The Day After in Germany
Football can be the cruelest of games. One minute you are on top of the world and the next you are completely gutted. Such has been the spectrum of emotions here in Germany during the past week.
After their team won a dramatic penalty shoot out against Argentina, many Germans had to be thinking that this would be their year and their World Cup. When Brazil was eliminated by France the mood became even more euphoric as one of the biggest remaining challengers was no longer a threat.
After 118 minutes of scoreless football against Italy, the feeling still had to be one of optimism. The semifinal was going to go to a penalty shoot out. Germany never loses penalty shoot outs. Italy never wins penalty shoot outs. Germany was headed to Berlin for the final. They couldn’t possibly lose a final in Berlin.
But as you know, the bubble burst with not one but two Italian goals. The silence outside was deafening.
As the clock ticked over to midnight, Berlin remained eerily silent. There was no late night celebration. There were no car horns blasting into the night. Nary a person was chanting “Deutschland, Deutschland.” Only a few police sirens rang out reminded you that your had ears and they exist to pick up sound.
Germany’s run has come to an end and like Argentina, Brazil and the fans of 25 other teams before them, German fans are left with the dreaded feeling of defeat, while those wearing the blue of Italy are feeling like the Germans did just a few days ago.
Such is the nature of football. You win. You lose. You exalt. You cry.
The day after is still young here in the German capital. The office workers in the building across the street are starting there day. It is another day here. It is a Wednesday. Work must be done and the bills must be made.
Life can be cruel sometimes, but life goes on. And in a few hours fans from either Portugal or France will understand the cruelty and the beauty of it all.
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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 113 comments.
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By thom | July 5th, 2006 at 7:55 pm 
carola & edoardo, you are single-handedly destroying the reputation of Italians on this blog.
Just thought I’d mention it, in case you haven’t noticed yet.
I for one don’t think the majority of Italians are as vicious, ignorant and full of hate for Germany as you are.
Neither am I aware of Germans being racist towards Italians, of all people, quite the contrary.
Btw., the German ‘Bild’ is by no means to be confused with the rest of German papers. The way the German media and public accepted the defeat is nothing short of classy, imho.
As for the game, I don’t think it was that great to watch; both teams had their strengths, but couldn’t score .
Modern, efficient football, not enough heart for my taste.
A goal in the final minutes of extra time, that’s like scoring in the penalties, one team getting more lucky than the other one.
Nice goals though, no doubt, but could as well have happened on the other side of the pitch.
Good job by the ref; he let them play, didn’t make one major mistake.
Congrats to the Italy; now I can’t wait to watch Zidane and Figo tonight.
Posted from 
Germany
By looking for good, fair football. | July 5th, 2006 at 8:02 pm ——————————————————————————————————————–
luislopes | July 5th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
Obviously the people watching a team like Germany and saying they played well, were not watching the same World Cup I did. Germany was a team full of speculation, and lots of luck, helped by an argentinian coach without “guts”. Thos is one of the worst german teams I have seen, but again, they are not known for the spectacular game they play. Nothing like Argentina, or the old Brazil….. Germany, bunch of gladiators.
——————————————————————————————————————-
Totally agree.
Structure, structure, structure, structure……….. I think Germany has forgotten – IT”S A KID’S GAME – a kid’s game!!! ……… not an engineering project.
You still have to be able to take the ball at the other team when the opportunity presents itself. No one on Germany could break down anybody on italy , one-on-one. If it wasn’t part of their game plan, they didn’t do it or attempt it – horrible football.
Another thing, it’s curious how the refereeing has become A LOT better now that, all the non- european and S. american (mainly Brazil, Argentina) teams are all but gone now. Has anybody noticed this???
Posted from 
Canada
By SEBA | July 5th, 2006 at 8:09 pm GERMANY CAN’T BE CHAMPION WITH THIS FUTBOL, THEY DO NOTHING IN 90 OR 120 MINUTES, THEY ONLY WANT FUCKING PENALTYS, THIS IS NOT FUTBOL, ARGENTINA HAVE A LOT OF YOUNGERS PLAYERS, THEY ENJOY THE GAME IN THE FIELD, WE LOST IN PENALTYS ITS THE FUCKING TRUE, BUT WE LOVE THIS FUTBOL, TOQUES, TACOS Y CAÑOS (SEARCH IN THE DICTIONARY)
THANKS FOR THE SPIRIT, THANKS FOR FEEL THE SHIRT.
GOOD LUCK. AGUANTE ARGENTINA.
By Suzie Q | July 5th, 2006 at 8:26 pm No, looking for good, fair football. nobody has noticed it, aside from the sore losers.
Posted from 
United States
By Gian Luca | July 5th, 2006 at 9:13 pm GEE, THANK YOU GUYS!!! I think this is the first blog page I read on this site where people don’t insult each other…
By Gian Luca | July 5th, 2006 at 9:17 pm By the way, I read a lot of opinions around soccer rules. How many have read the official FIFA rules?
Here’s the link:
http://www.fifa.com/en/laws/menu.htm
By Steven Guardala | July 5th, 2006 at 9:18 pm Good, courteous blog. This is for all of you. It is the media all over this world who keep old grudges going. As people that I played Soccer with, most Europeans got along well. They did not stereotype Americans, Italians or Italian-Americans like myself. Only the Irish-Americans picked fights with the English and went to the Hospital for their ARROGANCE! The bigotry on some of these blogs was somewhat surprising. But, the Italian bashers have been oddly silent since yesterday.
Posted from United States
By carola & Edoardo | July 5th, 2006 at 10:29 pm Dear thom,
I think you really did not understand anything of all our discussion and your indicating “our ignorance” just shows once again some ARROGANT CRITICISM we were exactly talking about… which often goes together along with true ignorance.
Btw, you have an “infected” view point, the one belonging to loosers, so I do not expect any true critical self-analysis from yourself…
Only an ignorant loosers could say that making 2 goals one after the other in one-minute-one at the very end of the 2nd extra time, so after about 120 minutes of hard fighting can be “lucky”.
Are u sure u were watching the match yesterday???
Where were u when Italy continued to attack almost arriving so many times to score – Germany was truly lucky in all those situations!!! imao) – ???
I have an answer: Why in all my life – and in private situations too – I have never heard one German honestly admitting their defeat and the superiority of somebody else?
is this possibly connected with some stupid, strange, racist and false idea of being Superior so deeply resident in some German DNA or education style???
I really hope this is not!!!
Who knows???
Hey guy smile to life!!!
By carola & Edoardo | July 5th, 2006 at 10:44 pm Ooooops … I meant I have a question….(not an answer).
P.S.: You see thorm, no one is just superior to anybody else, but sometimes in certain occasions one can win over others as he is using better his abilities and skills, his determinism and force, his strong character and will power.
I love every one who respects me, my family, my friends, my life, country, my planet and my environment.
And I don’t need to say or to be a champion to get enough self-confident to understand when respect is truly and openly given or this is a masked way to insult.
Finally champions do not need to tell others that what they are, but they have the same right to defend their integrity and dignity when someone like you spread around bitter critical words, as loosers sometimes do…
By Luise | July 5th, 2006 at 10:53 pm @carola:
“Why in all my life – and in private situations too – I have never heard one German honestly admitting their defeat and the superiority of somebody else?
Have you been reading ANYTHING I and most other Germans here said?? And repeatedly so I might add? Again, even BILD said Italy was better! Really, what is your problem?
You’re the one complaing about the “German arrogance”, yet at the same time you want us all to bow to the Italian “superiority”.
I’m sorry to say it, but you’re really starting to get on my nerves. I guess, now you’ll say that’s just a sign of my German arrogance “so deeply resident in my DNA”, talk about being racist… 
Posted from Germany
By carola & Edoardo | July 5th, 2006 at 11:08 pm Please read with attention what I really wrote in all my posts and please do define using a good dictionary any words where u are not sure to know all its various meaning, as well as any grammar words, etc…
So you will see there’s nothing dangerous in my words and no need to get nervous…
True UNDERSTANDING is a miracolous potion in many disagreements!
Smile to life Luise!!!
By carola & Edoardo | July 5th, 2006 at 11:10 pm P.S.: CALM IS THE QUALITY OF STRONG PEOPLE
By Arthur | July 6th, 2006 at 12:03 am Since we’re talking about europe, we should get some facts straight.
it’s size is 10.532.000 km², home for 730 Millionen people, thats 70p/m² (usa: about 27p/km²), 45 nations, more than 20 languages plus countless dialects, and till 1945, in a constant state of war, sometimes interruptet by 2 or 2 decades of peace. Germany and france fought 3 wars between 1870 and 1945. Germany as well as europe we’re seperated for decades. it took us only 12 from cold-war-status to a single-currency.
We’re on a good way, i don’t care about stereotypes anymore, when they call me kraut or potatoeater, i fell free to call them island-ape or pasta-eater, it’s not meant in a bad way, but it’s a complex continent, so it just simplyfies it.
it’s obvious that there are still ressentments and rivalries, but we don’t need the battlefield anymore, we use another field now.
By anon | July 6th, 2006 at 12:12 am Carola, wow, you’re smug. I can’t tell if you’re serious or not (I think you’re just goading others), but if you are, look at the words of yours that Luisa quoted.
Do those words precipitate understanding?
I would have to say you don’t know many Germans. But even so, why paint with such a broad brush?
Posted from United States
By Luise | July 6th, 2006 at 12:14 am “Please read with attention what I really wrote in all my posts and please do define using a good dictionary any words where u are not sure to know all its various meaning, as well as any grammar words, etc…
So you will see there’s nothing dangerous in my words and no need to get nervous…
True UNDERSTANDING is a miracolous potion in many disagreements!”
I think my grasp of the English language is quite sufficient, thank you.
“Smile to life Luise!!!
”
Oh, I’m smiling alright. I’ve got nothing to be bitter about, you see.
Posted from Germany
By Luise | July 6th, 2006 at 12:28 am Dear Carola and Edoardo,
I’m a little confused… Please tell me, who of you is the one gloating about Italian superiority and condemning German arrogance and who’s the one who “loves us all” and wants us to “smile to life”?
Posted from Germany
By pao | July 6th, 2006 at 12:49 am Carola and Edoardo I am trying to keep world peace here and you are messing my job. I am not kofi annan, my skills are limited! why the hell i am talking english to fellow italians by the way?
Posted from 
Italy
By pao | July 6th, 2006 at 12:51 am * speaking even
Posted from Italy
By jack | July 6th, 2006 at 1:38 am i posted something here earlier this morning and i came back to look at the blog and now i just dont understand. even my very unbiased comment was taken and twisted. germany played well and germans as a whole have nothin against the italians. it was a good game, with no unfair calls and germans should be praised for doing as well as they did and for playing such a good and entertaining game to watch. there is no reason to go on and on about italians being better and italian superiority. i am a huge italy fan, but i dont see why that is necessary. italy did afterall win. theres no need act defensive …
oh and by the way, you really do sound racist.
Posted from United States
By carola & Edoardo | July 6th, 2006 at 1:39 am PER PAO:
Ciao pao, ma però a me sembra che sia qualcun’altro un po’ come dire.. permaloso qui, dai noi vogliamo solo tenere alta la nostra Difesa all’Italiana (alla Cannavaro)e a nostra volta scherzare come hanno gfatto loro tedeschi all’inizio provocandoci con satira ed ironia (anke pesanti).
Spiega loro che tutti abbiamo gli setssi diritti, non possono scagliare la prima pietra e poi nascondere la mano… si prendano almeno un minimo di responsabilità per quanto molti dei loro connazionali hanno detto e scritto su di noi.
So che per loro è dura e che patiscono la sconfitta, però devono imparare a perdere e ad accettare le risposte a ciò che loro stessi causano.
per il resto, chiudiamo, ma spiega loro che noi amiamo l’italia ed il Mondo intero…fino a che non ci pestano i piedi, ovviamente.
Non ti vogliamo creare problemi, ma dì loro di essere un po’ più sportivi ed autoironici, oltre che autocritici, se possibile.
Un abbraccio a te e a luise.
By carola & Edoardo | July 6th, 2006 at 1:41 am PAO, spiega che anke loro devono accettare la nostra ironia e satira e… la nostra difesa all’italiana (vai cannavaro!!!).
Non vogliamo crearti problemi, ma che siano un po’ meno permalosi ed un po’ più autocritici, se possibile.
Noi non ce l’abbiamo con nessuno a priori, e credo tu l’abbia capito.
Un abbraccio
By PETRA KEYES | July 6th, 2006 at 1:41 am die deuschen hatte das laste speil gewinnem solte die sollte das tore doch schessen ich hatte es gesehen das der speile gekauft war ?????und das habe ich ganze schon gesehen im fernsehen. das speil war gekauft ?????? petra aus st petersburg fla.
Posted from United States
By Wigz | July 6th, 2006 at 2:04 am What a wonderful World Cup (even if England were rubbish)! Germany I salute you. Your hospitality has been second to none. Hold your head very high for providing the whole World with a spectacular showing of the greatest game on Earth.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Cikku | July 6th, 2006 at 7:21 am My World Cup Highlights
Now that the month long football carnival is nearly over, these are my memories of the major highlights. While I did not watch every single game I saw the vast majority and can only comment on the ones that I did. Two matches are also still ahead which may change these opinions
Best Team – Despite the travesty of justice in the game against the Socceroos I still feel that Italy was the best allround team irrespective of what will happen in the Final.
Most Disapponting Team – England despite reaching the Quarter Finals
Best Player – Andrea Pirlo (Italy) primarily for his superb performance in the semi final
Best Goal – The magical 24 touch wonder goal by Cambiasso for Argentina against Serbia
Best Goalkeeper – Found it easy to settle for Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon
Best Young Player – Based on potential rather than performance in this World Cup I go for Argentina’s Lionel Messi
Best Coach/Manager – A toss up between Marcello Lippi and Jurgen Klinsmann and for the life of me I cannot separate them. Lippi for taking a team under a huge amount of pressure into the final and Klinsmann for changing the face of German football. Possibly Lippi by a whisker.
Most Dramatic Game – The 2-2 draw between Australia and Croatia
Best Technical Game – The semi final between heavyweights Italy and Germany
Best Comeback – Australia’s 3-1 victory over Japan when the Socceroos came back from a goal down with 6 minutes remaining
Most Dramatic Decision – The penalty awarded to Italy against Australia with just 10 seconds remaining to extra time
Best Over Achievers – Very close between Ghana and Australia with the Socceroos slightly ahead because of the manner of their elimination
Best Referee – Very tempted to say NONE but I’m surprising myself by going for Luis Medina Cantalejo from Spain despite the two highly debatable decisions in the Australia v Italy game. He was possibly the best of a bad lot
Worst Referee – Without doubt England’s Graham Poll for his nightmare in the Australia vs Croatia game
Worst Non Decision – Poll again for the blatantly clear rugby tackle on Mark Viduka in the same game
Worst Decision – Too many to mention
Best Fans – Definately Australia, both the ones in Germany and the ones who went out in the middle of winter nights to support their team with so much passion
As an Australian I have done my utmost not to let any bias cloud my judgements and remain as objective as I possibly could
Finally the debate over the use of video referees must make FIFA come to their senses. Even if a 3 referee panel is only used to judge a questionable dive it will be a start and very simple to implement. The panel of 3 will ensure that a decision is not left up to the opinion of just one person.
The referee stops the game if in his opinion an illegal tackle has taken place, the majority decision of the 3 man panel is relayed to him after studying the video from a couple of different angles then either proceeds with the penalty kick or award the defending team with a free kick together with a red card to the offending actor.
The same process can be used for diving outside the penalty area but with the issue of a yellow instead of a red card.
Posted from 
Australia
By Bo | July 10th, 2006 at 1:51 am What song played after Germany lost?
Posted from United States
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