena is a stadium located in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany and home to German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart.Before 1993 it was called Neckarstadion, named after the nearby river Neckar and between 1993 and July 2008 it was called Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
on July 8. Miroslav Klose won the Golden Boot for the highest goalscorer of the tournament with 5 goals. Lukas Podolski
Lukas Podolski
Lukas Josef Podolski ; born Łukasz Podolski ) on 4 June 1985 in Gliwice, Poland) is a German footballer who plays as a striker/winger for 1. FC Köln and for the German national team. He joined 1. FC Köln in 1995 where he broke into the first team in 2003 and made 81 appearances for the club before...
received the Best Young Player Award.
FIFA Women's World Cup 2007
The 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup was held in ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and won by Germany, who became the first women's team to successfully defend the title. In the opening match in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Germany beat Argentina
Argentina women's national football team
The Argentina women's national football team represents Argentina in international women's football. Since there is no professional league in Argentina, almost all its members are amateur players....
by a record 11-0. Nadine Angerer, the key goalkeeper, went unbeaten the entire tournament. In the final at Shanghai, Germany beat Brazil
Brazil women's national football team
The Brazil women's national football team represents Brazil in international women's association football. Brazil played their first game on July 22, 1986 against the United States....
, 2-0.
Birgit Prinz
Birgit Prinz
Birgit Prinz is a former German female professional association football player. She last played for 1. FFC Frankfurt and the German national team. Prinz is one of the game's most prolific strikers and the FIFA Women's World Cup all-time leading scorer with 14 goals . She has been named FIFA...
became the all-time top World Cup goalscorer with 14 goals total.
2010 FIFA World Cup
Germany finished third for the second consecutive time, behind SpainSpain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. Germany was the team that scored the most goals in the FIFA World Cup 2010, with three 4-goal hauls. They lost to only two teams, Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
and Spain. Thomas Müller
Thomas Müller
Thomas Müller was a German Waffen-SS Colonel who commanded the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen and the 27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division Langemarck during World War II...
won the Golden Shoe and Best Young Player award.
FIFA Women's World Cup 2011
The 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup is currently being held in Germany. The competition kicked off with two matches on 26 June—the first in SinsheimRhein-Neckar-Arena
The Rhein-Neckar Arena is a multi-purpose stadium in Sinsheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is used mostly for football matches and hosts the home matches of 1899 Hoffenheim. The stadium has a capacity of 30,150 people...
pitting France
France women's national football team
The French women's national football team represents France in international women's football. The team is directed by the French Football Federation and competes as a member of UEFA in various international football tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA Women's Euro, the Summer...
and Nigeria
Nigeria women's national football team
The Nigeria national women's football team, nicknamed the Super Falcons, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation...
, followed by the official opening match in Berlin
Olympic Stadium (Berlin)
The Olympiastadion is a sports stadium in Berlin, Germany. There have been two stadiums on the site: the present facility, and one that is called the Deutsches Stadion which was built for the aborted 1916 Summer Olympics. Both were designed by members of the same family, the first by Otto March...
featuring Germany and Canada
Canada women's national soccer team
The Canada women's national soccer team is overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association. The team reached its all-time high of 6th in the March 2011 rankings. The team reached international prominence finishing in 4th place at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003, losing to their archrival American team...
. The final is set for 17 July in Frankfurt
Commerzbank-Arena
The Commerzbank-Arena is a sports stadium in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. Commonly known by its original name, Waldstadion , the stadium opened in 1925. The stadium has been upgraded several times since then; the most recent remodelling was its redevelopment as a football-only stadium in preparation...
.
UEFA European Championship
Germany have won three European Championship (19721972 UEFA European Football Championship
-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Statistics:*Fastest goal: 24 minutes**Raoul Lambert **Gerd Müller -Top scorers:...
, 1980
1980 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1980 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Italy. This was the sixth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. With eight teams competing, the final tournament took place between 11 and 22 June 1980...
and 1996), but made poor showings in the last two competitions held in 2000 and 2004. The German team also placed second in the 1976, 1992 and 2008 championships.
UEFA Euro Cup 1972
In Euro 1972, a young West German team that would go on to win the World Cup two years later captured the first of its three European Cup titles. In the two-leg quarter-finals, Germany first crushed England, 3-1, in Wembley Stadium on April 29, 1972, then closed the door by earning a 0-0 draw in Berlin. The Germans then advanced to the finals in Belgium, where they defeated the host nation, 2-1, in the semifinal and the Soviet Union, 3-0, in the final to capture their first major championship since the Miracle of Bern."This is the best team we ever had," stated former coach Helmut Schön
Helmut Schön
Helmut Schön was a German football player and manager. He is best remembered for his exceptional career as manager of West Germany....
in the hour of his triumph. In admiration of the German effort, the French L’Equipe wrote: "Brussels witnessed the rehabilitation of attacking football." Even The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
admitted: "Germany has the most talented football team on the continent."
UEFA Euro Cup 1980
Only 8 years passed before the Germans secured their next title. After defeating CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
, Holland, and Greece in the opening round, Germany got past Belgium, 2-1, in the final behind two goals by Horst Hrubesch
Horst Hrubesch
Horst Hrubesch is a retired German football player employed as a youth trainer at the German Football Association. His nickname was Das Kopfball-Ungeheuer for his heading skills.-Career:...
. This tournament would be the first of many for midfielder Lothar Matthäus
Lothar Matthäus
Lothar Herbert Matthäus , is a German football manager and former player.In 1990, he was named European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year after captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup...
, who would retire after Euro 2000 as Germany's most capped (experienced) player with 150 national team appearances.
Euro 96
In 1996, Germany won perhaps its most memorable European Championship and its first major championship since reunification. Led by captain Jürgen Klinsmann on offense and Matthias Sammer on defense, the Germans easily defeated the Czech Republic, 2-0, and Russia, 3-0, in the first round. A hard-fought 0-0 draw against Italy completed the first round and saw Germany through to the quarterfinals, where it defeated Croatia 2-1.This victory set the stage for a classic battle against England, again in Wembley Stadium, in the tournament semifinals. After England jumped in front with a goal in the third minute, the Germans - playing without injured captain Klinsmann - fought back and equalized behind a Stefan Kuntz goal in the 16. minute. Both teams fought through the remainder of regulation and two sudden-death 15-minute overtime periods without scoring, leading to a dramatic penalty kick shootout. In the shootout, German keeper Andreas Köpke
Andreas Köpke
Andreas Köpke is a former German football goalkeeper who was in the German squad that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and was also part of the 1994 FIFA World Cup squad...
held England's sixth attempt, allowing Andreas Möller to stun the Wembley faithful and send Germany through to the final.
In the final, Germany fell behind the same Czech squad it had defeated earlier in the tournament on a controversial (bad) penalty kick decision. Nonetheless, the Germans displayed their usual fighting spirit and tied the game on substitute Oliver Bierhoff
Oliver Bierhoff
Oliver Bierhoff is a retired German former football striker, who scored the first golden goal in the history of major international football, for Germany in the Euro 96 final...
's 73. minute header. Regulation ended in a 1-1 tie. Five minutes into the first sudden-death overtime, it was again Oliver Bierhoff who led the Germans to victory with his historic golden goal. Largely because of his outstanding defensive efforts in the tournament, Matthias Sammer was voted "Europe's Player of the Year" after the finals.
Bundesliga
The country's main football competition is the 18-team BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
. Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
has won a record of twenty-one championships since the formation of the league in 1963. Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
is the only team to have played in every Bundesliga season. The second-tier league is known as the 2. Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
. A 3. Liga
3rd Liga
The 3rd Liga is the third division of football in Germany. The league started with the beginning of the 2008–09 season, when it replaced the Regionalliga as the third tier football league in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2...
, to be run directly by the DFB instead of the DFB-affiliated German Football League (DFL, from the German Deutsche Fußball Liga) which operates the two Bundesligen, was introduced in 2008.
German Cup
The German Cup (German: "DFB-Pokal", Deutscher Fußball Bund-Pokal) is a national football tournament held annually since 1952. It is the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga championship.Each football club which participates in the German football league system is entitled to enter the tournament. The clubs of the lower leagues play in regional qualification rounds, with the winners joining the teams of the Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga in the main round of the tournament in the following year. Each elimination is determined by a single game held on the ground of one of the two participating teams. Since 1985 the final has been held each year at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Bayern Munich has won the cup a record 12 times.
The Tschammer-Pokal was the predecessor to today's cup competition. It was introduced in 1934-35 and contested until 1944.
Divided after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Germany had two cup competitions with East German sides competing for the East German Cup (German: "FDGB-Pokal", Freie Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund-Pokal or Free German Trade Union Federation Cup). Introduced in 1949, the cup was contested annually until 1991 when the tournament was ended in the wake of German re-unification and the merger of the football leagues of the two Germanys.
Participation in European competition
Under current co-efficient rankings, Germany are guaranteed at least three UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
spots and three UEFA Europa League spots. Clubs finishing first and second in the Bundesliga are put into the group stage of the Champions League and the club finishing third is placed in the play-off round of the Champions League. The fourth- and fifth-place finishers enter the Europa League, respectively in the play-off round and third qualifying round. The winner of the DFB Cup also enters the play-off round of the Europa League. However, if the winner of the DFB Cup has already been granted a place in the Champions League through league standings, then the runner-up will be granted a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League. If the DFB Cup winner (or the runner-up in case the winner has already qualified to Champions League) is qualified for the Europa League through league standings, then the sixth-place team in the Bundesliga will be awarded a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League. Germany may qualify for an additional Europa League spot through UEFA's Fair Play draw.
Foreign players in Germany
There are many foreign football players in the German professional football leagues. As of November 2009, there are 249 foreign players in the 1. BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
, resulting in a foreigner ratio of 45%. In the 2. Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
, there are 145 foreign players, with a ratio of 31%. In the 3. Bundesliga, the foreigner ratio is 15%.
See also
- Women's football in GermanyWomen's football in GermanyWomen's football in Germany is quickly become very popular in Germany largely due to the success of the women's national team.- History :Women in Germany have been playing football since the turn of the 20th century, but females playing sports were frowned upon by the general population...
- East Germany national football teamEast Germany national football teamThe East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
- 1954 FIFA World Cup1954 FIFA World CupThe 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
- 1974 FIFA World Cup1974 FIFA World CupThe 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
- 1990 FIFA World Cup1990 FIFA World CupThe 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
- 2006 FIFA World Cup2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
- UEFA Euro 1972
- UEFA Euro 1980
- UEFA Euro 1988
- UEFA Euro 1996
- UEFAUEFAThe Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
- FIFAFIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...