Useless EM Charm - When Balthazar the Cockerel Was Kicked Out of the Stadium
The 2024 European Championship draw is happening today in Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie concert hall, marking the beginning of a fresh chapter in the thrilling history of the European Championships. Here are some fascinating, peculiar, and surprising stories from the European Championship's past.
Since the 1982 World Cup in Spain, French nurse Clément Tomaszewski had attended every tournament with his national team, and since the 1998 World Cup in his home country, he never missed a match without his lucky charm, the cockerel Balthazar. This living talisman accompanied him until the Euro 2016 final in Paris, where the sad rooster and his owner were banned from the stadium. It seems Balthazar was just another form of bad luck for the Équipe Tricolore, as they lost the final against Portugal.
Interestingly, Balthazar had already been denied entrance once before. In 2002, during the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, he stayed at home due to bird flu. Tomaszewski even purchased a replacement at the Seoul animal market, but the folks in France were eliminated in the preliminary round without scoring a single goal.
Who Chooses the Game Changer?
Who can forget the tale of tiny Shkodran? Before the German team's first match at Euro 2016 in France, a journalist and soon-to-be father announced he would name his child after Germany's first goalscorer during the opening match against Ukraine. Remarkably, that special someone was none other than Mustafi. When Mustafi heard the story, he joked that he would treat little Shkodran to an ice cream when he returned to Germany. Unfortunately, we can't say for sure if that ever happened.
Euro 2016 is still fresh in our memories due to the long stretches of dull football, prompting TV producers to focus more on the amusing fans than the players. One game in particular stood out for its five creative chums with sunburned faces and a distinctive banner that read, "Don't Film Us! Our Wives Think We're Fishing in West Wales."
The Human Touch After Heartbreak
Fans also recalled the 2008 European Championship preliminary round exit, when French national team coach Raymond Domenech made headlines by professing his love for his girlfriend, Estelle Denis, in front of TV cameras. Distracted and stunned, Estelle found herself in the live studio as her supposed fiancé declared his intentions. The following day, Domenech regretted his decision, stating, "I showed human emotion during a time when I should have remained professional." Thankfully, the pair never tied the knot.
Biographical Information:
- Raymond Domenech: French football manager, former national team coach
- Estelle Denis: French model and TV personality
Record Breakers and Unforgettable Moments
Wayne Rooney became England's youngest European Championship goalscorer at the 2004 European Championship in Portugal. However, his 18-year, 7-month, 24-day record only lasted for four days. Swiss striker Johan Vonlanthen broke the record when he scored in a group match against France. Rooney's record remains unchallenged to this day.
The Rehakles Shimmy - A Tribute to a Legendary Coach
Following Austria's victory at the 2004 European Championships, Austrian musician DJ Ötzi honored Greek coach Otto Rehhagel by dedicating his hit "Tanz den Rehakles" (Dance the Rehakles) to him. Ötzi sang lively to sirtaki rhythms, inviting listeners to dance in honor of the champion: "Come dance the Rehakles with me, dance around the Acropolis."
Saalbau Witten Inspires Champions of 1980
During Germany's victorious 1980 European Championship, the team's favorite song was "Sie müssen nur den Nippel durch die Lasche zieh'n" (You just have to pull the nipple through the hole) by Mike Krüger. The players sang and whistled the song all day, which hit number one on the German charts and sold 600,000 copies. Following a concert at the Saalbau Witten, Mike Krüger's guest, Karl Dall, had to finish the show when the singer fell ill with an infection. Despite Krüger's hoarseness, the song continued to resonate with fans, especially after Germany's triumphant victory.
Insights:
- French nurse Clément Tomaszewski attended every tournament with his national team, accompanied by his lucky charm, Balthazar.
- In 2002, Balthazar was banned due to bird flu and missed Germany's elimination in the preliminary round.
- Raymond Domenech's unusual post-match interview during the 2008 European Championship exit contributed to France's disappointing performance.
- Shkodran Mustafi hoped to be named after the first German goalscorer but ended up being the one who scored the crucial first goal against Ukraine.
Enrichment Data:
Balthazar was banned from the stadium during Euro 2016 because he was the mascot of Portugal, whom France faced in the final match. The ban followed the rules of the tournament, which prohibits mascots from entering the playing field or interfering with the game. Mascots provide a source of entertainment and fandom but do not impact the game's outcome.
