England fans of a certain vintage will get dirty just about Euro 96.
Football finally came home (sort of) and while the Three Lions finally failed in their quest for great international tournament honesty, the competition helped unite the nation and restored the pride of a team that had flattered to cheat for the majority of the 90’s.
One thing that England fans will conveniently overlook when they recall the aforementioned European Championships is how instrumental the competition turned out to be for Germany as well.
After the unification of East and West Germany in October 1990, the national team had not yet secured the European Championship or World Cup glory for its united nation.
Berti Vogt’s side had fallen at the last hurdle for Euro 92 after being beaten in the final by Denmark, while their 1994 World Cup campaign saw them dumped in the quarter-final stage by Bulgaria.
Andreas Kopke celebrates with Matthias Sammer at Euro 96 / Stu Forster / Getty Images
Their Euro 96 triumph represented a watershed for a country that had spent 41 years divided at its core, and Borussia Dortmund’s midfielder became sweeper Matthias Sammer proved crucial in helping Germany reunite.
Before Euro 96, Sammer had already made his name in the history books by becoming the first East German – born player to represent the newly reunited nation.
The Dortmund man was therefore seen as a symbol of unity by all who are associated with German football and so it is perhaps appropriate that he was such a driving force behind Germany’s virgin rumor.
After excelling in a deep midfield position during his early days of play, Sammer’s expert reading of the game and the ability with the ball at his feet saw him placed in a sweeping role at club level and national team manager Berti Vogts soon followed.
Matthias Sammer crushes a challenge against Italy / Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Playing slightly behind Markus Babbel and Thomas Helmer, Sammer’s defensive nous saw Germany navigate out of Group C without conceding a single goal, although he was given the freedom to play from behind and would produce regular late runs from deep in a bid to help. his side attack.
The Dortmund man opened his account for the tournament against Russia with exactly such an explosion from deep, when his volley was palmed off by Dmitri Kharine before Sammer followed in to give his side the lead in a game that ultimately ensured their passage to knockout rounds.
Samer’s biggest exhibition of the tournament came in Germany’s quarter finals with a stubborn Croatian costume. After Jurgen Klinsmann had set his side to a goal for good, Davor Suker equalized the score before Igor Stimac’s dismissal saw Miroslav Blazevic’s side reduced to ten men.
The Germans were eager to get their husband’s advantage calculated and were looking for a winner and it was again the late runs by Sammer that proved crucial when he avoided Croatia’s back line to block Babbel’s cross before firing his side in the semi-final. .
Their last four collision is a game that England fans will definitely never forget. After playing with back five for his first four excursions of Euro 96, Vogts adjusted his system and pushed Sammer into midfield as he looked to suppress Paul Gascoigne’s mesmerizing talents.
The move proved to be a master, as Gazza could not dictate procedures when Sammer together with his midfield partners Steffen Freund and Dieter Eilts suffocated England’s midfield.
No one needs to recall how the competition ended when Germany booked their place in the exhibition event against the Czech Republic.
The final failed to really live up to its billing and when Oliver Bierhoff had interrupted Patrik Berger’s second half, it was an inevitability of what would come next.
Jürgen Klinsmann holds the trophy up / BORIS HORVAT / Getty Images
The Germans continued to push and probe, and eventually received their reward when Bierhoff scored a Golden Goal in extra time to ensure that it was Vogt’s side that lifted the trophy.
Samer’s contribution to the entire Euro 96 can not be underestimated, with his defensive brawls helping to support the back line and running from deep proves a key facet to the German side’s style of play when they looked to break down teams.
No one won more awards in the Euro 96 match than the Dortmund man and he would continue to be UEFA’s player in the tournament. A truly unique talent that helped deliver Germany’s first major trophy since their unification and triggered the return of the German national team as we know it.
