Football World Cup: German Ü80 secures the title in Australia

The German Ü80 national team during the World Cup preparations in Velen, North Rhine-Westphalia

Become World Champion with Germany in old age? What Manuel Neuer did not want to succeed in the summer, has now achieved the German Ü80 football national team.

In the final, the team won on the small field in the Australian Cleveland 2-0 against the USA. We all have a red bulb and a sunburn. This did not diminish the joy, said Michael Rätsch of Hertha BSC of the news agency dpa.

It was the premiere for the age group at the eighth edition of the 70-plus football World Cup. The German Ü75 had already won the title last year. Ü80 teams consist of eight players each, the game time is two halftimes of 30 minutes. Over four tournament days, the seniors had to play two games per day in order to get from the group games to the semi-finals and finals.

Especially the 2-1 victory against Japan in the preliminary round was hard work, because in Japan there is a league for seniors of older age. These are footballers who play football regularly. We tried to achieve success by tactical means, said Rätsch, who scored the victory against the Asians. Also in the semi-finals, the team was victorious against Japan.

For footballers, it is also about motivating more people in old age to sport “We have to see that more people in old age play sports,” said Rätsch. In the coming year, a European Championship as well as some international matches of the seniors are planned.

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