Klopp defends diversity in the German national team amid racist chants

Chants such as "Black, red and gold" or "Germany, Germany" echoed repeatedly around the stadium in Munich. Fans proudly raised their flags, sang and celebrated their national team. The victory over Serbia began as a breakthrough on several levels.

On the one hand, it was the first win for the new Germany coach, Jurgen Klopp, who was impressed by “everything” in his team that night. “The first stage, the middle part and the end. It was a perfect evening. I am very happy and proud of what we showed,” said the 59-year-old coach.

The German national team presented its best performance under the leadership of the new coach, and the support it received from the stands was more vocal and emotional compared to previous matches.

After the defeat to Greece last Sunday, mild criticism appeared for the first time since Klopp's appointment, in addition to booing after the match. In addition, racist comments have increased on social media about the German Football Association.

Even when the team lineup was published before the match, the German team was described as “not white enough” or “not German enough” to be the German team, and was subjected to extremely harsh insults.

"There is no reason to worry about these people. They are not on my mind," Klopp said in the pre-match press conference against Serbia, in response to a question by DW. He added that he does not devote much time to stupidity in his normal life, nor on social media either.

“The biggest problem in our lives is that everyone has the right to express their opinion,” said the German national team coach. He described such comments as "madness."

The Alternative for Germany party attacks the German Football Association team

On the political level, the German national team also remains a frequent topic of discussion, especially since some members of the Alternative for Germany party regularly attack the national team, which for years has been the scene of controversy over who is considered German.

For example, politician Björn Höcke wrote on the X platform, referring to the skin color and names of the players who participated in the Euro 2024 matches hosted by Germany: “Today I can no longer sympathize with our national team.”

Regarding the team’s lineup for the Greece match, Kai Gottschalk, a member of the Bundestag from the Alternative for Germany party, commented on the

He wrote about culturally generated “character traits, specific virtues, and team spirit.” But he did not explain what these virtues have to do with the players' skin color.

As for his colleague in the Alternative for Germany party, Christopher Droessler, a federal police officer, he warned against “equating a multi-ethnic society with the harmony that prevails in the football team,” and demanded “a return to the homeland to the fullest extent of the law.”

Austrian right-wing extremist Martin Zellner claimed on the

Fans stand up to racism

“This debate about racism is nonsense. Everyone is doing their best for the national team and it doesn't matter if the player is black, white or any skin colour," one fan, Jannik, told DW. "Everyone is German and everyone is doing their best for Germany. The German flag is also an integral part of that for him.

“We should be proud to fly the German flag. This has nothing to do with racism. “Whoever has just arrived here has the right to raise the flag just like everyone else.” The flag is an integral part of the German national team.

Germany fan Pablo added: “It's crazy that we still have to fight for that in 2026. Germany can't be more diverse than that and that should also be reflected in the national team.” Many fans who have traveled here stand firmly behind Klopp's team.

Klopp, 59 years old, took advantage of a press conference weeks ago to announce his position rejecting the right and calling for “positive patriotism,” saying: “I would like to restore the flag for myself, or for all of us. I want us to always wave it without anyone thinking that there is something wrong with us, but rather for them to see it as an expression of our happiness and our awareness that we are lucky to have been born in this wonderful country, or to have grown up in it, or to have moved to live in it.”

He stressed that he did not want to leave “homeland pride to the wrong people,” adding: “I can be proud of being German, and at the same time remain open, accepting of diversity, kind and friendly.”

Klopp: "The group couldn't be better than that"

Klopp's statements impressed many fans in Germany. “I felt goosebumps when he said that. Given the current developments in the world, I think it is important for a figure like Klopp to take such a position,” Pablo explained.

His team's performance against Serbia excites people in Germany and encourages the "positive patriotism" he advocates. Perhaps this will contribute to reducing the intensity of racist voices, at least a little. This is the hope of the German national team coach, who emphasized once again when speaking about his team:

“The group couldn't be better. The world should follow the example of the sports locker room. There everyone is respected based on absolutely correct facts and not tarnished by wrong opinions,” Klopp said. This does not pose a problem in any team or sports club.

Prepared in Arabic by: M.A.M