"Champagne, anyone?" A changed tune for the German national team after the Portugal debacle
Slumped DFB-Elf Post Portugal Defeat
Times have certainly changed! On Wednesday, the German national team takes on Portugal in the Nations League semi-finals. In complete contrast to the 1996 European Championship, where this match was the final nail in the coffin for German football, today there's excitement in the air. The national team's recent success has brought back the fun.
Back in '96, goalkeeper Oliver Kahn had had enough after the disastrous European Championship performance. In an interview, he bluntly criticized his teammates and the national team's coach, Erich Ribbeck. The German team had played an unimpressive tournament, culminating in a 0-3 loss to Portugal in Rotterdam. Not only was the team outplayed but also lost all dignity during this dismal sports event.
The public scandals that followed the humiliation spoke volumes. German football was on its knees. Remarkably, Kahn's scathing comments about his teammates' drinking habits were confirmed by the national team's goalkeeping coach, Sepp Maier, in a historical document.
Sepp Maier, a World Cup winner in 1974 and a long-serving national team player, had already sensed the looming disaster before the European Championship. He had witnessed rebellious behavior among some German players during the Spanish training camp as they attempted to oust coach Erich Ribbeck.
"I don't need to drink to rebel"
On the night that was famously referred to as the failed "Mallorca Revolution," Maier spoke out against the reckless players: "They were talking nonsense until the wee hours. If they wanted to oust Ribbeck with such nonsense, then I'm Huber. I do that when I'm sober, not when I've had three or four beers and a bottle of wine. Then everyone's a hero." Maier offered a generous interpretation for the rebellious national players: "I believe that in their inebriated state, they wouldn't have found Ribbeck's bedroom, let alone ousted him."
Following the "football shame" of Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium, the German magazine "Sport Bild" asked poignantly: "Will we ever get out of this?" Plagued by internal divisions, bereft of genuine leadership, and lacking a clear strategy to recover, German football was facing a mountain of challenges 25 years ago. It seemed unlikely that the German national team would recover quickly in the aftermath of the Portugal debacle.
Redemption and Resilience
Yet, football has a knack for defying expectations. Just two years later, the devastating loss to Portugal and the group stage exit at Euro 2000 were barely remembered. Under new coach Rudi Völler, the German team regained the support of German fans and reached the World Cup final against Brazil in 2002. Although Germany lost that match, "Rudi Nazionale" had brought the football community together in Germany.
“Will we ever get out of this?” the magazines had asked 25 years ago – a question that seems archaic today given the transformation of the German national team. As they prepare to take on Portugal once again, it seems that the German team has indeed transcended the dark days of the past.
With Julian Nagelsmann at the helm, the German national team is enjoying its successes and, most importantly, the camaraderie that comes with it. The contrast to the despair of the year 2000 could not be more striking. The upcoming match in Munich on Wednesday will be eagerly anticipated by fans, and if the German team manages to reach the final of the Nations League, there will certainly be celebrations in the bars afterwards. After all, as Oliver Kahn might say with a smile, "Who runs, plays, and fights, can also enjoy a drink!"
In contrast to the dismal performance and subsequent humiliation of the German national football team in the 1996 European Championship, notably losing to Portugal 0-3, the team now prepares for the semi-finals of the Nations League against Portugal with renewed excitement. This transformation is a testament to the resilience and redemption found in sports, especially football. Former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who was critical of the team after the 1996 tournament, might find it fitting to raise a glass, acknowledging that those who run, play, and fight, can indeed enjoy a drink.
