When Germany won the European Championship title with heart and soul
At the EURO 1996, the German national team was unable to be deterred by dramatic injury setbacks, determined Croatians, or exhausting matches in their quest for victory. The last European Championship title for the DFB team was a triumph of team spirit and unyielding determination!
"Ballet dancers rehearse for weeks before their performances. But despite the short preparation time, people expected me to win the title." Bundestrainer Berti Vogts had not expected, just before the start of the EURO 1996 in England, that it would eventually lead to the triumph of Wembley. However, the German team and its coach developed an remarkable team mentality during the days and weeks on the island, which ultimately led them to the victory of the European Championship.
Bundestrainer Vogts had managed to achieve something essential for all title triumphs despite the short preparation time. Mehmet Scholl described what made the team of '96 special during the tournament: "Our system works only if everyone is willing to work for the team. All 22 players here are stars in their clubs. That's enough. With Berti Vogts, everyone has to give a part of themselves." Scholl sensed even then that something great could come from the limited shared time: "Because we only meet each other five times a year, Vogts has created something sensational."
"We must handle success critically"
Just as today, the German national team started the tournament in the summer of 1996 with great promise. They defeated the Czechs 2:0 - but Matthias Sammer's euphoria among German fans was quickly dampened when he said: "We must handle this success critically." However, after the 3:0 victory over Russia, confidence in the DFB team grew at home. Germany had already qualified for the quarterfinals beforehand.
However, in the third group game, the German team could not get past a 0:0 draw against Italy, which eliminated them. Quiet doubts began to emerge among fans as to whether the national team was really as far along as assumed after the first two victories. But in the quarterfinals, it became clear that Germany at this EURO had the determination to go as far as possible.
Against the Croats, it took a real power play to win a game that Bayern's Christian Ziege later described as the "dirtiest game I have ever experienced." Ziege's statement was no surprise after Croatian national player Slaven Bilic stepped on him while he was already on the ground. The media-renowned priest Eugen Drewermann made a legendary statement after this action: "No horse would step on the body of a person lying on the ground. Croatian players, indeed."
"A war on life and death"
Encouraged by their trainer Miroslav Blazevic ("We are facing a war on life and death. Against the German Stukas and Messerschmidts, we will fight with Kamikaze pilots"), the Croats often acted far beyond the usual "international toughness." It was no wonder, then, that with Igor Stimac receiving an early red card in the 57th minute, one of theirs had to leave the field before time. Following this, Matthias Sammer drove the team to a 2:1 victory in one of his best games for the German national team.
In the semifinals, England waited finally, but the German team had other concerns in the days leading up to the match. Bundestrainer Berti Vogts were already sending players home. Jürgen Kohler had to leave the field injured in the opening game against the Czechs, and now Mario Basler, Jürgen Klinsmann, and Fredi Bobic were also out. Later, before the final, Berti Vogts would say: "Who can step out of the team bus upright will play against the Czechs on Sunday." But first, the German team had to clear the way for the host's ambitious and highly engaged opponent.
The match turned out to be the bitterly anticipated battle that went all the way to the penalty shootout. And at the decisive penalty, Berti Vogts had a unique problem: Berti Vogts had to first gather enough shooters who could still play. The team captain, Matthias Sammer, had an unusual objection: "I have no problems with penalties as long as I don't have to take them. I just can't, because I always like both corners." For the decisive penalty, someone stepped up who had been ridiculed by many beforehand as a "wimp" and a "yelper."
A game "rare as the blue Mauritius"
Andreas Möller transformed the game with his decisive penalty kick, leading Germany to the final. The images of him after the decisive penalty, showing off in a bullfighter's pose, are legendary: "I did it intuitively. It was a pose of strength and a sign of dominance." Andreas Möller had gone into the game as captain and had taken on his responsibility not only in that crucial moment. It was certainly one of his best, if not the best, games in the National Team jersey. The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" wrote after this magical night: "There are only a few such pearls in the history of the ball, as rare as the blue Mauritius."
In the final, the brave German team was missing both yellow-carded Andreas Möller and Stefan Reuter. And so, many players had to step up far beyond their normal limits for the team: "On Saturday, I got eight injections in the knee and some in the back. Without the doctor, I wouldn't have made it." But they all held on, not least because of the "unique camaraderie" (Stefan Kuntz). And Helmer summed it up contentedly afterwards: "When they say 'the German lies on the ground' - then he gives everything!"
"Take Oliver with you. He will thank you"
Oliver Bierhoff eventually became the hero of the final. His nomination to the EM was reportedly due mainly to the then wife of the Bundestrainer, Monika Vogts. She had said before the tournament in England: "Take Oliver with you. He will thank you!" Female intuition paid off. Bierhoff scored the equalizing goal after his substitution and, in extra time, scored the first "Golden Goal" in football history, securing the European Championship win for Germany. The ball, which took an unusual flight path and left the Czech keeper, Petr Čech, looking unlucky, still haunts him years later: "That goal still haunts me in my dreams."
Germany couldn't prepare for the tournament like a troupe of "ballet dancers" for weeks as Bundestrainer Berti Vogts would have liked, but in the end, they cleared all the stones - and there were many - on the way to the title. Together. As a team. And how seriously this team took "together" back then is shown in a small anecdote at the end. Berti Vogts had actually had field player jerseys made for his two backup goalkeepers Oliver Kahn and Oliver Reck. In case of emergency, both would have been ready to serve the team. And so Germany was not a glittering champion, but a European champion who had completely earned this title with a lot of heart and soul.
"Both Oliver Kahn and Oliver Reck, the backup goalkeepers for the German team, were prepared to step in if needed, showcasing the team's unwavering commitment and unity, similar to the spirit displayed by the European champion heroes during EURO 1996."
"Germany's triumph at EURO 1996 was not just a result of exceptional skill, but also a testament to their courage and determination, reminiscent of the heart and European Championship title earned by the German national team as European champion heroes."
"Just as the team of '96 exemplified during the tournament, success was not solely about individual accolades for the German players, but rather a collective effort that stemmed from their team spirit and shared soul as European champion heroes."
