Sports

Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi says he is "outraged" at the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to lift restrictions on Russian athletes and he has called on IOC President Kirsty Coventry to visit Ukraine. "Together with all Ukrainians and the entire clean sports community worldwide, I am profoundly outraged. This decision is deeply unfair to every athlete who plays by the rules, and it is a total disrespect to the memory of hundreds of Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia," Bidnyi wrote in response to a DW query. Bidnyi added that Coventry should come to Ukraine in order to "see the reality with her own eyes." "I want her to stand on our train platforms and see our defenders saying goodbye to their children before leaving for the frontline. I want her to visit our ...

Jürgen Klopp is the overwhelming favorite to be Germany's new head coach. In recent years, the charismatic 59-year-old was seen as the ideal candidate. In recent weeks, he has been the boss in waiting. With Julian Nagelsmann's departure now confirmed, Klopp's arrival looks a formality, especially after the German FA (DFB) announced talks had begun and that Klopp had shown a "willingness" in principle to take up the job. Germany's last three World Cups have ended in disappointment, with two group-stage exits and the most recent knockout defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32. Euro 2024 was more positive, but generally Germany have not enjoyed a successful tournament since Euro 2016. For a four-time World Cup winner and a three-time European champion, a decade long span of disappointment sit...

Jürgen Klopp is the overwhelming favorite to be Germany's new head coach. In recent years, the charismatic 59-year-old was seen as the ideal candidate. In recent weeks, he has been the boss in waiting. With Julian Nagelsmann's departure now confirmed, Klopp's arrival looks a formality, especially after the German FA (DFB) announced talks had begun and that Klopp had shown a "willingness" in principle to take up the job. Germany's last three World Cups have ended in disappointment, with two group-stage exits and the most recent knockout defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32. Euro 2024 was more positive, but generally Germany have not enjoyed a successful tournament since Euro 2016. For a four-time World Cup winner and a three-time European champion, a decade long span of disappointment sit...

And then, all of a sudden, Deniz Undav had disappeared into a sea of Germany shirts. The striker was lost in the jubilant crowd of his teammates celebrating after the Stuttgart forward had scored an injury-time winner for Germany against the Ivory Coast in Toronto. At first, it seemed as though Undav himself hadn’t quite grasped what he had just accomplished. "How do I do it? No idea. I’m just in the right spot," the 29-year-old said afterwards, showing off that now familiar smile of his. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who showed a knack for making the right substitutions at the right time, was full of praise for his supersub.  "Deniz has an incredible striker's instinct. As soon as spaces open up, he’s just super smart," Nagelsmann said afterwards. With nine goals in his last eight i...

Germany's bench emptied after Deniz Undav scored the winner in the 94th minute. Julian Nagelsmann roared with delight. The Germany fans behind the goal threw themselves in all directions, lost in the joy of an injury-time winner. For the first time since they won the World Cup in 2014, Germany are headed to the knockouts. Moments like this make it easy to believe that something special is happening with this team. This was a victory for head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who got his substitutes spot on. But more than that, it was a win for the new guard. Unaffected by the scars of the last two tournaments, the newer faces in this squad drove the team to victory from a losing position. The youngsters of this group stepped up. Felix Nmecha continued his strong form and is emerging as the heartb...

Most of the news about Germany's World Cup squad was around the return of Manuel Neuer. But beyond the headlines lies another story. Eight of the 26 players representing Germany this summer have roots in Africa: Jonathan Tah (Ivorian father), Antonio Rüdiger (Sierra Leonean mother), Leroy Sane (Senegalese father), Felix Nmecha and Jamal Musiala (both Nigerian fathers), Assan Ouedraogo (both parents from Burkina Faso), Malick Thiaw (Senegalese father) and Jamie Leweling (Ghanian father). In fact, if you look at the last year of Germany squad selections, there have been a total of 17 players with African roots called up. The connection Germany's footballers have with African countries is inescapable and of huge importance at the 2026 World Cup. "Today we have great diversity in the team, ...

A sunny day off from work in the midst of your first World Cup is not a bad way to celebrate turning 23. For Nathaniel Brown, having a birthday on Tuesday fits perfectly with the good vibes train he has long been on. "You see how hard the kid works, every single day. To play like that in his first World Cup game and score a goal right away is outstanding for someone his age," said forward Kai Havertz. "We need players like that on the Germany team." Just four years after signing his first professional contract, Brown, whose nickname is "Nene", is at a World Cup. The move from Nürnberg to Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt came in 2024 and, after a slow start, he emerged as a regular. Even though the club struggled in the recently-finished campaign, Brown was voted the club's Player of t...