Frankfurt: Germany coach Hansi Flick thinks fans will still enjoy the Qatar World Cup even though it is being played in November and December for the first time.
It is not however the first winter World Cup, with Uruguay, Brazil,Argentina and South Africa all having hosted the tournament duringthe southern hemisphere winter.
“First of all, it’s about beating the pandemic so that it will be possible to watch football together,” he told Sport Bild on Wednesday.
“But I am convinced the team can enthuse the fans again. If we play passionately, play offensively, then we can emotionally grab people even in the winter.”
The euphoria at a tournament grows with every round, he said.
“Of course, that’s also possible in December. Then maybe after scoring a goal, mulled wine splashes into the air instead of beer -even if that might be a little harder to get out of your clothes,”Flick joked.
The World Cup begins on November 21 with the final on December 18.
Flick said he has no problem with the minimum goal of reaching the semi-finals, which has been set by German Football Federation sporting director Oliver Bierhoff.
“But I also say very clearly: we want to get to the final. And we want to be world champions.” — dpa
