The hockey heroes let it rip again on German soil – and continue to be showered with praise. Quite a few are predicting a golden future for the generation of world champions.
As soon as the German hockey heroes were back home, the world champion party really picked up speed again. The beer flowed freely, loud carnival music boomed out of the speakers in the Rot-Weiss Köln clubhouse, and the “celebration beasts” around captain Mats Grambusch danced with their loved ones and the coveted World Cup trophy until the early hours of the morning.
The players were still savoring the moment when the gold guarantors of yore predicted a bright future for this team. The world title is “the hour of birth of a new generation of success” two-time Olympic champion Moritz Fürste enthused in the “Hamburger Abendblatt”. It could “no better departure signal” give.
First title in nine years
The triumph, also emphasized record national player Tobias Hauke in the “Hamburger Morgenpost”. “Very important for German hockey after the dry spell without winning a title”. After all, the wait for the first gold had lasted nine years since winning the Champions Trophy in 2014, and it was a whole 17 years since the last World Cup triumph – what felt like an eternity for the team sport that had been so spoiled for success for a long time.
The beauty is “that this team has now arrived at the top of the world, but still has potential for development in all areas”, said Prince. Especially with regard to the home European Championships in Mönchengladbach in the summer, but also to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Euphoria should last until the home World Cup
So it’s clear that the German Hockey Association (DHB) took a look at the two top events – the World Cup euphoria should last as long as possible. “Of course it’s also up to us how we perform”, said Grambusch. Major events are needed in Germany on a regular basis, as well as successes, then he believes “that we can make a difference in the long term”.
But the places of fringe sports next to football remain contested. The DHB therefore has high hopes for the European Championships in Mönchengladbach, and the wave of enthusiasm should not break before then. “Hopefully Germany will join in”said goalkeeper and final hero Jean Danneberg, “Then I’m looking forward to some really great years.”
Claims will increase
From Hauke’s point of view, the time of the world title is so close to the next highlights “very crucial”. In any case, the optimism could hardly be greater these days, because many observers believe that the sporting prerequisites for the next step towards greater attention are in place.
“With the World Cup title, the demands will also increase”, Prince admitted. However, he is convinced that this team has the potential to be as successful as the Belgians, who defeated the DHB selection in the penalty thriller in the final, “were in the period between 2016 and now”.