Rainbow team? HOW Germany won back the nation at Euro 2024

The Germany national team was on top of the world in 2014, loved by fans around the world. But after two disastrous World Cups resulting in early exits at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 many people could no longer identify with the squad. At EURO 2024 the "Mannschaft" was under a lot pressure. Criticized by many fans for political gestures and poor performances as right-wing politicians mocked them as the “rainbow team.”

But things changed at EURO 2024: How did a new diverse team under coach Julian Nagelsmann shake off criticism and manage to get back support? This is the story how the German team won back their country.

Who was their best player at EURO 2024? Tell us in the comments?
Can Germany get back to their best and compete for the title at the 2026 World Cup?

Report & Editing: Thomas Klein

____

DW Kick Off! provides you with a unique glimpse into the game that has captivated millions of fans across the world. We explore football stories ranging from fan culture, great sporting moments, tactical analysis, and the politics behind the game. Subscribe and delve into our football world
▸ our channel:

[anshumanseal]

I hope they go all the way to win the world cup!!!🇩🇪

[niklaestetic]

I can tell you all not Germans …. That Euros, that team is one of the best we ever had we went unlucky being kicked out in quarterfinals while being the second best team of all teams….. but that team gave us hope and unity

[RDX.]

Die Hard Fan of German football team DFB🇩🇪🏆🏆🏆🏆⭐⭐⭐⭐

Love from india 🇮🇳

[vivekanandan]

fan frm malaysia...🇩🇪..germany is best team ever

[erickbyarushengo]

I really lost hope in Die Mannschaft after the last few tournaments. I was expecting the worst going into this tournament. But the teams performance really brought back the confidence I lost recently in this team.

As someone who’s been a fan of the German national team since 2006, for someone who has lived in Germany and the country will always have a special place in my heart, their performance makes me very optimistic about the future of the team and the future of the country as a whole.

[muhammadhalwashi]

The difference between Spain and Germany lies in the fact that coach La Fuente has jewels and he plays them and coach Nagelsmann has also jewels but he keeps them on the bench.

[Pfromm]

It's great to highlight the individual identities of the team, but the most important identity is still a footballing one.
This takes individuals whose strengths complement each other and are based on the identity of talent and effectiveness.
It might not make for a complete rainbow, but it does make for a complete team.
Not forced inclusivity but open inclusivity.
We need talent from wherever it can come, rainbows are great symbols, but so is black-red-gold.

[xyzv]

11:48 😂

PS great report, especially the Soziologin as well

PS2: merino and his header 118th min 💀💀

[JoeMamasBasement]

I am a German and Bayern fan and this year was particularly difficult for fußbal as in UCL, we were eliminated by Vardrid controversially. Then dortmund lost to Vardrid in the final, then add to the fact that Spain are a flying outfit that we have faced several times internationally and lost, but we actually played incredibly well in that quarter final, unfortunately, we botched all of our chances. Add Cucupaella’s handball and another controversial decision would have had least taken us to penalties and straight shotted us to victory against the English.

[ehgwergtr]

many poeple in the comments say oh you lost in quater finals and are happy thats says a lot and so on. but i have to say that this team maybe lost in the quater finals (which was a final before the final) but was again an exciting team. a team which played cool football you liked to watch. and i am happy that we can compete again with strong teams and if we do very good in 2026 i will come back to this video and ask: WO SIND DIE HATER

[NeroPiroman]

There was indeed no Rainbow people promotion on the euro by german team during games they focused on actual football

[M-kula]

Am kenyan and a germany fan HARVERTS LOST US THE EUROS

[thMandalorian]

You cannot talk about Euro 2024 without Andre Schnura wearing a Rudi Völler number 9 shirt and sunglasses playing saxophone

[tarik]

10 or 20 years ago, Germany was going into a tournament looking and expecting to win it, now they are "happy" with a quarter-final exit. That says a lot.

[fastsnake]

The fact that getting knocked off in the quarter finals of a continental competition you're hosting as Germany can be seen at least as a partial success says a lot about how bad the national team of this once great footballing nation managed to become...

[RasmusWitzig]

We were definitely better than England for example

[wernerandreeloerts]

national proudness and pride are different

[mphomaseko]

0 views in 24 seconds. This channel has fallen 😢

[bangslamwham]

Winning trophies is all that matters to me, and now Germany have gone from being at the top to playing catch-up in terms of Euro titles won. Embarrassing.

[MarcoSteiner-nj]

When Germany was not a "Rainbow team", they won 3 World cups and 3 Euros.