From a purely visual point of view, it is particularly noticeable on Germany’s national hockey team. The headband gang – four national players who wear terry cloth in their hair. In the semifinals against Australia (Friday, 12 p.m., in the live ticker at sportschau.de) the quartet could make the difference.
The purpose is obvious. Sports headbands prevent sweat from dripping from your hair into your eyes. And anyone watching Germany’s best hockey players at the World Cup in India will find that a quarter of the team is wearing a headband.
She stands out – Germany’s headband gang. Martin Zwicker, Christopher Rühr, Thies Prinz and Marco Miltkau tame their hair with headbands. The headband is only really useful for Martin Zwicker.
Thies Prinz: “Headband looks cool”
With his shoulder-length mane, the Berliner has no choice but to wear a headband when playing hockey. “I used to have short hair, but now I really need the band“, says the 35-year-old veteran.
With his three colleagues, the question arises as to why they wear a headband. Stir, Prince and Miltkau wear short hair. “But when I sweat, my hair hangs in my face“, says the Cologne Thies Prince. “And besides, the headband looks cool. It’s my trademark now.”
Germany’s striker Ruhr scores in the penalty shootout
The headband ties also played a decisive role in the dramatic victory in the quarter-finals against England. For example, goalscorer Christopher Ruhr scored in the penalty shoot-out 0.4 seconds before the time was up. Keeper Danneberg then held and Germany was through.
After a game in which national coach André Henning’s team was 2-0 down with three minutes to go. But after the furious comeback, the duel with world number one Australia is now in the semifinals.
No growth in sight for the headband gang
The German team will start this showdown as a slight outsider. But the national team can rely on his quartet with a headband at this tournament. Striking: Each of these four players is considered a creative element in the German game.
Berlin’s Martin Zwicker distributes the ball in midfield, 24-year-old Cologne’s Thies Prinz as a young whirlwind on the offensive and Christopher Ruhr together with Marco Miltkau form a dangerous attacking duo with enormous efficiency in scoring.
It currently seems unlikely that the headband gang will grow again. “To me it just looks so modest“, for example, the German captain Mats Gambusch waves away with a grin.
Zwicker believes in Germany’s title chances
And Teo Hinrichs from Mannheim, who wears his hair longer, also does without a headband. “You have to be able to wear a headband“, says Martin Zwicker with a wink. He has already laid out his ribbon for the semi-finals.
And the ambitions are clearly formulated. “I see the opportunity to really do something with this team at this tournament“Zwicker clarifies. The team has already achieved a lot. For the first time since 2010, Germany is in a World Cup semi-final again.
And the headband gang and their fellow players are aiming for the first German title win after 17 long years.