Politics and the World Cup

This time of year I am usually totally preoccupied with watching basketball, but with the World Cup Soccer Championship games starting in Germany in just a couple of months the suspense is beginning to affect the mood across Europe, and the anxiety-level in Germany is particularly high. The criticism of Germany’s coach Jürgen Klinsmann reached a fever pitch a couple of weeks ago after an embarrassing loss to Italy, and Chancellor Angela Merkel had to come to his defense. The criticism has abated temporarily after last night’s rout of the American team in a warm-up match.  The victory over the Americans must have been particularly gratifying to Klinsmann, since he is seen by many in Germany as a "Baywatch blond" interloper from California. For what irks many Germans is that Klinsmann now lives in Southern California and has an American wife.  The fact that he tried to introduce American techniques into German soccer only rubbed salt in the wounds. 

Berlin blogger Denkpass predicts disaster for the German team:"Schade nur, daß wir anderen bei der einzigen Heim-WM der nächsten drei Generationen erleben dürfen, wie unsere Nationalmannschaft nicht über die Vorrunde hinaus kommt. Aber so ein schönes Häusle in Kalifornsche, das darf auch nicht alleine rumstehen in der Sonne."   Having just returned from a week in the Southern California sun, I can empathize with those who are jealous of Klinsmann and his Laguna Beach lifestyle.

Does the dissatisfaction with Klinsmann point to a deeper anti-Americanism?  It is interesting that the New York Times chose to interview an authority on European anti-Americanism – Univ. of Michigan professor Andrei Markovits – in a recent article on Klinsmann.  Markovits published a history of European anti-Americanism last year: Amerika, dich haßt sich’s besser Antiamerikanismus und Antisemitismus in Europa (read my review here). Markovits comments on the Klinsmann controversy in the NYTImes piece:

"It’s a clash between the new and the old in Germany," Markovits said by telephone. "There is a real cleavage between the left, liberal, urbane, youngish Germany that really likes him and the ‘real’ guys who go to the bar every night and think he’s the worst because he’s sort of an intellectual, he lives in L.A. and brings in American methods and married an American wife."

"If Germany wins the World Cup on July 9, Klinsmann will again be a national icon. If things go badly, Markovits said a German journalist recently suggested to him that Klinsmann would become persona non grata in his home country.

"Maybe he could visit his parents, but he would be completely vilified," Markovits said. "I would seriously worry about his safety if the Germans lose in the quarterfinals."

So, as an American, I am hoping that the German team is victorious.  Then Klinsmann will have accomplished what Angela Merkel so far has not been able to do: heal the Germany – United States rift.

Fußball WM weltmeisterschaft WM2006