“Don’t isolate”
Bierhoff defends DFB vote for Saudi Arabia
December 8, 2024 – 4:34 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The DFB wants to vote in favor of Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup – despite the human rights situation in the country. A right decision for the ex-DFB manager.
Former national team manager Oliver Bierhoff has defended the decision of the German Football Association (DFB) to vote for Saudi Arabia in the awarding of the 2034 World Cup. “You have to make sure that you don’t isolate yourself in the world,” said Bierhoff on Bild TV. He criticized that an attitude that was too morally elevated was not productive in the international context. “If you walk around the world with your finger raised and tell everyone how you have to do it, then it will be difficult.”
In world football, as in international politics, pragmatic action is required, explained the 1996 European champion. “We also do trade, business and diplomatic relations, where we don’t like a lot of things, where we don’t agree. And yet we have to Clarify problems through dialogue,” continued Bierhoff.
With a view to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Bierhoff expressed the hope that the political discussions about Saudi Arabia will not have a negative impact on the national team again. “I can only hope that all the political work won’t be transferred back to the team, but it probably can’t be avoided,” explained the 56-year-old. At the World Cup in Qatar, the German team was eliminated in the preliminary round, which was partly attributed to the foreign policy debates.
Bierhoff also emphasized that Germany is increasingly encountering criticism abroad. “When you spend a lot of time abroad and travel around the world, the question often comes up: What’s wrong with Germany? What’s wrong with you? You travel around the world and tell us all how we should live.” It is important to represent one’s own principles and values, but in a way that promotes dialogue, he concluded.