European Football Championship - Völler as Spain factor - Löw's long suffering
Spain was the mantra of German football for years. Technically unique, tactically ahead.
Before the quarter-final on Friday (18.00 Uhr/ARD/Magenta TV) in Stuttgart, a look back at the history of this duel reveals that someone in the German football team's squad has represented Spain twice in solution. Julian Nagelsmann, the German national team coach, doesn't lack Spanish experts anyway.
The Völler Factor I
The last German victory in an official match against Spain actually goes back 36 years. And the signs should give the DFB team courage. In Munich on 17 June 1988 during the European Championship, Germany needed at least a draw in the last group game in Munich. But they managed to win. The main contributor with a double score: Rudi Völler, today DFB sports director.
The Völler Factor II
Völler was not only involved in the last German victory against Spain. He was also in a responsible role during the highest DFB victory in the 26 encounters (9 wins, 9 draws, 8 losses). After the EM debacle in 2000, he took over as interim team manager. In the debut on 16 August in Hannover, Spain was the first opponent. And Germany scored the first and only four goals against Spain. Mehmet Scholl and Alexander Zickler scored doubles in the 4:1 win.
Löw's teaching and suffering time
The first years of Joachim Löw's era as German national team coach were marked by important duels with Spain - and many learning experiences. At the European Championship 2008, there was a 0:1 in the final, the same result brought the German elimination in the World Cup 2010 in the semifinals. Löw declared Spanish Tiki-Taka the football doctrine. In total, he only managed one test win against the big role model - a 1:0 in November 2014 in Vigo through a goal from Toni Kroos.
Painful ending was the 0:6-demolition in the Nations League in Sevilla in November 2020. A few months later, Löw announced his retirement after the European Championship 2021.
We know each other
Toni Kroos received an emotional farewell at Real Madrid. Antonio Rüdiger is respected as a defensive pillar at the Royals. Ilkay Gündogan made himself indispensable at Barcelona in a season and Marc-André ter Stegen is the foreigner with the most appearances at the Catalans behind Lionel Messi. The four German professionals enjoy great respect in Spain. We know each other. In the Spanish squad, there are Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo and Leipzig's Dani Olmo, and striker Joselu has also played in the Bundesliga once.
By the way, one of the three Real professionals in Spain's squad: His double pack knocked Bayern out of the Champions League semifinals. But not only the five Munich players Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sané and Thomas Müller have current revenge desires.
The two Leipzig players David Raum and Benjamin Henrichs lost to the royal class in the quarterfinals against Real, and the three Dortmund players Niclas Füllkrug, Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can have painful memories of the Wembley final.
- In preparation for the quarter-final against Spain, German coach Julian Nagelsmann is leveraging his experience with Spanish football, having coached RB Leipzig against Real Madrid.
- The last time Germany recorded a victory against Spain in an official match was during the European Football Championship in Munich in 1988, with Rudi Völler scoring a double.
- Before joining the DFB as sports director, Rudi Völler was also instrumental in Germany's win against Spain as a player, serving as the team's manager after the EM debacle in 2000.
- Joachim Löw, former German national team coach, faced Spain in several high-stakes matches during his tenure, with the team suffering losses in the European Championship 2008 final and the World Cup 2010 semifinals.
- Toni Kroos, a stalwart in the German national team and Real Madrid, shares a history with Spain, having played against them in the Champions League and the World Cup.
- Stuttgart will host the quarter-final match between Germany and Spain in the European Championship 2021, marking the return of international soccer to the city since the final of the German Football Cup in 1997.
- The German national soccer team's training camp is based in Herzogenaurach, a city known for its sports culture and home to several international soccer brands like Adidas and Puma.
- Spain's gold medal at the European Football Championship in 2012 came at the expense of Germany, marking a significant loss for the national team known as the "DFB."
- In addition to the players with German backgrounds in the Spanish squad, Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo and Leipzig's Dani Olmo have also contributed to the Spanish team's success behind star players like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
- The last ridematch, similar to the final, between Germany and Spain was during the World Cup 2010 semifinals, with Spain claiming victory and moving on to the final against the Netherlands.
