"Stoplight"

A topsy-turvy world

Kick-off! Austria starts its European Championship adventure with the training camp in Marbella, and soccer takes over over the next few months. While anticipation is growing daily in the Alpine republic, the mood in Germany is calm.

The former showpiece nation has been battered, and national coach Julian Nagelsmann's squad has lost a lot of credibility. No wonder, given the results of recent years. After winning the World Cup in 2014, Germany failed twice in the group stage, and at the last European Championship, the last 16 was the end of the line. German comedians joke: "It's perfect that we're playing at home. The stars can drive home in their cars after an early exit!"

The Germans are even jealous of our team boss
A topsy-turvy world. Catcalls from big brother, positive expectations in Austria. The Germans are even jealous of our team boss. A reflection of further development. A few years ago, most German soccer fans didn't even know the name of the ÖFB coach ...

But the good mood can also be deceptive. All too often, Austria's fans have imagined the best scenarios before a major event, only to be disappointed all the more. Are we experiencing déjà vu this summer? Rather no! Because the current stars have hopefully learned from the mistakes of their predecessors.