Germany coming to terms in European land
26 April 2013 1:33 AM GMT
When Germany advanced to the 2010 World Cup semifinals with four-goal wins over England and Argentina it became clear something special was brewing in German football.
Fast forward three years and two more four-goal thrashings for German sides this week showed the nation’s international comeback looks to have jumped on another stage.
Borussia Dortmund gave Real Madrid a lesson in attacking football on Wednesday, crushing the nine-time European champions 4-1 in their Champions League semifinal first leg 24 hours after Bayern Munich’s 4-0 demolition of Barcelona.
The duo are heavy favourites to make it a first all-German Champions League final, which would guarantee an end to the country’s 12-year wait to lift the famous trophy.
Much of the success can be credited to a move which came a year after Bayern defeated Valencia on penalties in 2001 to win a fourth title. Fed up with a lack of international success, youth academies became a prerequisite in 2002 for all first and second division German clubs. More than 700 million euros has been pumped in to youth work nationwide since with Dortmund’s fledgling side showing the investment has clearly paid off. Dortmund and Bayern players compile Germany’s national team and that showed in the two ties.
Fast forward three years and two more four-goal thrashings for German sides this week showed the nation’s international comeback looks to have jumped on another stage.
Borussia Dortmund gave Real Madrid a lesson in attacking football on Wednesday, crushing the nine-time European champions 4-1 in their Champions League semifinal first leg 24 hours after Bayern Munich’s 4-0 demolition of Barcelona.
The duo are heavy favourites to make it a first all-German Champions League final, which would guarantee an end to the country’s 12-year wait to lift the famous trophy.
Much of the success can be credited to a move which came a year after Bayern defeated Valencia on penalties in 2001 to win a fourth title. Fed up with a lack of international success, youth academies became a prerequisite in 2002 for all first and second division German clubs. More than 700 million euros has been pumped in to youth work nationwide since with Dortmund’s fledgling side showing the investment has clearly paid off. Dortmund and Bayern players compile Germany’s national team and that showed in the two ties.
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