I am not into club matches, but I go all in when the football (soccer) World or European Cup rolls round. For a German living in England, I am unabashed in my support of die deutsche Elf ("the German eleven" - if you don't know that a soccer/football team has 11 players, this is not your article!).
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I have my team jersey on order, I may even drink beer, and I am totally ready to go and support both the men’s and the women’s teams in our quests to the next win.
Are you getting ready to watch a German football (soccer) match yourself?
You can enjoy more than pretzels! Make it more fun and authentic with these German things to shout at your screen when Germany is playing football at the world cup, European cup, or Nations League.
Schiri!!!!
Schiri stands for "Schiedsrichter" (referee) - there is of course a feminine version of this job title ("Schiedsrichterin"), but to make it easier on everyone to pronounce and holler at the screen, Schiri is the one to use.
This is one to shout out with passion whenever you hear the ref's whistle, favourably if it's an unfair decision or a foul. Don't forget to pronounce those exclamation points.
Deutschland vor, noch ein Tor
A classic chant that every German schoolkid can produce. Often you'll hear this one with a particular player's name instead of "Deutschland" - for example we could name Germany's lone striker Miroslav Klose: Miro vor, noch ein Tor!
Before you shout this one with passion though, wait until Germany's got the first goal in: noch ein translates to "another".
Das war kein Abseits!
Do you know your offside trap? Yes, me too. Every woman has had to learn this to prove her worth, in some kind of misogynist conspiracay of football fans...but I digress! Abseits (neuter) is the German word for offside, and this phrase is a great one to say with a knowing nod when you're out in the Biergarten with your friends.
Die Spieler sind schwach wie Flasche leer
Deutsch ist schwer, by now you probably know that, right? German isn't the easiest language to master, but the key thing is to get your message across. No football coach ever did a better job of this than Giovanni Trappatoni in the 90s, when he went on a beautiful rant at a Bayern Munich press conference.Die Spieler sind schwach wie Flasche leer ("the players are weak like bottles empty") might not be grammatically right, but it is the perfect reaction when you think your team really needs to kick into gear.
What proof that you don’t need perfect grammar to express true emotion..
Das Runde muss ins Eckige
I used to have this on my favourite t-shirt many years ago and always wore it with pride. "The round thing must go into the square thing" is a classic quote from German football hero Sepp Herberger. Along with his other famous "Der Ball ist rund und das Spiel dauert 90 Minuten.", the quote represents Germany's no-nonsense approach to football. Our team isn't known for beautiful arty moves like the Brazilians - but hopefully it will get the job done!
Next Level: 13 Useful German Football Words
Fachsimpeln (playing the expert) is a hobby no one can resist entirely, and watching sports among friends is no exception. When you're among your friends and everyone is playing armchair pundits, listen out for some of the following words to help you keep up:
Der Anstoß - kick off
Die Schwalbe - dive (when a player feigns injury)
Der Stürmer - striker
Der Verteidiger - defense player
Das Mittelfeld - mid-field
Der Elfmeter - penalty
Der Eckball - corner
Der Freistoß - free kick
Das Foul - foul
Verlängerung (in der Verlängerung) - extra time
Ich bin für Deutschland. - I'm supporting Germany
Wie steht es? - what's the score?
Der Pokal - cup (in a sporting context)
More Tips for Soccer-Loving German Learnesr
So you’re all in for the full tournament and want to host a German fan party? Perfect! Try these 3 tips to get the best match atmosphere today.
Get The Grillparty Started
Football World Cup and European Cup tournaments take place in the summer - perfect timing for millions of Germans to open up Balkonien (balconia - a German word for "holidaying at home") and invite their friends round for a BBQ and viewing party.
For the best German Grillparty, you need a venue (garden, allotment, balcony, public BBQ area), a TV to watch the match, some meat (despite the vegan trend, Germans tend to be non-veggie), salad and veggies, and a good supply of drinks. No need for spicy sauces - German foods are rarely hot and spicy.
Learn Some Football Quotes
Football coaches and football players are people who are often asked for their opinions, and every now and then produce a piece of wisdom second to none. You can find many quotes attributed to German coaches on this Spiegel.de page. From Der Ball ist rund und das Spiel dauert 90 Minuten, to nach dem Spiel ist vor dem Spiel, you won't need to be fluent in German to join in with your football-crazy friends this summer.
Eliminate Risk and Follow the Favourites
Germans are a risk-averse bunch. The classic British tradition of supporting the underdog is puzzling to many of them. Why go for anything but the most promising option? So if you want to get with the German mentality as a football supporter, reserve a soft spot for the most likely tournament winners.
I wish all your teams good luck in the competition. Let's hope Gary Lineker is right:
Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.
And if you want to get into the mood with a German course, why not check out my tips for learning German?
Good luck and remember to put the round thing into the square thing!
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