The German soccer players switched back to tourist mode a week before their World Cup opener against Morocco. The players spent the free day of training with whale watching and sightseeing.
Four days after arriving in Australia, the DFB team is still a long way from cabin fever. Nevertheless, it was a nice change for the players from national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg to explore Sydney a little, 90 kilometers from the base camp in Wyong, on Monday (07/17/2023).
Svenja Huth and Merle Frohms posed for souvenir photos in front of the Sydney Opera House, the famous concert hall and landmark of the metropolis with around 4.5 million inhabitants.
“Hopefully we’ll be here for five weeks”
Meanwhile, defender Marina Hegering, who was still battered, strolled through Sydney with her Wolfsburg clubmate Jule Brand with an ice cream. Other players like Lena Oberdorf sailed across the water just before sunset and watched whales. Bayern goal scorer Lea Schüller, among others, also opted for the boat trip.
“It’s also a harbor tour and you can also see something of Sydney, the opera house,” said the 25-year-old before she set sail: “It’s important that we get out and take a trip – because hopefully we’ll still be there here for five weeks.”
Opening opponent Morocco botched dress rehearsal
The DFB team meets outsiders Morocco in their first World Cup group game next Monday (July 24th, 2023, 10:30 a.m., live in the audio stream at sportschau.de). While the German players were able to enjoy their day off without any worries on Monday, the Africans had a lot to work through. Because on Sunday (07/16/2023) the team of coach Reynald Pedros had messed up their dress rehearsal for the duel with the vice European champions.
There was a 1-0 defeat against Jamaica in Werribee. The appearance should not have given the Moroccans enough courage to survive the group with Germany, South Korea and Colombia.