GERMANY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL: Thousands of Germans gather at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to pay tribute to their World Cup team, who clinched third place with victory over Portugal.

Record ID: 335470

  • Title: GERMANY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL: Thousands of Germans gather at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to pay tribute to their World Cup team, who clinched third place with victory over Portugal.
  • Date: 11th July 2006
  • Summary: CLOSE OF GERMANY MIDFIELDER DAVID ODONKOR, GERMANY KEEPER JENS LEHMANN WITH DEFENDER PER MERTESACKER AND MIDFIELDER SEBASTIAN KEHL HOLDING GIANT GLASS OF BEER
  • Embargoed: 26th July 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4RGKYWMVFHUNK0T5AIXOVRZ1E
  • Story Text: Hundreds of thousands of Germans waving flags of black, red and gold gathered at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday (July 9, 2006) to pay tribute to their World Cup team, who clinched third place with victory over Portugal.
    Fans held placards saying "You are the world champions of our hearts" and "We're proud of you" as the players waved to the crowd under blue skies and bright sunshine.
    Coach Juergen Klinsmann's young team has triggered a wave of enthusiasm across the host nation with attacking football and an unexpectedly strong showing in the competition.
    Klinsmann and his squad were holding a giant banner reading "Fans, we thank you- you are the Fan-World-Champions" at Berlin's Fan Mile, a pedestrian zone created for fans to party and watch matches on big screens throughout the World Cup.
    The Germans capped their World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Portugal in the third place match in Stuttgart on Saturday. Italy play France in the final in Berlin later on Sunday.
    The German players sported T-shirts with the slogan "Danke Deutschland" in the national colours of black, red and gold and the words "Team Spirit" printed on the back along with the number "82 million" -- the population of Germany.
    "Many, many thanks, you're the greatest!" captain Michael Ballack told the crowd to loud cheers.
    Organisers said at least 500,000 people had turned out to thank the German team.
    Coach Klinsmann, the target of heavy criticism before the World Cup, is now under strong pressure to remain in his job.
    Despite calls from the crowd to stay on, Klinsmann, whose contract ended on Saturday, said he still needed more time to consider his future.
    "I can't take it all in," he said. "Give me a few more days."
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