German World Cup team returns to heroic welcome in Frankfurt

Posted 3:54PM on Monday 1st July 2002 ( 22 years ago )

FRANKFURT, Germany - The German soccer team arrived home to a heroes' welcome Monday as thousands of screaming, flag-waving fans turned central Frankfurt into a sea of black, red and gold. Despite losing to Brazil 2-0 in the World Cup final, hundreds lined the streets from Frankfurt airport to the city center as team buses rolled by en route to the official reception at city hall. More than 10,000 fans packed Roemer square, overflowing into surrounding streets. "We were winners just by reaching the final -- who would have expected it? Losing to Brazil is no shame," said Alex Maier, 22, dancing in the street wrapped in a German flag. Fans sang "We are the champions" as players standing on the city hall's balcony threw flowers and waved to the crowd. Germans embraced the team because of its strong showing in the finals after a decade of poor performances and stoked optimism that they can win the title when the next World Cup is played in Germany in 2006. Even team captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn's blunder that allowed the first of two goals by Brazil's Ronaldo seemed forgotten. "We're back among the world's best," Kahn yelled, drawing a huge roar from the Frankfurt crowd. "Maybe we'll see you in four years again -- this time as world champions." Many in the square also waved placards scrawled with slogans like "The real winners," "Too bad we lost-but you were terrific," and "Rud-ii, we love you" -- a reference to team coach Rudi Voeller. The team seemed surprised by the rousing reception. "I'm asking myself what it would be like if we had won," Voeller said. Earlier, Kahn was first off the plane after it touched down at Frankfurt airport, prompting huge cheers from the Roemer crowd watching on a large-screen TV. At the airport, a music group performed its version of the old Pete Seeger hit "La Guantanamera," rewritten for the World Cup team and currently No. 17 on the German charts. "Rud-ii Voeller, there's no one like Rud-ii Voeller," they sang to the refrain of the Cuban folk song. The celebration came a day after hundreds of people around the country were taken into custody for vandalism or clashing with police following the loss to Brazil. The worst outbreak of violence came in Hamburg's St. Pauli district as hooligans fought with police. Seventy-two people were taken into custody, though more than 60 of them were released Monday. Several people were injured, including a police officer who suffered a broken nose. Elsewhere, about 100 fans rampaged through Duesseldorf, breaking windows and vandalizing cars and property, police said.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/7/192971