The New Germany

Germany has played the best football at this years World Cup! This is a fact no other team has inspired as much as the Germans. No other team had a stronger structure in their game then the Germans. Yet they missed out on the final, perhaps because they were missing Müller. Perhaps because the pressure finally overcame the youngest side that had played for Germany since the 1934 World Cup. What is left is tonights game against Uruguay. This team did however impress, and left many (me included) wondering what could have been. The future however is bright, this is the most talented team in World Football today, there is doubt about it. There is also something else to this team, it is not typical German.

During this World Cup I had many discussions with my Dutch friends about the nature of this squad. Many of the players have a multi-ethnic background. The playmaker Özil has a Turkish father, Boateng is half Ghanese, Khedira is Tunesian, Cacau from Brazil, Podolski and Klose have their roots in Poland. This suprised many, and often I heard the question is this team really Germany? I think this is a funny question, when you walk through cities of Germany, you will soon realize that Germany has changed. Germany is an immigration country, and the Nationalmannschaft is a reflection of German society. Furthermore players like Tasci, Boateng, Khedira, and Özil are not first generation immigrants. It was their parents or even their grandparents that came to Germany. Those players are from the mids of German society.

Another thing I hear a lot is the fact that Klose and Podolski are really Polish. Yes both players were born in Poland. Klose however was born into a German family in Poland. Podolski immigrated to Collogne when he was very young. Podolski also is seemingly attached to the city of Collogne, he left Bayern (and the possibility of playing Champions League) to return to the 1.FC Köln to play in his hometown. Plus Polish people have immigrated to the Rhein area for almost 250 years now. They are part of Germany's society just like any other immigrant group.

This is the new Germany and I am proud of what our boys have done in the World Cup. Furthermore the group represents more then just attractive football. The Nationalmannschaft has probably done more for integration in the last 4 weeks, then Germany's politicians in the last 60 years.