The last time Germany hosted a major soccer tournament, the 2006 World Cup, a multicultural team that captured the hearts of the nation and left many feeling like a new, more open German patriotism was on the way.
Fast forward to 2024, and things feel very different as the economy went into recession last year. Last month’s European Parliament elections saw the far-right AfD party make big gains, enduring several worrying and widely publicized scandals.
Philip Alterman tell Helen Pidd Germany has a complicated relationship with having a multicultural soccer team. Over the past few years, famous soccer players of color have said they are only considered German if they win, and a recent poll for a documentary produced by German national broadcaster shocked the country when 21% of respondents said they wanted more white players on the national team. But could a successful Euros season help resolve these issues again and bring the country closer together?
Photo: Jurgen Fromm/firo sportphoto/Getty Images
