How Germany’s football is tied to its politics

SO EURO 2024 did not finish with triumph for Germany. The host country’s tournament ended after a valiant 2-1 defeat to Spain on July 5th. But performances still exceeded the expectations of fans who had seen Die Mannschaft stumble to defeat against Austria and Turkey in friendly matches late last year. Hosting this year’s European football championship with little chance of success seemed to fit the sour mood of a country that an unpopular government is trying to steer through various crises. But instead, the efforts by Julian Nagelsmann, the coach, and his players ended up indicating a way to lift the country out of its malaise.