Germany manager, Julian Nagelsmann has expressed his dismay at a survey published by German publication, ARD, which showed that 21% of German fans want to see more white players in the national team.
The publication has received plenty of backlash in the recent days after the survey was published, particularly as it comes at a time when the squad are preparing to play in Euro 2024 as the host nation.
The current Germany squad has several players with mixed heritage such as Antonio Rudiger, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala. How the poll has impacted those players in unknown but the response from their manager has been emphatic. Speaking to reporters, Nagelsmann said:
“It is racist. I feel we need to wake up. This question is insane. There are people in Europe who’ve had to flee because of war, economic factors, environmental disasters, and people who simply want to be taken in.”
“We have to ask what are we doing at the moment? We in Germany are doing very, very well, and when we say something like that, I think it’s crazy how we turn a blind eye and simply block out such things.”
Kimmich also slams racist fans survey
Nagelsmann's remarks come a few days after the national team captain, Joshua Kimmich, also slated the survey. The Bayern Munich midfielder said:
“Anyone who's grown up with football knows this is absolute nonsense. Football, in particular, is a good example of how you can unite different nations, different skin colours and different religions. That's what our team is all about. I would miss a lot of players if they weren't here. This is absolutely racist and has no place in our changing room.”
“When you consider that we are about to host a European Championship at home, it's absurd to ask such a question when the aim is actually to unite the whole country. It's about achieving great things together. As a team, we're trying to get everyone in Germany behind us.”
There was a survey made by ARD, which showed that 21% of Germans want more white players in the national team
Kimmich comments on that: “This hasn't been a topic within the team itself. Anyone who grew up in football knows that it's absolute nonsense. Football unites people of… pic.twitter.com/R92UvbuQLl
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) June 1, 2024
Karl Valks, a reporter for ARD, defended the poll while also expressing his disbelief at the results. He said:
“We are dismayed that the results are what they are, but they are also an expression of the social situation in Germany today. Sport plays an important role in our society, and the national team is a strong example of integration.”