There’s something about soccer manager nerds

Especially if they’re German.

Women just can’t resist them.

Oh Thomas Tuchel, how I love you! Unlike the last boss of the England team, Saint Gareth of Southgate, there’s no smart suit and fashionable theories about sad young men for you. You won’t write a book called ‘Anything Is Possible: Be Brave, Be Kind & Follow Your Dreams’. No one will ever write a play about you, though you are beautifully portrayed in the current series of Radio 4’s Dead Ringers, repeatedly correcting Gary Lineker’s sloppy thinking and Harry’s Kane’s flights of fancy with a kindly but firm ‘No, Gary’ and ‘No, Harry’ before explaining to them exactly what’s what. There’s always a special affection about the way the studio audience laugh at your small speeches and cheer when the sketches conclude…

Be more like Freddy

German of the day: Amerikabild

That means image of America.

The soccer fan who is shaking up Germany’s image of America – For years, Germans have viewed the U.S. primarily through headlines and mostly negative news: Donald Trump, polarization, gun violence, and culture wars. And now an unknown German soccer fan named “Freddy from Germany” comes along, posts on social media about his first visit to a “Waffle House,” expresses amazement at a massive gas station with more than a hundred pumps and a shooting range right in the middle of an outdoor store—and suddenly, millions of people are seeing a different side of America…

Perhaps this World Cup ultimately says more about Germany than it does about the United States.

Freddy rescued!

Just in the nick of time.

J Watt, American Airlines help rescue viral stranded German tourist Freddy in time for World Cup game – Viral German soccer fan Freddy’s frantic race to reach Germany’s World Cup match in Toronto appeared headed for a happy ending late Friday after he revealed he was finally airborne following a day of weather delays, canceled flights and a social media campaign to get him to Canada.

“UPDATE: We’re on the plane to Buffalo!!!” Freddy wrote on X. “American Airlines was incredibly helpful and made it possible for us to get on this flight.”

Freddy also credited former NFL star JJ Watt, who he said worked behind the scenes to help arrange the last-minute travel plans after severe weather threatened to derail his trip to Saturday’s Germany-Ivory Coast showdown.

The shocking thing is that…

It’s not really shocking anymore.

Germany suffer shock World Cup qualifying loss to Slovakia – Germany’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign got off to a disastrous start as they suffered a deserved 2-0 defeat to Slovakia. Furious head coach Julian Nagelsmann questioned his team’s mentality.

Germany’s journey to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada got off to the worst possible start as Julian Nagelsmann’s team suffered a deserved 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in Bratislava.

Nearly three months after the disappointment of the Nations League, Germany looked out of shape and sorts. They had never lost a World Cup qualifier away from home before tonight. History had been made, but not the kind that Nagelsmann wanted.

Most Stupid Empty Political Gesture For 2022 Yet?

I thought pouting about their dopey armband was embarrassing enough. But, you know, this here definitely takes the Kuchen.

At least now we know why Germany lost against Japan in their opener. There’s no way you can properly play sports while holding your hand in front of your mouth like that. Not even soccer.

Germany players cover mouths in protest against FIFA clampdown on free speech in ‘OneLove’ armband row.

It was a moment so brief that the thousands of fans inside the Khalifa International Stadium on Wednesday could easily have missed it.

Unfortunately for you, I am now sharing that moment with you.

My Pope Can Beat Up Your Pope

Germans everywhere seem to be particularly nervous today for some reason. Somebody told me  it might have something to do with soccer. And Argentina.

Nervous

I’d be nervous then, too. Each team has a pope in the corner.

My the best pope win.

For the first time ever, the two teams facing each other in the World Cup final will each have a living pope in their corner: Pope Francis’ Argentina against Pope Emeritus Benedict’s Germany.