“I have no idea whether you can hear me,” the ARD reporter introduces the interview with Toni Kroos, who presses one of the two small headphones to his ear. It is 8:41 pm, the game has been for almost an hour Whistled off, and yet it is still unbelievably loud in the Wembley Stadium. In an interview with Manuel Neuer a few minutes earlier, the ARD adjusted the volume of the microphones upwards immediately after the first question, because the German captain could hardly be heard.
“It’s really great when 95 percent of the audience are against you and want to see you lose,” national coach Joachim Löw said before the game. This aversion was evident even before the kick-off. The German national anthem was accompanied by loud boos. Then a similar picture during the game. If Germany has the ball, the stadium whistles – sometimes more and sometimes less.
Whistles turn into jubilation
In the 75th minute, Raheem Sterling, who grew up in London, released the nearly 45,000 fans in the stadium. Now the English fans can not only boo or whistle, but also celebrate. The few Germans who actually made it to Wembley Stadium in London are drowned in the English cheers.
Sterling initiates his hit himself. He gets the ball on the half right side of teammate Walker. The German central defender Antonio Rüdiger is sticking to his heels. Thomas Müller from the front and Toni Kroos from six join them. Sterling appears to be surrounded. The Manchester City striker steps up anyway and uses the small corridor that opens up towards the sixteen. A simple mistake by the Germans, of all things, leaving the direct route to the gate open. In the penalty area, Sterling spits the ball at Kane, and Rüdiger loses sight of Sterling.
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It is not a situation that is completely new. Sterling had already scored the only goal this way in the group game against Croatia. Only one Englishman has ever met at this tournament: Raheem Sterling
Nevertheless, the ball is a few seconds later in the German goal. Sterling turns to cheer. At this point there are five English players and eight field players from the German team in the penalty area. The fact that Sterling is still free after left-back Luke Shaw’s low cross is also due to the German defense.
Rüdiger neither stays with Sterling nor does he run back to his position. But his two central defenders are not innocent either. Like the Hungarian Adam Szalai, Sterling also uses the large gap between Matthias Ginter and Mats Hummels. Nobody feels responsible for him.
German weaknesses in the penalty area
After the game, the outgoing national coach Joachim Löw emphasizes once again how important it would have been to take advantage of the great chances against England. It was clear to him that it would not be a game of many possibilities. His team failed in the person of Thomas Müller and Timo Werner on this project. But Raheem Sterling manages to do just that. His close-up finish is child’s play, but also because the German team made mistakes. No big blunders, but clear mistakes.
Bastian Schweinsteiger later said about the cheers after the 1-0 that he had “never experienced” such a redemption. The whole Wembley Stadium is upside down. Not only in the 75th minute of the game, but until the final whistle and far beyond. In the stadium, Prince William and Duchess Kate celebrate as well as the other English couple of the evening, David Beckham and Ed Sheeran. As with every major victory, in London, in Wembley, of course, as so often, “It’s coming home” is sung. A victory over Germany, especially in a major tournament, doesn’t happen that often. But only very rarely.
