SOUTH AFRICA: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - WORLD CUP: Germany's soccer coach Joachim Loew says that his team behaved like champions after they claimed third place for the second successive World Cup

Record ID: 454384

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - WORLD CUP: Germany's soccer coach Joachim Loew says that his team behaved like champions after they claimed third place for the second successive World Cup
  • Date: 12th July 2010
  • Summary: ERASMIA, NEAR PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 11, 2010) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) ARRIVAL OF GERMAN PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN WULFF, COACH JOACHIM LOEW, GERMAN SOCCER PRESIDENT THEO ZWANZIGER, CAPTAIN PHILIPP LAHM AND BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE GERMAN PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN WULFF AT PRESS CONFERENCE PAN OVER JOURNALISTS WULFF AND THE OTHERS AT PRESS CONFERENCE WULFF AND LOEW AT PRESS CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN WULFF SAYING: "I was really impressed by the character shown by the players. The morale after the first goal of Uruguay yesterday in the match. The fairness they have shown after the defeat against Spain. So these are all reasons for the country to be proud of this team!" JOURNALISTS, VARIOUS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN WULFF SAYING: "So, if the one or the other (politicians) would try to copy something from that team, like how each one plays and fulfils his role in the team, this can only be an advantage for German politics." PRESS CONFERENCE LOEW, WULFF AND ZWANZIGER AT PRESS CONFERENCE LOEW, VARIOUS (SOUNDBITE) (German) COACH JOACHIM LOEW SAYING: "The players behaved like champions in this tournament. They showed a lot of culture and joy in their playing. That brought us respect, not only in Germany, but also all around the world. Everybody was able to see their joy of playing and we scored a lot of goals. The team gave a maximum performance and they did it very well." PAN OVER PRESS BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER AT PRESS CONFERENCE, VARIOUS (SOUNDBITE) (German) BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER SAYING: "I have a crying eye looking at the semi-final and a proud eye when seeing how the team recovered from the defeat. The main thing is that my heart is telling me, that we will have a great future. I am looking forward to the future and for sure it is our aim to bring an international title to Germany." PHOTOGRAPHER PAN OVER PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN SOCCER PRESIDENT THEO ZWANZIGER SAYING: "I think the national coach and myself will meet soon and sort that issue out (about the contract of Loew). I always said that for the sake of the team and the victory of German soccer that it is important to continue with Joachim Loew." JOURNALISTS, VARIOUS (SOUNDBITE) (German) COACH JOACHIM LOEW SAYING: "We didn't talk about that issue until now and I determined any thoughts about what is happening with my contract to be after the World Cup. This helped me to concentrate fully on the tournament." PHOTO-OP WITH GERMAN PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN WULFF, COACH JOACHIM LOEW, CAPTAIN PHILIPP LAHM AND BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER
  • Embargoed: 27th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6Q34U17IAD4XRZGYTVEPOX9LS
  • Story Text: Germany's soccer coach Joachim Loew says that his team behaved like champions after they claimed third place for the second successive World Cup. German President Christian Wulff says that the country is proud of the team.
    Germany's President Christian Wulff said that the country is proud of their team after they had recovered to beat Uruguay 3-2 in the World Cup third-place playoff game in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on Saturday (July 10).
    Wulff was speaking at a press conference attended by coach Joachim Loew, German soccer President Theo Zwanziger, captain Philipp Lahm and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger at Germany's headquarters near Pretoria on Sunday (July 11).
    "I was really impressed by the character shown by the players. The morale after the first goal of Uruguay yesterday in the match. The fairness they have shown after the defeat against Spain. So these are all reasons for the country to be proud of this team!" he said.
    Germany, having lost 1-0 to Spain in the semi-finals, played out a thrilling third-place match against Uruguay in a rain-soaked Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
    Germany went ahead in the 19th minute with Thomas Mueller's fifth goal of the tournament but Uruguay hit back nine minutes later through Edinson Cavani.
    The Uruguayans briefly snatched the lead through striker Diego Forlan, with his fifth goal of the tournament, in the 51st minute, but fullback Marcell Jansen equalised five minutes later.
    Sami Khedira then popped up with the winner but Uruguay went agonisingly close with the last kick of the game when Forlan's curling freekick from 20 metres rattled the crossbar.
    Germany's third place finish equalled their 2006 performance when they hosted the tournament.
    Wulff joked that it would be good for Germany if the country's politicians showed the same character as the players had in the tournament.
    "So, if the one or the other (politicians) would try to copy something from that team, like how each one plays and fulfils his role in the team, this can only be an advantage for German politics," he said.
    Loew, who has coached the German national team since the 2006 World Cup, was delighted with the way his team had performed and the manner in which they did so.
    "The players behaved like champions in this tournament," he said. "They showed a lot of culture and joy in their playing. That brought us respect, not only in Germany, but also all around the world. Everybody was able to see their joy of playing and we scored a lot of goals. The team gave a maximum performance and they did it very well."
    Many commentators have said that the young Germany side should have a bright future after they enjoyed commanding victories over Australia, England and Argentina with thrilling attacking play before getting knocked out by Spain in the semi-finals.
    Schweinsteiger, one of the mainstays of the team, agreed with that view.
    "I have a crying eye looking at the semi-final and a proud eye when seeing how the team recovered from the defeat. The main thing is that my heart is telling me, that we will have a great future. I am looking forward to the future and for sure it is our aim to bring an international title to Germany," he said.
    Loew's contract to coach the national team expired at the end of June, but both the German Soccer President Theo Zwanziger and Loew himself have been careful to avoid discussing the subect before the conclusion of the World Cup.
    "I think the national coach and myself will meet soon and sort that issue out," said Zwanziger. "I always said that for the sake of the team and the victory of German soccer that it is important to continue with Joachim Loew."
    "We didn't talk about that issue until now and I determined any thoughts about what is happening with my contract to be after the World Cup. This helped me to concentrate fully on the tournament," said Loew.
    They also noted with some satisfaction that it was the second straight World Cup that Germany took the 'bronze' medal and their third consecutive World Cup among the top three after they finished runners-up to Brazil in 2002.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register