BERLIN, June 30 (Reuters) - More than 300,000 Germany fans welcomed their defeated team home at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Monday at a melancholy ceremony paying tribute to the Euro 2008 runners-up.
Waving black, red and gold German flags, crowds packed a
fan mile in front of the Berlin landmark monument at the start
of a public viewing area that stretched two kilometres west to
the 'Victory Column'. Some 600,000 fans watched the final here.
'It's disappointing to go so far in the tournament, get to
the final and then lose,' captain Michael Ballack told the big
crowd after the team returned from Vienna. Germany lost Sunday's
final 1-0 against Spain. 'That's always bitter.'
But Ballack, who has now lost in 10 final matches in his
club and international career, said they had felt the support
from the huge crowds that filled public viewing venues across
Germany all the way to their secluded hotel in Switzerland.
'I don't think we'd have gone so far without these great
fans,' Ballack said. 'We all saw the TV pictures of what was
going on back here and it felt like we had an extra man on the
pitch all the time.'
Thousands of children skipped school to attend the rally.
Draped in the national colours and flags in a relaxed display of
German patriotism unimaginable just a few years ago, many held
placards thanking them for a thrilling run to the final.
The team's plane from Vienna had made a series of low-flying
passes over central Berlin to get a closer look at the enormous
crowd jamming the centre of the German capital.
'We were all pretty sad last night but I think we achieved a
lot with second place and I think we can all be proud that we
were in the final,' coach Joachim Loew said.
'Spain were a great team throughout the tournament and they
were a class act last night. But if we meet Spain in a
tournament again, we'll beat them next time.'
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann admitted giving away the goal was
going to haunt him.
'That's one I wish I could have stopped,' Lehmann said.
'It's going to haunt me for the rest of my life. But even though
we lost it's still great that the people are so enthusiastic.'
Team mate Bastian Schweinsteiger said: 'This feels really
good to be here after the deep disappointment last night. It
helps the healing.'
The hour-long tribute, broadcast live nationwide on several
networks, included rock music and short interviews with all 23
players. It was concluded with the traditional shower of beer.
There was a similar tribute for Germany after the 2006 World
Cup. But the spirit was clearly better there after the team had
won the match for third place against Portugal the night before.
This time the defeat was still a bit of an open wound.
