The Bundesliga was yesterday, now it’s the World Cup: Hansi Flick’s players have to switch their heads quickly to the biggest football event. Sun and beach are said to help “fill up the grains”.
When the sun went down in Muscat after a hot day and the muezzin called to prayer, Hansi Flick and his World Cup hopefuls in the Frankfurt autumn weather in their black suits had only just taken a farewell photo with a German flag on the gangway of their “Fanhansa” – lined up.
On Monday, Joachim Löw’s successor Flick started his first tournament mission as national soccer coach with his departure for the Persian Gulf, which is scheduled to end on December 18 after the final in Qatar’s Lusail Stadium with the golden World Cup trophy in hand and a final jubilant picture .
Captain Manuel Neuer had already formulated the ambitious goal of winning the fifth German title when the former Bayern title collector Flick took office in August 2021. And the team senior confirmed it again shortly before his fourth World Cup tournament. “We will do everything we can to become world champions”said the 36-year-old goalkeeper and world champion from Brazil in 2014. Flick believes in a sporting World Cup winter fairy tale: “We have players with us who know exactly what is important and who take the others with them.”
“Message to the World”
When leaving for the controversial World Cup host country with a short stopover in the Sultanate of Oman, the DFB and its partner Lufthansa sent a “message to the world”. The farewell performance at Rhein-Main-Airport made it very clear that the first World Cup tournament in an Arab country is not one that is all about goals, victories and winning the title that 32 nations are aiming for. The super-rich Emirate of Qatar is being pilloried for its handling of human rights, guest workers and minorities.
The plane with the large DFB entourage around association president Bernd Neuendorf on board was adorned with the slogan “Diversity Wins” (“Diversity wins”), a socio-political statement that was visible from afar. Figures with different skin colors are shown arm in arm and in large format on the fuselage of the Airbus 330, whose destination on Monday was not Qatar’s capital Doha – but Muscat in Oman.
Thomas Müller filmed everything with his cell phone, his Bayern colleague Leon Goretzka smiled briefly at the camera. After the photo session, the players grabbed their suitcases and went on board. They were lodged on the apron with two buses. It started with a slight delay. No sooner had the Airbus 300-330 lifted off the West Runway than a drizzle started. In contrast to previous tournaments, the DFB decided not to use an exclusive charter flight. The association indicated ecological aspects in order to avoid empty flights.
Ill Ter Stegen
Neuer’s substitute Marc-André ter Stegen got off to a false start at the World Cup: the 30-year-old goalkeeper from FC Barcelona was unable to fly with his 25 team-mates nine days before the first group game against Japan because of a gastrointestinal infection. Ter Stegen stayed in Germany. He should travel after his recovery, as the DFB announced.
Late on Monday evening (local time), the DFB delegation landed in Muscat after a several-hour flight from Frankfurt/Main. In the capital of Oman, Flick wants to prepare his World Cup kickers for the tournament, including a friendly against the Sultanate’s selection that has not qualified for the World Cup. Before the Champions League triumph with FC Bayern 2020 at the final tournament in Lisbon, Flick had also previously held a short training camp in the Algarve – this plan should also work for the DFB.
It is important to Flick that his frequent players like midfield boss Joshua Kimmich after the game rush of the past few weeks “drive down on site”, i.e. in the Gulf region. Switching to World Cup mode has to be quick as a flash, especially in your head. There is no real tournament preparation at the first World Cup in the middle of the European season. The total contrast program with sun, beach, sea, pool and palm trees, which the badly strained national players find in their luxurious team hotel in Muscat, should help.
First “acclimatize and recover”
Before departure it was still stressful. Last advertising measures were to be done by the players. Right after breakfast, Flick’s agenda included a speech to his chosen ones around the international newcomers Youssoufa Moukoko (17) and Niclas Füllkrug (29) as well as the prominent returnee Mario Götze and the Bayern block, which was in such strong form.
“There will be no big words”, Flick told the German Press Agency and announced at the same time: “That will come in Qatar.” Only on Saturday “on match day minus 4”as the national coach said, “starts our focus on Japan”. In the coming days, the main focus will be “to be able to acclimatize and recover and replenish the grains”. In Qatar, these should last until a few days before Christmas.