When I realized last night that England and Germany will meet in the Round of the Last 16, I knew immediately that I would need to write a blog on Footbo.
When those teams face each other, especially from the English side the old vocabulary of “German tanks” and “Krauts” comes alive, while the Germans speak about the “Ugly English Hooligans”. But I will try (although it is very hard) not to speak about the history of those two countries and the two World Wars.

The pure and direct football rivalry started probably in 1966, when the famous 3:2 by Geoff Hurst crossed the line or did not cross the line. Modern footage shows what we Germans and the rest of the World have known for the last 44 years that the ball did not cross the line. But the England up to this date believe that even the modern footage is being manipulated by the Germans. What the Germans fail to recognize is obviously the fact that there was another goal in extra time and that the game ended 4:2. Just as the English only mention the Hand of God from 1986 and fail to realize that they’d lose anyway because of a second goal, the same goes for the Germans and their view of 1966.



But in 1966 I was not even born, so my own history of this special rivalry starts in 1990. It was in 1990 that Germany (the best team of the tournament) kicked out England in the semi-finals. It was England’s last real bid for the World crown. While I was still young back then and as a fan of the German team I simply wanted them to win against whomever, I realized that somehow this was a special game.

Things were even worse for England at the EURO in 1996. The slogan of the tournament was “Football is coming home” and if England failed to win anything after 1966, 30 years later a tournament was again being played at home. What was more logical then to win the crown at home. But again it was Germany who denied England to reach the final in this tournament and worse it was again in penalties. And to make everything even more unbearable, Germany went on to win the title in an English stadium.

While writing the blog I come back to the point at which I ask myself why is this rivalry such a special one? Clearly 1966 was an unforgettable game, but the last encounters in 1990 and 1996 were dramatic, but these were not great games. So I have to go back to the point where I did not want to end up. I realize that this special rivalry has its origin in more than only football. In the fact that these two powers have fought each other in wars that they are so different from each other, make fun of each all the time, try to be the leading power in Europe and nothing makes them happier then beating each other on the pitch. Whoever wins this clash will be happy and estatic for a couple od days until the winning team will be beaten by Argentina.

Somehow I am relieved, because it makes me realize that a football match is so much more important than only the game itself.

See you in penalties on Sunday, England….