Are you curious about the sports that the Germans are the most enthusiastic about? You should be because chatting about sports, in our experience, is the best way to strike up a conversation with a German.
Of course, Germans are known for their passion for football, but you’d be surprised at how many other sports they enjoy participating in and watching on TV. So, in order to begin up an intriguing conversation with locals in Germany, whether in a pub, market, or casino (more than 50 casino operators work across the country, plus their online versions, which are rated and singled out as top online casinos in Germany) you should have a basic understanding of the sport, including a brief description of the sport, the most renowned German who participates in it, and the most noteworthy historical event in it.
Hence, without further ado, let’s get down to business…
Football (Soccer)
Football is, without a question, the most popular sport in Germany. Take a look at the DFB (Deutscher Fußball-Bund), Germany’s national football organization, to get a clearer picture of how powerful football is in the country. The DFB is the world’s largest sports federation, with around 7 million members. When compared to persons residing in Germany, this means that around 10% of all Germans are directly affiliated with the German football association in some form.
Bundesliga is the name of the German football league, which is one of the most well-known and successful leagues in Europe. Every weekend, tens of thousands of supporters clap for and support their favorite football club from the stands. But, not just because of the World Cup victory in Brazil in 2014, the German national team also attracts a large following. So, if you want to get under the skin of Germans, who are known for being stiff and chilly, and see them utterly lose their cool, there’s no better way than to go to a stadium game.
Germany’s Most Famous Footballer
This is a difficult question to answer because Germany has produced many outstanding footballers. However, Franz Beckenbauer is arguably the greatest famous German footballer of all time. As a player and manager for the German Nationalmannschaft, he was a huge success. He’s the first German footballer to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a coach.
The Unforgettable Football Moment in German Football History
Germany has won the World Cup four times, placing it second only to Brazil in terms of success. However, one of these victories stands out, namely Germany’s victory in the first World Cup in 1954. Less than ten years after WWII ended, Germany defeated Hungary’s favorite team 3-2 in a famous final. The ‘Das Wunder von Bern’ (The Miracle of Bern) is the name given to this game, which took place in Switzerland.
Golf
Unfortunately, golf continues to be a sport that only the wealthy seem to enjoy in Germany. To play on the course, most golf clubs require a membership or a significant fee. And, despite the fact that we currently have a highly successful German golfer in Martin Kaymer, German free/national television doesn’t broadcast any golf competitions.
Germany’s Most Famous Golfer
Martin Kaymer is probably the most well-known German golfer. He’s currently active on the PGA Tour, and he’s only the second German golfer to win a major championship. For more than 8 weeks in 2011, he was the best golfer on the planet. What’s more astounding is that he’s the second-youngest golfer to ever reach the top of the world rankings.
Ice Hockey
Many people believe that there’s no other sport in Germany where the spectators create more noise and have more fun than ice hockey. Most big cities also have a first-league ice hockey club, so check out yourself when you get a chance if the rumors about the amazing gaming atmosphere are true. The German ice hockey league (Deutschen Eishockey Liga – DEL) is regarded as one of the greatest in the world, but it lags well behind the more well-known American NHL and Baltic KHL.
Germany’s Most Famous Ice Hockey Player
Only a few German players have found their way to the NHL, the world’s strongest and most famous ice hockey league, and Uwe Krupp is one of them. In 1996, he and his NHL team Colorado Avalanche even won the Stanley Cup, i.e. the league title. Krupp also served as the head coach of his country’s ice hockey team, commanding it to the World Championship semi-finals in 2010.
The Unforgettable Football Moment in German Ice Hockey History
The capture of the silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics was without a doubt the biggest surprise in ice hockey history, and the most memorable moment of German ice hockey history. After defeating one of the strongest teams in the world, Canada, by a score of 4-3, the German team was defeated by Russia in a dramatic final match, losing 3-4 after overtime. Later that year, the German ice hockey team was voted German Sports Team of the Year.
Basketball
Basketball is a hugely popular sport in Germany. For that, it has to thank two players above all the others: Detlef Schrempf and, in particular, Dirk Nowitzki – both being highly successful German NBA players. Despite the fact that the German Basketball League (Basketball Bundesliga) is far from Europe’s greatest, the atmosphere at games is tremendously heated and something you should definitely try to see in person.
Germany’s Most Famous Basketball Player
As previously said, Dirk Nowitzki is the most well-known German basketball player. After his rookie season in 1998, he rapidly established himself as the greatest player on his Dallas Mavericks team. Dirk Nowitzki was quickly labeled the ‘German Wunderkind’ after winning the NBA title in 2011.
The Unforgettable Football Moment in German Basketball History
Unfortunately, the Germans haven’t been the most successful international basketball team. That makes the European Championships victory in 1993 all the more remarkable! It was time to play the Russian team after a series of close games that the German team had all won. The game was once again close and exciting, with Germany defeating Russia 71-70 to win the trophy for the first time in history.
Formula One
Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel – these two incredible drivers were solely responsible for the huge fanfare that surrounded Formula One in Germany in the last couple of decades. Both were such brilliant drivers that they dominated the sport for years, making millions of Germans happy to watch the races at home on Sunday afternoons. However, now that Schumacher and Vettel are no longer world champions, the Germans appear to have lost interest in the sport. But, ideally, the last season could’ve seen Vettel return to the top, reawakening German enthusiasm in Formel Eins.
Germany’s Most Famous Formula 1 driver
This is a difficult one because Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel have dominated the sport for years. But, if forced to choose, we’d go with Michael Schumacher, who shattered practically every record in his long career. His seven Formula One World Championships (a record), 68 Pole Positions (a record), and the fastest laps (a record), among other achievements, offer a clear picture of his incredible accomplishment.
The Unforgettable Football Moment in German F1 History
Michael Schumacher’s seventh championship was, without a doubt, the most memorable of his long racing career victories. No other Formula One driver has ever come close to matching this astounding achievement, and Schumacher dominated the 2004 season (with 12 wins in the first 13 races).
