"We are the champions"
- 16 Jun 06, 03:00 PM
NUREMBERG - I've experienced something I never thought I'd ever see.
Following a typically German performance where they left it until injury time to score a cracking goal to see off a thoroughly unlucky Poland, we headed down to the market square where thousands of fans had gathered to watch the drama unfold. What we saw there beggared belief.
Get this: English fans were dancing up and down on tables in the centre of the square, waving flags and singing rather tunelessly. Nothing unremarkable there, you might think.
But here's the thing: they were singing along with the German fans, linking arms, as everyone piled together in a huge group hug accompanied by Queen's We Are The Champions.
There wasn't a hint of trouble, there wasn't a hackneyed unfunny war song to be heard - quite simply, England and Germany fans were all just having a damned good time.
It was an image that I'll keep with me for a long time to come, and a fantastic tribute to the spirit with which the majority of fans out here are supporting their teams.
A colleague remarked to me: "It's like a naff wedding reception out here," and as if on cue, the DJ played Village People's YMCA - and the crowd went wild.
Truly bizarre - but I have to admit it was quite fun.
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The lack of animosity between England & German fans (so far) is one of the more encouraging things about the World Cup this year. Let's hope it holds out if we play them.
http://200percent.blogspot.com
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The so-called animosity between England and Germany was only created and since has been maintained by the English tabolid papers! Maybe thanks to this world cup being hosted in Germany (actually the British media calls it the Reich) even the English press is getting chance to realize the war is over for now more than 60 years (or three generations)!
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The so-called animosity between England and Germany was only created and since has been maintained by the English tabolid papers! Maybe thanks to this world cup being hosted in Germany (actually the British media calls it the Reich) even the English press is getting chance to realize the war is over for now more than 60 years (or three generations)!
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The so-called animosity between England and Germany was only created and since has been maintained by the English tabolid papers! Maybe thanks to this world cup being hosted in Germany (actually the British media calls it the Reich) even the English press is getting chance to realize the war is over for now more than 60 years (or three generations)!
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Looks like no one is missing the Tartan Army after all ! :O(
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