About 800,000 fans celebrate German win over Sweden in Berlin
25/6/2006 10:48
As many as 800,000 football fans gathered yesterday in the center of
Berlin to watch the live broadcasting of the World Cup knockout opener which
Germany beat Sweden 2-0 in Munich.
Tens of thousands of fans gathered in
front of six big TV screens along the June 17 Boulevard on the Brandenburg
Gate's western side.
"Deutschland, Deutschland," the voice from the grand
speakers echoed with those from the jubilant audience on the June 17 Boulevard
when Lukas Podolski scored one four minutes into the match.
Police closed
traffic within the 2.5-kilometers stretch from Brandenburg Gate to Siegessaule
or the Victory Monument.
The black-red-yellow flags, Germany's national flag,
are everywhere. When the match ended, the June 17 Boulevard turned into a sea of
flags.
For most fans, the match has gone beyond of football. David Schneider,
with his face painted black-red-yellow, told Xinhua: "I love football, but I
love Germany more. I came because Germany plays today."
"We did not want to
express our patriotism because of our shameful past, but like citizens of other
countries, we love our country," said Schneider.
"The Nazi crimes have
nothing to do with me. Now it is time to make friends and time to love our
country," he added.
Schneider said that he believed Germany will enter the
final match and has a chance to win the championship.
Germany will face the
winner of the Argentina-Mexico tie in the quarter-finals.
Xinhua
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