National team
Lahm demands team spirit and passion from national players
Philipp Lahm, tournament director of the European Football Championship, holds up the European Championship trophy together with former national team player Celia Sasic. photo
© Bernd Weißbrod/dpa
Only as a unit could the German team go far at the European Football Championship in their own country, said tournament director Philipp Lahm. The team still needs to improve in terms of sport.
That’s why he’s hoping for the test matches today in France and on Tuesday against the Netherlands “that you can see a team again. That you can see who they are on the pitch for, just for all of us.”
Only with passion on the pitch can a special energy be created between the national team and the population during the European Championships from June 14th to July 14th. “And then you have the great opportunity to go far with this energy, this support and this solidarity.” Then it would be bearable if national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team were to be eliminated during the tournament. “It’s just a game.”
Memories of 2006
As a player at the 2006 World Cup, he himself experienced how much difference the energy between the team and fans can make, explained Lahm. At that time, Germany came third in its own country. In 2014 in Brazil, the now 40-year-old won the World Cup title with the selection of the German Football Association.
The DFB team faces a difficult task against runner-up world champion France, said Lahm. “France are an outstanding opponent, probably the most talented squad there is currently in the world.” The game against the Netherlands follows in Frankfurt.