A Luca Toni double lifted Bayern Munich to a 2-1 German Cup final success after extra-time over Borussia Dortmund in front of 73,000 fans at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Saturday.
Toni, revisiting the venue where in 2006 he captured the World Cup with Italy, struck in the 11th minute after being fed the ball by Frank Ribery, the France international who had opposed his teammate in the World Cup final.
That goal appeared to have decided the affair only for Dortmund's Mladen Petric to snatch an injury time equaliser, to force extra time.
But Toni, who like Ribery joined Bayern last summer, had the last word when he grabbed the winner in the 103rd minute.
This was a final Cup appearance for Bayern talisman Oliver Kahn with the goalkeeper retiring at the end of the season. For him it was a sixth Cup success. This final meanwhile had a special edge to it for Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld as he had a seven year spell as manager of Dortmund.
| Number: | 12 | ||||||||||||||||
| Date/place of birth: | 27.03.1986 in Gelsenkirchen | ||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 1,90 m | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 80 kg | ||||||||||||||||
| Club: | FC Schalke 04 | ||||||||||||||||
| Position: | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||
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Germany coach Joachim Löw has told Kevin Kuranyi he has no need to worry about his place in the squad for Euro 2008 after the striker returned to form with four goals in one game for Schalke 04 this week.
'If nothing unforeseen happens, Kevin will be at Euro 2008,' Löw said in an interview with the Koelner Express newspaper on Thursday.
'He did go through a weaker phase but over the last few years he's been convincing for us and always scored goals. He's a valuable player.'
The 26-year-old striker's four goals in the 5-0 win over Energie Cottbus on Tuesday were a timely reminder of his worth.
Kuranyi missed the 2006 World Cup after losing form just before the tournament and there had been speculation in the media that history might repeat itself.
Germany are in Group B at Euro 2008 with co-hosts Austria, Croatia and Poland.
Dr. Markus Merk, who was honoured as "Best Referee of the Year" three times during his illustrious career, has announced his retirement. The 46-year old Merk will resign from officiating after the conclusion of this Bundesliga season. "The timing is perfect for me. Why prolong a career that really has been very positive up to now", said Merk in an interview with the German paper Rheinpfalz. He has officiated 333 Bundesliga games and 50 international matches so far.
Volker Roth, the head of the DFB Referee’s Board, remembers Merk’s long career: "We will miss him on the football field. Markus Merk has been an oustanding referee because of his performances, his assertiveness and his personality." Players as well as fans will remember him as an impartial arbitrator, and as a ref who could alternate between a stern and authoritarian demeanor and a more accessible personality on the field, depending on the necessities of the game. Merk left the international stage when he had reached the age limit in November 2007.
"I certainly do not favour such a strict age barrier, which really is just another way to discriminate", said Merk critically. "I could run the test twice in a row, which tells you everything about my physical fitness." The passionate triathlete will now focus his efforts on conducting management seminars, his professional side of life ever since closing-down his dentist practice in 2004. Merk keeps also involved in a charity project located in the South-Indian district of Sogospatty, where funds are collected to finance the construction of schools and orphanages.
Merk was recognised as the game’s best referee in 2004, 2005 and 2007. He had joined the DFB ranks in 1984, and officiated Bundesliga games ever since 1988. He belonged to the select circle of referees chosen for the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 2000 and 2004 UEFA European Championships, when he conducted the final between Greece and Portugal.
Unbeaten – that was the status of the German national team between October 1978 and November 1980. The longest streak without a loss lasted for 23 games and included the team’s longest winning streak (May 2, 1979 – June 14, 1980).
1978
October 11 Germany – Czechoslovakia Prague 4-3
November 15 Germany – Hungary Frankfurt 0-0
December 20 Germany – Netherlands Duesseldorf 3-1
1979 February 25 Germany – Malta Gzira 0-0
April 1 Germany – Turkey Izmir 0-0
May 2 Germany – Wales Wrexham 2-0
May 22 Germany – Ireland Dublin 3-1
May 26 Germany – Iceland Reykjavik 3-1
September 12 Germany – Argentina Berlin 2-1
October 17 Germany – Wales Cologne 5-1 November 21 Germany - Sowjet Union Tiflis 3-1
December 22 Germany – Turkey Gelsenkirchen 2-0
1980 February 27 Germany – Malta Bremen 8-0
April 2 Germany – Austria Munich 1-0
May 13 Germany – Poland Frankfurt 3-1
June 11 Germany – Czechoslovakia Rome 1-0
June 14 Germany – Netherlands Naples 3-2
June 17 Germany – Greece Turino 0-0
June 22 Germany – Belgium Rome 2-1
September 10 Germany – Switzerland Basel 3-2
October 11 Germany – Netherlands Eindhoven 1-1
November 19 Germany – France Hanover 4-1
The longest streak without a win dates back to 1912/1913 and includes the longest losing streak with 7 losses in a row.
1912
July 3 Germany – Hungary Rasunda 1-3
October 6 Germany – Denmark Copenhagen 1-3
November 17 Germany – Netherlands Leipzig 2-3
1913
March 21 Germany – England Berlin 0-3
May 18 Germany – Switzerland Freiburg 1-2
October 26 Germany – Denmark Hamburg 1-4
November 23 Germany- Belgium Antwerpen 2-6
1914
April 5 Germany – Netherlands Amsterdam 4-4
June 27 Germany – Switzerland Zurich 1-4
September 20 Germany – Austria Vienna 2-3
Most lopsided wins
July 1, 1912 Germany – Russia Rasunda 16-0
September 1, 1940 Germany – Finland Leipzig 13-0
September 6, 2006 Germany – San Marino Serravalle 13-0
May 21, 1969 Germany – Cypress Essen 12-0
Most lopsided losses
March 16, 1909 Germany – England Oxford 0-9
May 24, 1931 Germany – Austria Berlin 0-6
September 13, 1931 Germany – Austria Vienna 0-5
June 20, 1954 Germany – Hungary Basel 3-8
National Players
As of now, the team has played 800 international games, while the team of the former German Democratic Republic competed in 293 games. Overall, 1,122 players were active in these games, with 849 players wearing the DFB jersey and 265 players active for the former East-German association DFV. Eight players were nominated for both squads (Ulf Kirsten, Matthias Sammer, Andreas Thom, Thomas Doll, Dariusz Wosz, Olaf Marshall, Heiko Scholz and Dirk Schuster).
Record Players
1. Lothar Matthäus 150 caps
2. Jürgen Klinsmann 108 caps
3. Jürgen Kohler 105 caps
4. Franz Beckenbauer 103 caps
5. Joachim Streich 102 caps (DFV)
6. Thomas Häßler 101 caps
7. Hans-Jürgen Dörner 100 (DFV)
8. Ulf Kirsten 100 (DFB: 51, DFV: 49)
9. Hans-Hubert Vogts 96 caps
10.Josef Maier 95 caps
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 95 caps
DFB-President Dr. Theo Zwanziger talks about the anniversary of the German national team, which played Switzerland in the first ever international game on April 5, 1908.
Question: These days, the DFB and every football fan in Germany celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the national team. What comes to your mind when you think of the Mannschaft’s long history?
Theo Zwanziger: We’ve had quite a successful run. Within eight years after the DFB had been founded, the national team played the inaugural game. Just think about which accomplisments were triggered by football in Germany, especially following World War II. Football always moved the people living here, whether because of the many major triumphs our defeats. We have really had an incredible journey.
Question: How do you evaluate the social impact the team had?
Zwanziger: Within our democratic society, the German national team is seen as a strong symbolic entity for competitiveness, discipline and fairplay. The Mannschaft functions as an international ambassador and the common demoninator for all people living in Germany. The team is our touchstone for a healthy patriotism. The 2006 World Cup was such a successful promotional campaign for German football, as people tell me when I travel. The summer of 2006 was a time to make friends, a very peaceful and joyous tournament. Football has the potential to bridge differences. If we continue to communicate meaningful messages, we could really improve overall social conditions.
Question: If you look back in time, what major influences do you attribute to the German team?
Zwanziger: I talked about 2006 – winning the 1954 FIFA World Cup was similar and yet very different. Then, a collective depression weighed on Germany, and football was an antidote. Following the fascist years, when criminals and murderers had ruled our country, and then the exclusion of Germany from the international community, winning the World Cup in Bern helped the German citizens to regain some confidence. We could accomplish something positive – that was the learning of 1954.
Question: It needed public criticism for the DFB to face it’s own past.
Zwanziger: We dealt with it rather late, only a few years ago, but not too late (The DFB financed the historical study “Fußball unterm Hakenkreuz” by Nils Havemann and hands out an annual award in the memory of former Jewish national player Julius Hirsch, editorial note). Looking at other federations, we are certainly not the last in dealing with the period between 1933 and 1945. Only because we reexamined the role that we had played during this murderous time, were we able to host such a light-hearted and untroubled World Cup. We picked the right moment and we did send out an important signal, without ever intending to hurt the feelings of people who had lived during these years or had been involved in the system. We should never stop to reevaluate our positions and to question ourselves. The DFB with its 6.5 million members has to face political and social responsibilities, which are part of our mission as a modern major sporting organisation.
Question: The DFB is also involved in an on-going battle against racism and against drug abuse.
Zwanziger: We need to shoulder this load, there is no other option. How can we claim to play a vital and important role in modern-day Germany, and then look the other way, whenever things get complicated? We certainly recognize, that violence and racism infect parts of our beloved game. We do not live in a perfect world. But by working in close partnership with the state, we can do our share to make things a bit better.
