Loew was surprised, too. in Vatutinki where the Germans are based, Loew was asked to comment on the most controversial decision
Joachim Loew
Another June, 77 years after. Germany will start their campaign in Russia to be the world-beater again! In 1941 on June 22, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi-Germany started its campaign to invade Soviet Union. German forces advanced around 1000 miles into the Soviet territory, yet had to come back when the USSR, led by Joseph Stalin, fought back gallantly to save the world from Hitler as popularly claimed by Russians during the World War II.
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On June 17, in Moscow's Luzhniki, earlier named as Lenin Stadium, German football team will play their first match against Mexico in their bid to emulate Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) as back to back world champions. Can the land of Red Army stop the Germans from conquering the World in 2018? The World Cup winning German coach Joachim Loew can also do what Vittorio Pozzo did. The late Italian manager remains the only person to win two World Cups at a stretch.
However, when some so-called German supporters chanted 'Sieg Hail' in Prague in a world cup qualifier against Czech Republic, last September, Loew had no hesitation to declare, "They bring shame to our country." "We don't want them. We are not their national team and they are not our fans," were strong words from the German coach against those Nazi-supporters present in the football field.
A German coach expressing his desire for 'severe sanction against these troublemakers' should have won more Soviet hearts before the defending champions start their campaign against Mexico, one of the co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup with the US and Canada, as announced by FIFA in Wednesday's FIFA Congress here at Moscow.
Germans will definitely advance the round of 16 from a group comprising of Mexico, Sweden and South Korea. They have to rewrite the history-books though since Germany, after they had been crowned world champions, had never fared well in the World Cups (1958, 1978, 1994) that followed. The Confed champions, too, had never won the World Cup the following year.
Loew on Lopetegui
The World Cup is in a shock here in Moscow when the news spread that Spain had already sacked their coach Julien Lopetegui, a day before the competition begins and 48-hours before their first match of the tournament which happens to be an Iberian derby against their neighbours, Portugal.
Loew was surprised, too. in Vatutinki where the Germans are based, Loew was asked to comment on the most controversial decision. He said, "His dismissal is a big surprise for me. A serious shock since it came a day before the World Cup starts. Although I don't think it will affect Spain's football. They have been playing following a particular philosophy and it should not affect their preparation before their match against Portugal, the day after."
Also Read: Jeers For Gundogan Annoy Germany Boss Joachim Loew
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