FOOTBALL FACTS: 7 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT GERMANY
You can’t kick off the football season without knowing your football facts – you risk making a fool of yourself with that uncle that knows the game like the back of his hand, or at the pub with those friends that are crazy football fanatics. But worry not- we have your back. In the coming week’s we’ll be sharing a series of football-themed posts centered around our favorite football nations (and likely winners), and giving you a quick, easily digestible overview of the history, players, language and chants that make these big football nations tick. First off – Germany.
Although Germany has already won the World Cup three times: in 1954, 1974 and 1990, it’s been nearly a quarter of a century since the last win when Germany beat Argentina in a nail-bitingly thrilling game. There’s a lot of buzz around the German team this year, so get your facts straight and read through our crash course on all things Fußball (football in German.)
1. THE STARS
Bastian Schweinsteiger (aka “Schweini”), Position: Midfielder, Club: Bayern Munich
Philip Lahm (the captain or “Der Kapitän”), Position: Defense, Club: Bayern Munich
Tobias Müller, Position: Midfielder , Club: Bayern Munich
Sami Khedira, Position: Midfielder, Club: Real Madrid
Mesut Özil, Position: Midfielder, Club: FC Arsenal London
Manuel Neuer, Position: Goal Keeper, Club: Bayern Munich
2. “JOGI”, THE TRAINER & HIS INCREDIBLE HAIR
Joachim Löws (aka “Jogi”) has been the trainer of the German national team since 2006. He is famous for his classy outfits and incredible hair. Just Google the man.
3. FOOTBALL VOCAB “AUF DEUTSCH”
There are some German football expressions you should absolutely know (especially if you’re watching games with Germans):
Tor – goal
Abseits – offside
Mittelfeld – midfield
Stürmer – striker
Abwehr – defense
Kapitän – captain
Schiedsrichter – referee
Elfmeterschießen – penalty shoot-out (quite a mouthful, huh?)
Verlängerung – extra time
Freistoß – free kick
Ecke – corner
4. PUBLIC VIEWINGS ARE A BIG DEAL
During big football events and important finals every single café, restaurant and beer garden in Germany puts up screens to show the game. Everyone from kids to grandmas come together to watch and cheer together. In Berlin and Munich there are also the so-called “fan miles” at the Brandenburger Tor and on Leopoldstraße where up to a million people gather to watch the games together – all dressed in black, red and gold (the German colors!)
5. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHANTS
“Ole, Ole, Ole, Super Deutschland, Ole” – This is the German version of the international chant “Ole, Ole, Ole, We Are The Champions, Ole”
“Dschland, Dschland” – Means: “Germany, Germany” and as “Deutschland” is so long, we shorten it and just say “Dschland”
“So sehen Sieger aus, shalalalala“ – This chant is used when the team is doing really well (aka “winning”). It means: “That’s how champions look like, shalalalala”
“Einer geht noch, einer geht noch rein“ – Used when the team is scoring quiet often. It means: „One more goal is still possible”
6. GERMANS LOVE THEIR FOOTBALL SONGS
Sportfreunde Stiller: ’54, ’74, ’90, 2010‘
Herbert Grönemeyer: Zeit, dass sich was dreht
Xavier Naidoo: Dieser Weg (Fun Fact: The German players were listing to that song at the last Word Cup before leaving the cabin and that’s how it became a football song)
7. …AND THEY CELEBRATE WITH BEER SHOWERS
You can’t kick off the football season without knowing your football facts – you risk making a fool of yourself with that uncle that knows the game like the back of his hand, or at the pub with those friends that are crazy football fanatics. But worry not- we have your back. In the coming week’s we’ll be sharing a series of football-themed posts centered around our favorite football nations (and likely winners), and giving you a quick, easily digestible overview of the history, players, language and chants that make these big football nations tick. First off – Germany.
Although Germany has already won the World Cup three times: in 1954, 1974 and 1990, it’s been nearly a quarter of a century since the last win when Germany beat Argentina in a nail-bitingly thrilling game. There’s a lot of buzz around the German team this year, so get your facts straight and read through our crash course on all things Fußball (football in German.)
1. THE STARS
Bastian Schweinsteiger (aka “Schweini”), Position: Midfielder, Club: Bayern Munich
Philip Lahm (the captain or “Der Kapitän”), Position: Defense, Club: Bayern Munich
Tobias Müller, Position: Midfielder , Club: Bayern Munich
Sami Khedira, Position: Midfielder, Club: Real Madrid
Mesut Özil, Position: Midfielder, Club: FC Arsenal London
Manuel Neuer, Position: Goal Keeper, Club: Bayern Munich
2. “JOGI”, THE TRAINER & HIS INCREDIBLE HAIR
Joachim Löws (aka “Jogi”) has been the trainer of the German national team since 2006. He is famous for his classy outfits and incredible hair. Just Google the man.
3. FOOTBALL VOCAB “AUF DEUTSCH”
There are some German football expressions you should absolutely know (especially if you’re watching games with Germans):
Tor – goal
Abseits – offside
Mittelfeld – midfield
Stürmer – striker
Abwehr – defense
Kapitän – captain
Schiedsrichter – referee
Elfmeterschießen – penalty shoot-out (quite a mouthful, huh?)
Verlängerung – extra time
Freistoß – free kick
Ecke – corner
4. PUBLIC VIEWINGS ARE A BIG DEAL
During big football events and important finals every single café, restaurant and beer garden in Germany puts up screens to show the game. Everyone from kids to grandmas come together to watch and cheer together. In Berlin and Munich there are also the so-called “fan miles” at the Brandenburger Tor and on Leopoldstraße where up to a million people gather to watch the games together – all dressed in black, red and gold (the German colors!)
5. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHANTS
“Ole, Ole, Ole, Super Deutschland, Ole” – This is the German version of the international chant “Ole, Ole, Ole, We Are The Champions, Ole”
“Dschland, Dschland” – Means: “Germany, Germany” and as “Deutschland” is so long, we shorten it and just say “Dschland”
“So sehen Sieger aus, shalalalala“ – This chant is used when the team is doing really well (aka “winning”). It means: “That’s how champions look like, shalalalala”
“Einer geht noch, einer geht noch rein“ – Used when the team is scoring quiet often. It means: „One more goal is still possible”
6. GERMANS LOVE THEIR FOOTBALL SONGS
Sportfreunde Stiller: ’54, ’74, ’90, 2010‘
Herbert Grönemeyer: Zeit, dass sich was dreht
Xavier Naidoo: Dieser Weg (Fun Fact: The German players were listing to that song at the last Word Cup before leaving the cabin and that’s how it became a football song)
7. …AND THEY CELEBRATE WITH BEER SHOWERS
In German football victories are celebrates with beer showers, not champagne ones, preferably from a huge mug.
Germany is in the pretty strong group G together with Portugal, USA and Ghana this year. The first game will be against Portugal on June 16 at 6pm CET. GET READY!
Germany is in the pretty strong group G together with Portugal, USA and Ghana this year. The first game will be against Portugal on June 16 at 6pm CET. GET READY!
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