Germany's biggest rivalry?

[poorvi]

I want to know whom the Germans and German fans consider as their biggest rivals on the football field.

I know that the Dutch and the English consider the DFB elf as their biggest rivals. But when it comes to achievements and winning competitions, these two teams are not even closely competitive.
Maybe Brazil or Italy?

[ForeverRed]

I want to know whom the Germans and German fans consider as their biggest rivals on the football field.

I know that the Dutch and the English consider the DFB elf as their biggest rivals. But when it comes to achievements and winning competitions, these two teams are not even closely competitive.
Maybe Brazil or Italy?

Personally I'll always have it out for Brazil...no matter what.

England and Holland have to be the biggest rivals though to the majority of fans.

I really have nothing against Italy.

[poorvi]

Personally I'll always have it out for Brazil...no matter what.

England and Holland have to be the biggest rivals though to the majority of fans.

I really have nothing against Italy.

I know what you are saying. The rivalry with England and Holland is a historic more than a football rivalry. And from what I see, it is much more important for them than the Germany fans.

So, I think a rivalry must be more on sporting terms than on historic ones. A healthy rivalry would be Italy or Brazil, maybe Argentina as these teams are the sucessful ones. Brazil it must be, but Germany has played Brazil just once in a world cup. That can hardly constitute a rivalry. Maybe Argentina whom they have played twice in the finals.

What I do not understand is how people (read Dutch Master) can take up events that happened 60 years ago,relate it to football and hate a national team over it. Especially when majority of the fans are born decades after the troubled years.
From what I understand the Dutch were under German occupation for 4 years. India was ruled by the British for over 200 years, and India had many more casualties during her occupation than the Dutch had under German occupation. We were both( India and Holland) freed around the same time. But today when India plays England in a cricket game, there is no animosity between the two sets of fans. The English fans are quite welcome here, and there is almost no crowd trouble with them. When Germany plays Russia, with whom it has a more prolonged struggle in the war years, also we see no hate.
This Germany Holland rivalry is a really overdone.

[F96]

Half the German population will run around with a Brazil shirt during the WCs.

[poorvi]

Half the German population will run around with a Brazil shirt during the WCs.

Thats what happens when you wear white vests as a national jersey :D

[ohk4]

Here is Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger's take on it (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=254058&root=europe&cc=5739)

If you're English and reading this, I have awful news for you: the Germans don't hate you. They don't even dislike you. They don't even think it's unusually important to beat your teams at football.

And he goes on to write about how Germans admire English Soccer culture, which I notice a lot as well: the fan culture, the hard play, the lack of diving etc.

then he moves to the Dutch

Then the Dutch stepped into this void. Wim van Hanegem said: 'Every time I played against Germans I had a problem because of the war.'

Johnny Rep hit Schumacher. Ronald Koeman wiped his backside with Olaf Thon's shirt. Frank Rijkaard spat at Rudi Völler. That rankled with the Germans, because it was different from childish Bomber Harris impersonations: it was a display of contempt borne out of a feeling of superiority.

[ohk4]

http://www.sportrevolver.de/files/0/spaw/Rijkaardspuckt.jpg


http://people.freenet.de/nu-specimen/dsf_werbung.jpg

[SirManchester]

The usual suspects; Holland, Argentina, and Italy of which I really only dislike Argentina. And the Dutch rooting their hate for the football teams out of Germany and the National Team itself on the war 60+ years ago is just silly.

[F96]

Nicht weit von uns im Westen,
Da liegt eine kleines Land,
Dass ich immer wenn ich da war,
Ziemlich ueberzeugend fand.

Ein Land mit alten Windmühlen
Und mit netten kleinen Städten,
Mit Bami, Vla, Frikandeln
Und frittierten Fleischkroketten.

In Edam gibt's den Käse
Und in Amsterdam die Grachten,
Ich stehe auf Frauen in Holzschuhen
Und in blau-weiss-roten Trachten,

Ich komme gern zum Baden
Und ich bleib auch gern zum Zelten,
Ja, sie sind tolle Nachbarn
Und doch trennen uns Welten.

Ich liebe Superskunk,
Und ich liebe Sauce special
Aber eine Sache gibt's
Da bin ich meganational,

Es kam ueber die Jahre
und jetzt sitzt es ziemlich fest
So lang's um Fussball geht
Hasse ich Holland wie die Pest.

Grad bei wichtigen Turnieren
Darf man sich nicht dafuer genieren,
Was kann schlimmeres passieren
Als dass wir gegen sie verlieren.

Beide haben wir unsern Rudi
Wir haben ihren nie bespuckt
Ein guter Deutscher denkt europäisch
Ausser wenn Kicken guckt.

Ich weiss, du bist ein Schlauer,
Du bist nicht so ein Prolet,
Immer locker, selbst wenn's eins-null
für die Niederlande steht.

Wird ich eifrig wegen
Fussball ist ein Jammer, Idiot
Fick dich selbst. Wenn ich Oranje sehe,
seh ich nun mal rot.

[ohk4]

Geliebter Feind (http://www.sportrevolver.de/index.php?id=189)

[snoooop]

dont forget the rivalry with AUSTRIA :D :D

okok it is more Bavaria(the state Bayern) and Austria but there is a big rivalry.

its a little bit the same with USA and Canada you know? tha small country(Cananda/Austria) provocates the whole time and the big countries (USA/Germany) laugh about them ;)


the Germany - Holland thing is not anymore so hard and big like it was, i think thats good, now it is more the normal rivalry between two neighbour-countries.

[arthur d]

I know what you are saying. The rivalry with England and Holland is a historic more than a football rivalry. And from what I see, it is much more important for them than the Germany fans.

What I do not understand is how people (read Dutch Master) can take up events that happened 60 years ago,relate it to football and hate a national team over it. Especially when majority of the fans are born decades after the troubled years.

This Germany Holland rivalry is a really overdone.

I see why you would believe this, but that's not really true anymore - see for example the song Hannovergirl posted. The Holland - Germany rivalry is mostly a football rivalry now. When you look at speedskating for example (the number 2 sport in NL), the Dutch and German fans often celebrate together. The games in 1974, 1988 and 1990 are what the rivalry is based on. At least that's my Dutch father and brother-in-law's point of view, and what many of my Dutch friends feel. In fact, from a Dutch pov the rivalry is getting less important as Germany are not so good anymore. It's still a great rivalry, and football would be much less fun without it.

I would put Argentina into 2nd spot, based on the finals in 1986 and 1990. The rest are pretty meaningless.

[Zwanzigoetzel]

http://a.relaunch.focus.de/img/gen/N/U/HBNUA8paqfH_Pxgen_r_Ax270.jpg



We will never forget 1966.....How long have I been waiting for revenge...;)

[AGF Aarhus]

Holland, Holland, followed by Holland.

I don't think the Germans really care one way or another about England. As ohk says, most Germans like, or at least respect, English soccer, and I actually think most Germans have a lot of respect for England in general. That rivalry is mostly one way. You'll see Germans wearing England shirts, and half of Germany will wear Brazil (as Fräulein96 says) and Italy shirts. You will never see an Englishman wear a Germany shirt.

As for Argentina, England has a much larger rivalry with them than Germany does.

[Dutch_Master]

Holland, Holland, followed by Holland.

We know you just love us... :D

[Dutch_Master]

What I do not understand is how people (read Dutch Master) can take up events that happened 60 years ago,relate it to football and hate a national team over it. Especially when majority of the fans are born decades after the troubled years.

What on earth makes you think that :confused: You jump to conclusions way to soon buddy :mad: I like to poke fun at the Germans but the reason behind that aren't the events that happened 60 years ago, geezzzz....

[bltleo]

http://a.relaunch.focus.de/img/gen/N/U/HBNUA8paqfH_Pxgen_r_Ax270.jpg



We will never forget 1966.....How long have I been waiting for revenge...;)

yes Revange on England because of 1966:)...This I would like..

our biggest rival is of course Holland...then England I would say..

[tino11]

Holland, Holland, followed by Holland.

I don't think the Germans really care one way or another about England. As ohk says, most Germans like, or at least respect, English soccer, and I actually think most Germans have a lot of respect for England in general. That rivalry is mostly one way. You'll see Germans wearing England shirts, and half of Germany will wear Brazil (as Fräulein96 says) and Italy shirts. You will never see an Englishman wear a Germany shirt.
As for Argentina, England has a much larger rivalry with them than Germany does.

I know one Scotsman who will be come June 9th...........me :D

[arthur d]

yes Revange on England because of 1966:)...This I would like..

our biggest rival is of course Holland...then England I would say..

Hah! you've been lying about your age all along, grandma bltleo!

[domingo]

As I live in Manchester it is England for me, no doubt.
For the majority of the Germans it is Holland followed by England.
Holland because of Koeman, Rijkaard and all this.
England because of the 1966 cheat and the obsession the English have with Germany. Who ever says that it is not important to win against England is a liar or not a real football fan (because for every national team in the world it is important to win against England, because it is ENGLAND!)

In third place it has to be Argentina for me. I grew up with important games against the Argies. Never particularly liked them.