Germany's over-80s national team has won the World Cup title in Australia. In the final in Cleveland, Queensland, the team defeated the USA 2-0 to crown a successful tournament week. While the seniors celebrate, the senior national team is preparing for its next competitive match. On Saturday, 13 November, they travel to Serbia for an away qualifier. The recent form from the last four matches of the DFB team reads one win, two draws and one defeat. This form of one win, two draws and one defeat came from the latest fixtures: a 0-0 draw against Greece on 4 October, the 2-0 win over Serbia on 1 October, a 0-1 loss to Greece on 27 September and a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on 24 September.
The tournament was played on a small pitch with eight players per team, with each half lasting 30 minutes. The rules allowed for up to four outfield players under the age of 80, while the goalkeeper could be as young as 77. The German team had to play two matches in one day to advance from the group stage to the semi-final and final, where they faced the USA after a 3-1 win over Japan.
Berlin Players as Key Figures
Five players from Berlin were part of the German squad. One of them, Michael Rätsch of Hertha BSC, scored the decisive goal in the 2-1 group stage match against Japan. "These are footballers who play regularly," said Rätsch. "We tried to achieve success with tactical means." The player also referenced the external conditions: "We all have red faces and sunburn.
Successful Title Defence
Not only the over-80s team triumphed. The German over-75s selection also won their world championship title, securing the trophy for the second year in a row. Günter Christmann, who already won with the over-75s in 2023, also claimed gold with the over-80s in 2024. Only in the over-70s category did a German team miss out on a third title for Germany after a 1-0 final defeat and a semi-final loss.
The next steps for the newly crowned world champions are already planned. European championships and friendly internationals are on the schedule for the coming year. The senior national team's last victory came on 1 October with a 2-0 win over Serbia, where Tom Bischof scored in the 39th minute and Florian Wirtz scored in the 61st minute. Wirtz's goal was assisted by Maximilian Mittelstädt.
