From Father to Son: Conceição Revives the Ghost of "Ruckelfußball"
Revived "Rumple Football" by DFB-Albtraum Coach Conceição
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link It's been 25 years since Germany last lost to Portugal in a major tournament. Since the disastrous Euro 2000, where Sergio Conceição outplayed Oliver Kahn three times. Now, his son is coaching against Germany - and the ghost of "Ruckelfußball" haunts once more.
"Ruckelfußball" against Portugal, some might say. Admittedly, the recent defeat wasn't quite as disastrous, despite the setback. Even if "many things went terribly wrong," as captain Joshua Kimmich put it after the 1:2 loss in his 100th international match. Even if coach Julian Nagelsmann saw the "worst ten minutes in a long time."
But there's a point in DFB history that makes the sins of the past look tame: the turn of the millennium. Euro 2000 saw the birth of the term "Ruckelfußball." Under coach Erich Ribbeck, there was no high-quality football. A poor tactical setup combined with unattractive play and internal strife within the team led to Germany's elimination from both the 1999 Confederations Cup and Euro 2000. It was Franz Beckenbauer who introduced the term "Ruckelfußball" into the German vocabulary.
Since then, 25 years have passed, and even if the German team delivered one of its poorest performances in a year and a half, the name "Ruckelfußball" recalls not so much Germany's own struggles as those of its foe. Germany's group stage match against Portugal at Euro 2000 was the disaster's pièce de résistance. Germany needed a win to advance. Instead, they suffered a 0:3 defeat and were eliminated - because Sergio Conceicão scored three goals. The name Conceicão has been etched into the annals of German football as a bogeyman.
Ask Oliver Kahn about it! He remembers the bitter taste of those moments. The first goal was scored by Conceicão with a header from close range, Kahn dived but arrived too late, and the ball had already found the net. For the second goal, Conceicão shot from the edge of the penalty area, Kahn dove – and let the ball slip through his hands and feet. A fitting advertisement for anything but his skills. For the third goal, Conceicão scored from the right into the far corner, leaving Germany's goalkeeper sprawled on the ground with his eyes wide open, unable to save the shot.
The Duel of Fathers and Sons
And now? Francisco Conceicão lines up against the German team in the third-place match of the Nations League. Indeed, the son. Once more, a Conceicão proves a thorn in the side of the DFB. Germany will not reach the final, thanks to Francisco Conceicão.
Francisco Conceicão entered the game in the 58th minute and scored the equalizing goal five minutes later with a stunning long-range shot after a powerful run from the right. Cristiano Ronaldo, of all people, scored the winning goal for Portugal - but agile Francisco Conceicão won the man-of-the-match award after Portugal's entry into the Nations League final.
Sports Defeat by a Haunting Legend: Eternal Ronaldo Knocks Out the German Team - Title Dream Shattered Yet, the young professional takes pride in continuing their family's legacy against Germany. "I speak with my father every day before each game," Conceicão said. "That's our ritual. He wishes me luck and tells me to give my all."
Before the start of the year, this bond might have been tested. Francisco Conceicão played on loan for Juventus Turin in the recently concluded season, and his father stood against him as the coach of AC Milan in the Supercoppa. The elder Conceicão emerged victorious - and also won the title against city rivals Inter. However, the victory did not save his job. Hired only in December, the 50-year-old will also leave his post at the end of the season. Milan finished eighth, their worst placement in the last ten years.
Sports Surprise: Joshua Kimmich scores against his own father in the tunnel Even the Conceicão family is not invincible. Perhaps the elder Conceicão found a glimmer of consolation in his son's goal. "It was a moment of instinct," said Conceicão. "When I struck the ball, I knew it would find the net. I could help my team, and that makes me happy." Of course, he now hopes to start in the final on Sunday (from 8:15 PM CET on RTL, RTL+, and in the ntv.de live ticker) against Spain or France. But that's up to the coach. "Whether I start or come off the bench, I always aim to contribute to the team," said Conceicão.
Source: ntv.de, ara/dpa
- Football National Team
- Nations League
- Julian Nagelsmann
- Ruckelfußball is a colloquial German expression that describes a style of play that is physically demanding, aggressive, and less refined in terms of skill or technique, but there is no specific connection between Portugal, the Conceição family, and the term in historical or contemporary football contexts. The Conceição family is known in football through Sérgio Conceição, but there is no widely documented connection to this term.
During the Nations League, sports-analysis revealed a turning point in the father-son duel between German coach Julian Nagelsmann and Portuguese player Francisco Conceicão. Francisco's equalizing goal, scored with a stunning long-range shot, mirrored the legacy of his father Sérgio, who had previously given Germany nightmares in a group stage match at Euro 2000. Even amidst pre-match rivalries and personal struggles, such as Conceicão playing on loan for Juventus Turin against his father's AC Milan, the younger Conceicão reaffirmed his commitment to the family vocation through community aid and vocational training: "I always aim to contribute to the team," he stated.
