On Wednesday, Germany announced their squads for the Confederations Cup and U-21 European Championships. With Joachim Löw omitting almost all of his top players including Ă–zil, Boateng, Reus, Hummels, Kroos and Khedira amongst others, one would think Germany would use the Confederations Cup this summer as an opportunity to test out their talented youth players […]
Author : Nikolas Boehm
Forgotten Footballers: Guti
JosĂ© MarĂa GutiĂ©rrez Hernández was one of the most talented players of his generation, capable of moments of sheer magic. His unique ability and creativity stood out even at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Revered for his flair, Hernandez was a serial winner who collected 16 trophies at senior level, including three […]
Lucas Barrios: One That Got Away
April 30, 2011. Dortmund. One win away from their first title in nine years, Dortmund had the chance to win the Bundesliga at home with two matches to spare, hosting 6th place NĂĽrnberg. JĂĽrgen Klopp’s young side began nervously. In need of some inspiration, Dortmund fans got their wish midway through the first half when […]
Remembering David Odonkor, Germany’s Unlikely Hero
June 14, 2006. Dortmund. JĂĽrgen Klinsmann’s Germany side is heading towards a disappointing draw against Poland in their second match at the World Cup. The 4th official raises his board, indicating three added minutes for the host nation to find a breakthrough. Just one minute later, David Odonkor latches on to Bernd Schneider’s pass ahead […]
Alberto Gilardino
May 2, 2007. Milan. Manchester United’s Champions League dreams hang in the balance after a narrow 3-2 home win in the Semi-Finals over an imperious AC Milan side featuring the likes of Kaká, Pirlo, Seedorf and Gattuso. Chasing the tie in Milan after falling behind 4-3 on aggregate, 24-year old Italian striker Alberto Gilardino latches […]
Germany’s Lost Generation of Strikers
Germany’s extensive youth development program has been well-documented in recent years following Germany’s triumph in Brazil. On the back of his dramatic extra-time winner against Argentina, Mario Götze became the symbol of the German system. The abundance of players like Götze in the Nationalmannschaft served as proof that Germany had moved away from physically imposing, […]