A multicultural matchup

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This article was published 13/06/2010 (5956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DURBAN, South Africa — The tickets say Germany versus Australia, but the multicultural makeup of both squads make the match a mini-World Cup in its own right.

The majority of Germany’s team play in the Bundesliga and coach Joachim Loew is German, yet its players boast football heritage from Brazil (Cacau), Spain (Mario Gómez), Turkey (Mesut Oezil), Tunisia (Sami Khedira), Ghana (Jérôme Boateng) and Poland (Lukas Podolski).

Cacau, who was born in Brazil, said the national team is a reflection of Germany’s diverse society.

“Germany has done a great deal toward the integration of foreigners from many different countries,” he told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. “Germany has opened up many opportunities for these people, not only football players. Germany has become a multicultural country, and that’s reflected in the national team.”

While a multicultural German team is relatively new, immigrants pioneered soccer in Australia, with Australians of longer standing mostly preferring either rugby code or Australian Rules Football.

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer’s parents moved to Australia from Germany in 1968, four years before he was born. His mother Doris remembers the prevailing sentiment.

“The butcher knew me and he asked, ‘Is Mark playing soccer? Soccer is only for softies. A real boy, a real man only plays football (rugby),’ ” she said. “That was the attitude.”

In recent years, the green and gold of Australia has turned an orange tinge.

Coach Pim Verbeek is the latest example of the country’s “Oranje” crush, replacing countryman Guus Hiddink, who steered the Socceroos to the round of 16 in 2006.

Australia’s past two technical directors and head coach of the national youth team are Dutchmen and the national coaching curriculum is geared toward teaching Australian children how to play the Dutch-style 4-3-3 formation.

“The Dutch influence is there in the way we play as a national team and it’s been positive,” Australia midfielder Brett Emerton said. “But deep down, we all have the Aussie fighting spirit. And I think it was displayed in the qualifying campaign for the World Cup because, whenever we needed to dig in to do the dirty work, we did.”

Apart from the Dutch fascination, there are two other factors that make it difficult to pin down an Australian style.

The senior players are far and wide as they earn their livings.

Only one squad member, midfield starter Jason Culina, plays his club football in Australia’s national league. Four of the starters, including Tim Cahill (Everton) and Schwarzer (Fulham), are at English Premier League clubs, while captain Lucas Neill and forward Harry Kewell are at Galatasaray in Turkey. Others play in Greece, Belgium, Russia, Italy and Japan.

Cahill, perhaps Australia’s most important player, is the son of a British merchant sailor and a Samoan mother. He played for Samoa early in his career and needed FIFA to allow his change to Australia.

“Samoa is where my heritage is from, but being Australian gives me that fighting spirit,” says Cahill, who has financial involvement in several coaching academies.

“I want to work with kids and help develop them, show them the right way. Australia has many different cultures but I’d like to bring in the indigenous style. Bring their competitiveness, athleticism and raw ability into the frame as well.”

— The Associated Press

Today’s Games

ALGERIA VS. SLOVENIA

The loser of this game can pretty much forget about advancing, with the English and Americans still on the schedule.

ALGERIA: The only Arab nation in the tournament. Coach Rabah Saâdane benched captain Yazid Mansouri for the game because his form was not good enough.

SLOVENIA: Samir Handanovic is gaining a reputation as an elite keeper, but can the Slovenians score enough?

TELEVISION: CBC, 6:15 a.m.

SERBIA VS. GHANA

Four years ago in Germany, the Serbia-Montenegro team lost all three group matches, including 6-0 to Argentina. Ghana advanced to the second round in 2006.

GHANA: Minus star midfielder Michael Essien, Ghana will rely heavily on Sulley Muntari, who won the Champions League with Inter Milan this year.

SERBIA: Midfielder Dejan Stankovic also plays for Inter, and centre back Nemanja Vidic is among the best in the world.

TELEVISION: CBC, 8:45 a.m.

GERMANY VS. AUSTRALIA

Germany has won three World Cups and made the final four other times.

GERMANY: Along with veterans Philip Lahm and Per Mertesacker, coach Joachim Loew has six players from last year’s European under-21 winners.

AUSTRALIA: Australia has one of the top goalkeepers in Mark Schwarzer of Fulham and advanced to the second round in 2006.

TELEVISION: CBC, 1:15 p.m.

— The Associated Press