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Our Freundlin returns!

I could spend the rest of July reading German news stories about this World Cup and not even finish half the articles. The breadth of coverage is exhilarating. Granted, soccer is far and away the most popular sport in Germany, but in 2003, during that World Cup (and I was in Berlin at the time), not even the German women’s win garnered 1/100 the attention there as the preview coverage did this year.

They seem to be a light year away from where they were eight years ago. At some point between now and then (2007?), the German’s women national team became bona fide stars and heroes, and with it comes the media flood.

So, like a bear in Alaskan salmon rivers, I am merely dipping in and pawing a few of nature’s bounty. Here are a few things to snack on.

* In the “Only in Germany” file: the DFB Cultural Foundation (does anyone else in the world even have such a thing?) organized a somewhat unusual literary portrait by something called “The author team” (and I don’t know if they actually play soccer or just metaphorically play… while they type) who are a “football team of writers: novelists, poets, playwrights.” These authors composed essays for the top German players.

^ This was run in many major papers and included odes, sonnets and experimental love letters (no, I’m not kidding) to the major members of the women’s national team. I don’t have the mental gymnastic energy to even try to translate it, and for some reason, though it was all over the print papers, I cannot locate it online. This Google search is only for the most dedicated German team fans.

* Prinz, who may not be scoring but is still considered by many an essential team leader – has been under constant criticism by the German press even though other strikers have also not been scoring as prolifically as they usually do.

By now, Prinz’s substitution rage is well known. But she is still very beloved by the fans, and opening day in Berlin, she got the loudest roar from the crowd when introduced.

This intellectual, one of the few who never salutes or sings the national anthem – on purpose – is a fascinating sports figure and now, psychologist. She might look stern and tense on the field, but she is also deeply reflective and ego-less.

In a 2009 interview, she was asked if she was proud of her Euro championship title that same year. “Pride is a difficult word. I’m happy.” Pride is a difficult word? An uncommon reply, most certainly.

And here is an older piece (“Only human, not a star”) on Prinz on faz.net: that provides additional insight to her personality.

Faz in general has stupendous coverage, and a good page to bookmark:

* Garafrekes was the subject of a long interesting news interview in which she seems to be one of the other intellects, besides PhD Prinz. Kerstin, who studied sociology and rejects focus on her own individual achievements, says firmly that it’s not about her, “It’s a team of 11 players.”

She also indirectly knocked unnamed ‘other players’ who seek fame and/or endorsements and said (paraphrasing), ‘I have endorsement contracts for my shoes and clothes because I use them, but I don’t need the money that badly that I would endorse a product I don’t even use or believe in.’

A woman of principles.

* By contrast, yet another lighthearted profile of Simone “the woman who always hits when it counts” Laudehr in BZ, entitled “How Simone rolls”

If you must know, her Lucky Charms are her tattoos “On the instep of my right foot” (ouch!) and a “rustic scroll with the names of my family and on my left arm inside … in Romanian the word for ‘family’.” (Her mom is Romanian) She restates her love for her motorcycle, works now in the Germany military for her “day job” doesn’t like tearjerker movies and prefers action films like Jackie Chan. I was with her all the way until the Chan part.

BZ, the New York Post of Berlin, or, for you Swedish fans, their “Expressen,” has had truckloads of coverage and much of it fantastically fun. A MUST-SEE are their close-up shots of Merkel at the Berlin game here.

As her husband refuses to be seen in public, I believe the jolly fellow next to her left is DFB Pres Zwanziger. The schmo to her right is of course Sepp “women should wear tighter clothes” Blatter.

*Here’s another attack of the high-heeled footballers: this web ad from corporate banking partner of Les Bleues says it all, and I find it much worse than the high heeled, on-field photo found above German cafes and bars (in another post), as it exemplifies the vain, giggly-girl, weakness type of imagery that truly holds women back:

Not completely unrelated: Berliner Morgenpost interviewed Marta, who says she wants to be another “Messi.” German TV news had an interesting story last week from Brazil: a German reporter was in a few Sao Paolo sports bars that had their TVs tuned to the WWC.

Sadly but not surprisingly, all of the patrons were turned away from the games and, when asked why, expressed little to no interest in their own team. Not until the very last patron, did they find one, singular women’s soccer fan.

Scenes like that made the German atmosphere even more important and special. We should never take for granted the long, slow trajectory of progress and gender equality, fought for over many centuries, that typifies so many progressive nations.

Some photos:

Some Mexican fans try the freaky-mask-tactic on their opponents at the England-Mexico game. And their beer consumption (out of view) added a special touch.

US - N. Korea game: Someone in Dresden looks very happy.

...and somebody doesn't. (This comrade's T-shirt says "Hero of the worker.")

You bet your a-- Dresden has funny signs. No, I mean it: you BET! "Ass" means "ace" in German.

This clever window display in a Wilmersdorf (Berlin) bathroom store somehow manages to work tropical fish, sinks and soccer balls into the same concept. GOAL!!!!

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