The debacle of the DFB: The case of the Season and a long shadow

This day marks the anniversary of a fundamental German Fail for the second Time. A 0:2 against South Korea in their final group game of the world Cup, the abusive meant From the German world champion as a table, the last in the first round. And a socio-political debacle in the summer: the "case of the Season". A case of churning up the country for months.

Michael Horeni

a correspondent for sports in Berlin.

In those summer days, equal to two illusions were of German football to break. To be a world champion is unbeatable. And the other: to apply as an unbeatable champion, the Integration in this country. From a purely sporting had, arrogant and blinded by their own success, international developments, just sleepy. Socio-politically, the Credo of the Association, on the football field, to bring together what is apart aims of the society was, however, as a hopeless Overload. The was a clash with reality on and off the pitch, the German football has experienced in those days, hard. The hardest of the past years and decades.

Whether the German football from this double crash has learned something, at least as far as the Sporty, yet not finally say. This Reality Check is moved together with the EM for a year. Socio-politically it can be said today: The German football Association (DFB) has replaced the "case of the Season" complete. And clings to the idea that he had the competence and the power to be able to on the football field, the many divisions that characterize our society increasingly, overcome. But that is wishful thinking.

The conflict is not processed. A dark shadow in the German (football)self-understanding, has contributed to the reputation and identification of the loss of the national team and the DFB considerably. And, above all, among young kickers with Turkish, Arabic and most Muslim Background, until today, continues to resonate. Mesut Özil himself, one of the greatest footballers that Germany has produced, was in this country to be Forgotten. It is as if Özil had never been there.