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.
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.
Here is Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger's take on it 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
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.
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.
dont forget the rivalry with AUSTRIA 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.
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.
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.
What on earth makes you think that You jump to conclusions way to soon buddy I like to poke fun at the Germans but the reason behind that aren't the events that happened 60 years ago, geezzzz....
yes Revange on England because of 1966...This I would like.. our biggest rival is of course Holland...then England I would say..
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.
Are you seriously saying that you are still upset about 1966? That's just silly. My memories are 1990 and 1996, and that's not a very good basis for a rivalry. I also live in England and of course I want to beat them, but the rivalry is nowhere near the one with Holland. I actually support England sometimes when they play well. Pity that hardly ever happens.
haha, I could not stop laugh...very hillarious and funny!. well 1966.. ..I think every German who is interested in soccer, knows World cup Finale 1966...I have DVD´s ..so I had good luck to see that game on video...don´t you say you don´t know anything about 1966?..it was few times on T.V as reportage as well.....I also know about world cup 1954, saw movie about it....ach, you did not live in 1954..so you probably don´t know about it.....the same about 1966.. or do you know anything about Finale World cup soccer 1966? it is really not difficult to learn about history of german soccer...you don´t need to live in 1966 to know about finale 1966... .you are really funny.. grandpa arthur
My point exactly. ARD seems to show most every England game that is played not at the same time as a Germany game, and most Germans I meet support England in those games. I don't think the same can be said of the Netherlands. A rivalry is not simply wanting to see your team beat the other team. A rivalry is wanting the other team to lose every time it plays. Even with regards to the 1966 final, 3 Sat. replayed it a few weeks ago and the hosts were gushing about the English team spirit, etc.
Well I am not really upset about 66. I only think it is part of the rivalry and it was no goal . Also the constant "we won 5:1 in Munich" remarks are quite annoying. For almost everybody I know it is very important to beat England. If you live in England you must admit the the English are obsessed with everything that has to do with Germany (only the French beat us in that which is really funny). I think we are the biggest rivals for England and they hate that we consider Holland as our biggest rival (or do they even know?). Arthur, imagine what would happen to us if England would win it in Germany this year? God help us!
Yeah I've watched a couple of repeats as well. Wasn't in the set of DVDs I got from Gregoriak though, the only games in 1966 I got from him were the ones against Uruguay, Switzerland and Spain. Anyway I don't feel the guys were cheated out of a victory back then, it was 4-2 after all. And the matches in 1990 and 1996 should have evened that out anyway.